Interferometer filters with compensation structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11874496-B2
Application number	US-202217987741-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2022
Priority date	May 21, 2019
Publication date	Jan 16, 2024
Grant date	Jan 16, 2024

Abstract

A photonic switch includes a first waveguide including a first region extending between a first coupler section and a second coupler section and a second region extending between the second coupler section and a third coupler section. The photonic switch also includes a second waveguide including a first portion extending between the first coupler section and the second coupler section, the first portion including at least two first compensation sections each having a different waveguide width, and a second portion extending between the second coupler section and the third coupler section, the second portion including at least two second compensation sections each having a different waveguide width. The photonic switch further includes at least one variable phase-shifter disposed in at least one of the first waveguide or the second waveguide.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A photonic switch comprising:
a first waveguide including:
a first region extending between a first coupler section and a second coupler section; and
a second region extending between the second coupler section and a third coupler section; and

a second waveguide including:
a first portion extending between the first coupler section and the second coupler section, the first portion including at least two first compensation sections each having a different waveguide width; and
a second portion extending between the second coupler section and the third coupler section, the second portion including at least two second compensation sections each having a different waveguide width; and

at least one variable phase-shifter disposed in at least one of the first waveguide or the second waveguide.

2. The photonic switch of claim 1 wherein:
the waveguide width of the two first compensation sections increases sequentially; and
the waveguide width of the two second compensation sections increases sequentially.

3. The photonic switch of claim 1 wherein the at least one variable phase-shifter is at least one thermo-optical switch.

4. The photonic switch of claim 1 wherein the at least one variable phase-shifter is characterized by a refractive index that changes as a temperature of at least one of the first waveguide or the second waveguide rises.

5. The photonic switch of claim 1 wherein the at least one variable phase-shifter is disposed in the first waveguide.

6. The photonic switch of claim 5 wherein the at least one variable phase-shifter is a first variable phase-shifter disposed in the first region of the first waveguide.

7. The photonic switch of claim 5 wherein the at least one variable phase-shifter comprises:
a first variable phase-shifter disposed in the first region of the first waveguide; and
a second variable phase-shifter disposed on the second region of the first waveguide.

8. The photonic switch of claim 1 wherein the at least one variable phase-shifter is disposed in the second waveguide.

9. The photonic switch of claim 1 wherein the first coupler section, the second coupler section, and the third coupler section and the first waveguide and the second waveguide comprise a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) filter.

10. The photonic switch of claim 1 wherein the first portion includes at least three compensation sections that sequentially increase in width.

11. The photonic switch of claim 1 wherein the second portion includes at least three compensation sections that sequentially increase in width.

12. The photonic switch of claim 1 wherein the at least two first compensation sections and the at least two second compensation sections include respective taper portions.

13. The photonic switch of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first portion or the second portion have a number of waveguide widths that are greater than a predetermined number of perturbations.

Assignees

• Psiquantum Corp

Inventors

• RAVI Koustuban
• Thompson Mark
• Dudley Eric

Classifications

• G02B6/12007 Primary

  forming wavelength selective elements, e.g. multiplexer, demultiplexer · CPC title

• G02B6/1228

  Tapered waveguides, e.g. integrated spot-size transformers (for coupling with fibres G02B6/305) · CPC title

• G02B6/13

  Integrated optical circuits characterised by the manufacturing method · CPC title

• G02B6/29355

  Cascade arrangement of interferometers · CPC title

• G02B2006/12061

  Silicon · CPC title