Photonic element and network of photonic elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025093580-A1
Application number	US-202418634484-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 12, 2024
Priority date	Sep 18, 2023
Publication date	Mar 20, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A photonic element includes a substrate; a plurality of layers disposed in a stack configuration in a first direction on the substrate; and a first optical transmission component, a second optical transmission component, a third optical transmission component, and a fourth optical transmission component. The first optical transmission component includes two optical transmission structures that are disposed in a first layer, the second optical transmission component includes two optical transmission structures that are disposed in a second layer, the third optical transmission component includes two optical transmission structures that disposed in a third layer, and the fourth optical transmission component includes two optical transmission structures that are disposed in a fourth layer. The second layer and the third layer are each disposed between the first layer and the fourth layer in the stack configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A photonic element, comprising:
a substrate; a plurality of layers disposed in a stack configuration in a first direction on the substrate; and a first optical transmission component, a second optical transmission component, a third optical transmission component, and a fourth optical transmission component, wherein:
the first optical transmission component includes two optical transmission structures that are disposed in a first layer of the plurality of layers,
the second optical transmission component includes two optical transmission structures that are disposed in a second layer of the plurality of layers,
the third optical transmission component includes two optical transmission structures that are disposed in a third layer of the plurality of layers,
the fourth optical transmission component includes two optical transmission structures that are disposed in a fourth layer of the plurality of layers, and
the second layer and the third layer are each disposed between the first layer and the fourth layer in the stack configuration.

2 . The photonic element of claim 1 , wherein the two optical transmission structures of the second optical transmission component and the two optical transmission structures of the third optical transmission component are arranged in a quarter configuration.

3 . The photonic element of claim 1 , wherein:
the two optical transmission structures of the first optical transmission component and the two optical transmission structures of the fourth optical transmission component are associated with a first quadrilateral region of the photonic element in the first direction that includes at least portions of the first layer, the second layer, the third layer, and the fourth layer; the two optical transmission structures of the second optical transmission component and the two optical transmission structures of the third optical transmission component are associated with a second quadrilateral region of the photonic element in the first direction that includes at least portions of the second layer and the third layer; and the first quadrilateral region surrounds the second quadrilateral region.

4 . The photonic element of claim 1 , wherein each optical transmission component of the first optical transmission component, the second optical transmission component, the third optical transmission component, and the fourth optical transmission component is at least one of:
a waveguide; an interferometer; an optical switch; or an optical resonator.

5 . The photonic element of claim 1 , wherein:
at least a portion of the second optical transmission component and at least a portion of the third optical transmission component are associated with a central region of the photonic element in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction; and no portion of the first optical transmission component and no portion of the fourth optical transmission component are associated with the central region of the photonic element in the second direction.

6 . The photonic element of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first optical transmission component, the second optical transmission component, the third optical transmission component, or the fourth optical transmission component comprises at least one of:
a non-alkali, oxide solution that includes a cation that is niobium; an alkali oxide material; an amorphous silicon (a-Si) material; a hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si: H) material; a nitride-based material; an oxide-based material; or a semiconductor material.

7 . The photonic element of claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
the two optical transmission structures of the second optical transmission component and the two optical transmission structures of the third optical transmission component are configured to be evanescently coupled with each other; the two optical transmission structures of the second optical transmission component and the two optical transmission structures of the first optical transmission component are configured to be evanescently coupled with each other; the two optical transmission structures of the third optical transmission component and the two optical transmission structures of the fourth optical transmission component are configured to be evanescently coupled with each other.

8 . A photonic element, comprising:
a substrate; a plurality of layers disposed in a stack configuration in a first direction on the substrate; and a first optical transmission component, a second optical transmission component, a third optical transmission component, and a fourth optical transmission component, wherein:
the first optical transmission component includes two optical transmission structures that are disposed in a first layer of the plurality of layers,
the second optical transmission component includes two optical transmission structures that are disposed in a second layer of the plurality of layers,
the third optical transmission component includes one optical transmission structure that is disposed in a third layer of the plurality of layers,
the fourth optical transmission component includes one optical transmission structure that is disposed in a fourth layer of the plurality of layers,
the second layer and the third layer are each disposed between the first layer and the fourth layer in the stack configuration, and
the two optical transmission structures of the second optical transmission component and the one optical transmission structure of the third optical transmission component are arranged in a triter configuration.

9 . The photonic element of claim 8 , wherein:
the two optical transmission structures of the first optical transmission component and the one optical transmission structure of the fourth optical transmission component are associated with a quadrilateral region of the photonic element in the first direction that includes at least portions of the first layer, the second layer, the third layer, and the fourth layer; the two optical transmission structures of the second optical transmission component and the one optical transmission structure of the third optical transmission component are associated with a triangle region of the photonic element in the first direction that includes at least portions of the second layer and the third layer; and the quadrilateral region surrounds the triangle region.

10 . The photonic element of claim 8 , wherein each optical transmission component of the first optical transmission component, the second optical transmission component, the third optical transmission component, and the fourth optical transmission component is at least one of:
a waveguide; an interferometer; an optical switch; or an optical resonator.

11 . The photonic element of claim 8 , wherein:
at least a portion of the second optical transmission component and at least a portion of the third optical transmission component are associated with a central region of the photonic element in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction; and no portion of the first optical transmission component and no portion of the fourth optical transmission component are associated with the central region of the photonic element in the second direction.

12 . The photonic element of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first optical transmission component, the second optical transmission component, the third optical transmission component, or the fourth optical transmission component comprises at least one of:
a non-alkali, oxide solution that includes a cation that is niobium; an alkali oxide material;

Assignees

• Viavi Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Houck William D
• Foster Amy
• Foster Mark
• Schreyer-Miller Aaron
• Macfarlane Neil

Classifications

• G02B6/12004

  Combinations of two or more optical elements · CPC title

• G02B6/12002

  Three-dimensional structures · CPC title

• G02B2006/12061

  Silicon · CPC title

• G02B6/122 Primary

  Basic optical elements, e.g. light-guiding paths · CPC title