Method for integration of variable Bragg grating coupling coefficients

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11664640-B1
Application number	US-202117394726-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 5, 2021
Priority date	Aug 5, 2021
Publication date	May 30, 2023
Grant date	May 30, 2023

Abstract

A non-etched gap is introduced along the length of an integrated Bragg grating with etched grooves such that the coupling coefficient, K, of the grating is reduced by the non-etched gap. In this way, multiple grating K values may be defined within a photonic integrated circuit using a single lithography and etch step. Additionally, the non-etched gap width may be varied along the length of a single grating to implement a chirped grating.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A photonic integrated circuit, comprising:
a first laser including a first grating forming a first mirror along a first waveguide, wherein
the first grating has first grooves formed substantially perpendicular to a direction that light travels in the first waveguide,
the first grooves have a depth,
the first grooves have a first non-etched gap with a first varying width chosen to achieve a specified first K of the first mirror, where K is the coupling coefficient of the grating wherein the value of the first k changes as the width of the first non-etched gap varies thereby achieving different first k values and being formed in a single lithography and etch step by introducing the first non-etched gap in a central region along the length of the first grating; and a second laser including a second grating forming a second mirror and a third grating forming a third mirror along a second waveguide, wherein
the second grating has second grooves formed substantially perpendicular to a direction that light travels in the second waveguide,
the second grooves have a depth that is the same is the depth of the first grooves,
the second grooves have a second non-etched gap with a second width chosen to achieve a specified second K of the second mirror, with multiple reflectivity peaks formed, spaced apart in wavelength at a period inversely proportional to a period of a sampling of the second and third gratings whereby the second and third mirrors are sampled at different periods such that only one multiple reflection peak can coincide at a time;

wherein the first laser and the second laser are different types of lasers.

2. The photonic integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the second laser is a sampled-grating distributed Bragg reflector (SGDBR) laser and the first laser is a distributed feedback (DFB) laser.

3. The photonic integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first laser is a distributed feedback (DFB) laser, further comprising a gain region and wherein the first grating is a distributed grating having uniform spacing.

4. The photonic integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the second laser is a sampled-grating distributed Bragg reflector (SGDBR) laser, wherein
the third grating has third grooves formed substantially perpendicular to a direction that light travels in the second waveguide,
the third grooves have a depth that is the same is the depth of the first grooves and the second grooves,
the third grooves have a third non-etched gap with a third width chosen to achieve a specified third K of the third mirror.

5. The photonic integrated circuit of claim 4 , wherein the second laser further comparisons a gain section and a phase section between the second mirror and the third mirror.

6. The photonic integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first varying width of the first non-etched gap varies across the grooves.

7. The photonic integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first varying width of the first non-etched gap varies across the grooves to implement a chirp.

8. A method of manufacturing a photonic integrated circuit, comprising:
forming a first laser including a first grating that is a first mirror along a first waveguide, wherein
the first grating has first grooves formed substantially perpendicular to a direction that light travels in the first waveguide,
the first grooves have a depth,
the first grooves have a first non-etched gap with a first varying width chosen to achieve a specified first K of the first mirror, where K is the coupling coefficient of the grating wherein the value of the first k changes as the width of the first non-etched gap varies thereby achieving different first k changes and being formed in a single lithography and etch step by introducing the first non-etched gap in a central region along the length of the first grating; and

forming a second laser including a second grating that is a second mirror and a third grating forming a third mirror along a second waveguide, wherein
the second grating has second grooves formed substantially perpendicular to a direction that light travels in the second waveguide,
the second grooves have a depth that is the same is the depth of the first grooves,
the second grooves have a second non-etched gap with a second width chosen to achieve a specified second K of the second mirror with multiple reflectivity peaks formed, spaced apart in wavelength at a period inversely proportional to a period of a sampling of the second and third gratings whereby the second and third mirrors are sampled at different periods such that only one multiple reflection peak can coincide at a time;

wherein the first laser and the second laser are different types of lasers, and wherein the first grating and the second grating are formed during the same lithographic and etching step.

9. The photonic integrated circuit of claim 8 , wherein the second laser is a sampled-grating distributed Bragg reflector (SGDBR) laser and the first laser is a distributed feedback (DFB) laser.

10. The photonic integrated circuit of claim 8 , wherein the first laser is a distributed feedback (DFB) laser, further comprising a gain region and wherein the first grating is a distributed grating having uniform spacing.

11. The photonic integrated circuit of claim 9 , wherein the second laser is a sampled-grating distributed Bragg reflector (SGDBR) laser, wherein
the third grating has third grooves formed substantially perpendicular to a direction that light travels in the second waveguide,
the third grooves have a depth that is the same is the depth of the first grooves and the second grooves,
the third grooves have a third non-etched gap with a third width chosen to achieve a specified third K of the third mirror.

12. The photonic integrated circuit of claim 11 , wherein the second laser further comparisons a gain section and a phase section between the second mirror and the third mirror.

13. The photonic integrated circuit of claim 8 , wherein the first varying width of the first non-etched gap varies across the grooves.

14. The photonic integrated circuit of claim 8 , wherein the first varying width of the first non-etched gap varies across the grooves to implement a chirp.

Assignees

• Nasa

Inventors

• Stephen Mark A
• Song Bowen
• Klamkin Jonathan
• Rosborough Victoria
• Fridlander Joseph

Classifications

• H01S5/1021

  Coupled cavities (H01S5/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01S5/1228

  DFB lasers with a complex coupled grating, e.g. gain or loss coupling · CPC title

• H01S5/1209

  Sampled grating · CPC title

• H01S5/124

  incorporating phase shifts · CPC title

• H01S5/1225 Primary

  with a varying coupling constant along the optical axis · CPC title