Fiber-coupled laser light source

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12374855-B2
Application number	US-202217899277-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2022
Priority date	Aug 31, 2021
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

Described herein are photonic sources and related system architectures that can satisfy the optical power requirements of large photonic accelerators. Some embodiments relate to a computer comprising a photonic accelerator configured to perform matrix multiplication; a fiber array optically coupled to the photonic accelerator; and a photonic source optically coupled to the fiber array. The photonic source comprising a laser array comprising a plurality of monolithically co-integrated lasers, and a coupling lens array comprising a plurality of monolithically co-integrated lenses, the coupling lens array optically coupling the laser array to the fiber array. The laser array is configured to output between 0.1 W and 10 W of optical power.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer comprising:
a photonic accelerator configured to perform matrix multiplication;
a fiber array optically coupled to the photonic accelerator; and
a photonic source optically coupled to the fiber array, the photonic source comprising:
a laser array comprising a plurality of monolithically co-integrated lasers;
a coupling lens array comprising a plurality of monolithically co-integrated lenses, the coupling lens array optically coupling the laser array to the fiber array; and
a volume Bragg grating (VBG) optically coupled between the laser array and the coupling lens array, the VBG having a passband bandwidth of less than 1 nm.

2. The computer of claim 1 , wherein the laser array is configured to emit between 0.1 W and 10 W of optical power.

3. The computer of claim 1 , wherein the photonic source further comprises a collimating lens array comprising a plurality of monolithically co-integrated lenses, wherein the lenses of the collimating lens array are configured to collimate optical beams emitted by the laser array.

4. The computer of claim 3 , wherein:
at least some of the monolithically co-integrated lasers are vertically offset relative to one another thereby defining a vertical extension,
the collimating lens array defines a mid-array axis with respect to a vertical direction, and
the mid-array axis falls within the vertical extension with respect to the vertical direction.

5. The computer of claim 1 , wherein the optical source further comprises a housing frame defining a first cavity, a second cavity and an enclosed window between the first cavity and the second cavity, wherein the laser array is disposed within the first cavity and the coupling lens array is disposed within the second cavity.

6. The computer of claim 5 , wherein the housing frame further defines a step between the first cavity and the second cavity.

7. The computer of claim 5 , wherein the housing frame is positioned so that optical beams emitted by the laser array pass through the window.

8. The computer of claim 1 , wherein the optical source further comprises a water-cooled heat sink configured to cool the laser array.

9. A computer comprising:
a photonic accelerator configured to perform matrix multiplication;
a fiber array optically coupled to the photonic accelerator; and
a photonic source optically coupled to the fiber array, the photonic source comprising:
a laser array comprising a plurality of monolithically co-integrated lasers;
a coupling lens array comprising a plurality of monolithically co-integrated lenses, the coupling lens array optically coupling the laser array to the fiber array; and
an optical isolator optically coupled between the laser array and the coupling lens array, the optical isolator being configured to permit transmission of a plurality of optical beams emitted by the laser array.

10. The computer of claim 9 , wherein the optical isolator comprises:
a first magnet embedded in a first magnet retainer;
a second magnet embedded in a second magnet retainer; and
a mount joining the first magnet retainer with the second magnet retainer.

11. The computer of claim 10 , wherein the optical isolator further comprises an angled half-wave plate disposed between the first magnet and the second magnet.

12. The computer of claim 10 , wherein the optical isolator further comprises a plate having a rare-earth iron garnet (RIG) film disposed between the first magnet and the second magnet.

13. A computer comprising:
a photonic accelerator configured to perform matrix multiplication;
a fiber array optically coupled to the photonic accelerator; and
a photonic source optically coupled to the fiber array, the photonic source comprising:
a laser array comprising a plurality of monolithically co-integrated lasers;
a coupling lens array comprising a plurality of monolithically co-integrated lenses, the coupling lens array optically coupling the laser array to the fiber array; and
a steering lens array comprising a plurality of monolithically co-integrated lenses, wherein the steering lens array is coupled between the laser array and the coupling lens array and is laterally offset relative to the coupling lens array.

14. The computer of claim 13 , wherein the photonic source further comprises a collimating lens array comprising a plurality of monolithically co-integrated lenses, wherein the lenses of the collimating lens array are configured to collimate optical beams emitted by the laser array.

15. The computer of claim 14 , wherein:
at least some of the monolithically co-integrated lasers are vertically offset relative to one another thereby defining a vertical extension,
the collimating lens array defines a mid-array axis with respect to a vertical direction, and
the mid-array axis falls within the vertical extension with respect to the vertical direction.

16. A method for manufacturing a computer, comprising:
obtaining a photonic accelerator configured to perform matrix multiplication;
obtaining a laser array comprising a plurality of monolithically co-integrated lasers;
obtaining a coupling lens array comprising a plurality of monolithically co-integrated lenses;
assembling a laser source using the laser array and the lens array, wherein assembling the laser source comprises optically aligning the lasers of the laser array with the lenses of the coupling lens array and optically coupling the laser array with a Volume Bragg Grating (VBG) having a passband bandwidth of less than 1 nm; and
optically coupling a first end of a fiber array to the photonic accelerator and optically coupling a second end of the fiber array to the coupling lens array.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the laser array is configured to output between 0.1 W and 10 W of optical power.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein assembling the photonic source further comprises coupling the laser array to a collimating lens array comprising a plurality of monolithically co-integrated lenses, wherein the lenses of the collimating lens array are configured to collimate optical beams emitted by the laser array.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein assembling the optical source further comprises:
obtaining a housing frame defining a first cavity, a second cavity and an enclosed window between the first cavity and the second cavity, and
positioning the laser array within the first cavity and positioning the coupling lens array within the second cavity.

20. A method for manufacturing a computer, comprising:
obtaining a photonic accelerator configured to perform matrix multiplication;
obtaining a laser array comprising a plurality of monolithically co-integrated lasers;
obtaining a coupling lens array comprising a plurality of monolithically co-integrated lenses;
assembling a laser source using the laser array and the lens array, wherein assembling the laser source comprises optically aligning the lasers of the laser array with the lenses of the coupling lens array optically coupling the laser array to an optical isolator configured to permit transmission of a plurality of optical beams emitted by the laser array; and
optically coupling a first end of a fiber array to the photonic accelerator and optically coupling a second end of the fiber array to the coupling lens array.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the optical isolator comprises:
a first magnet embedded in a first magnet retainer;
a second magnet embedded in a second magnet retainer; and
a mount jo

Assignees

• Lightmatter Inc

Inventors

• Gupta Shashank
• Gould Michael
• Carr James
• Harris Nicholas C
• Mahnkopf Sven
• Demmer David

Classifications

• H01S5/02251 Primary

  using optical fibres · CPC title

• H01S5/0071

  for beam steering, e.g. using a mirror outside the cavity to change the beam direction · CPC title

• H01S5/02469

  Passive cooling, e.g. where heat is removed by the housing as a whole or by a heat pipe without any active cooling element like a TEC · CPC title

• H01S5/02423

  Liquid cooling, e.g. a liquid cools a mount of the laser · CPC title

• H01S5/02208

  characterised by the shape of the housings · CPC title