Large bandwidth multi-mode interference device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9354396-B2
Application number	US-201514643662-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2015
Priority date	Mar 17, 2014
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

A multi-mode interference device may include a body having an optical axis and configured to generate a stationary optical interference pattern from an incoming optical wave. The body may include ribs being parallel to the optical axis and being spaced apart to define a pitch and cause an optical coupling between the ribs.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A multi-mode interference device comprising:
a body having an optical axis and configured to generate a stationary optical interference pattern from an incoming optical wave;
said body comprising a plurality of optical waveguide ribs being parallel to the optical axis and being spaced apart to define a pitch for causing an optical coupling between said plurality of optical waveguide ribs;
a first optical waveguide rib from said plurality thereof extending beyond other optical waveguide ribs from said plurality thereof to define an optical input;
at least one optical waveguide rib from said plurality thereof extending beyond other optical waveguide ribs from said plurality thereof to define an optical output.

2. The multi-mode interference device of claim 1 wherein said body has a parallelepiped shape with dimensions and at least one material characteristic; and wherein said body is configured to generate the stationary optical interference pattern based upon the dimensions and the at least one material characteristic.

3. The multi-mode interference device of claim 1 further comprising a base having opposing first and second ends, the optical axis extending between the first and second ends; and wherein a portion of said base adjacent the first end extends beyond the other optical waveguide ribs from said plurality thereof to further define the optical input.

4. The multi-mode interference device of claim 3 wherein a portion of said base adjacent the second end extends beyond the other optical waveguide ribs from said plurality thereof to further define the optical output.

5. The multi-mode interference device of claim 4 wherein the optical input and the optical output are optically coupled to said plurality of optical waveguide ribs.

6. The multi-mode interference device of claim 3 further comprising a plurality of collection optical waveguide ribs; wherein said plurality of optical waveguide ribs converges in groups adjacent the second end and towards said plurality of collection optical waveguide ribs; and wherein said plurality of collection optical waveguide ribs and a portion of said base adjacent the second end extend to further define the optical output comprising a plurality of optical outputs.

7. The multi-mode interference device of claim 1 wherein said plurality of optical waveguide ribs has differing widths configured to generate a desired power distribution at the optical output.

8. The multi-mode interference device of claim 1 wherein adjacent pairs of said plurality of optical waveguide ribs have differing pitches configured to generate a desired power distribution at the optical output.

9. The multi-mode interference device of claim 1 further comprising a base having opposing first and second ends, the optical axis extending between the first and second ends; and wherein an area of said body occupied by said plurality of optical waveguide ribs has a width less than that of said base.

10. A multi-mode interference device comprising:
an optical waveguide base;
a plurality of optical waveguide ribs over said optical waveguide base;
a first optical waveguide rib from said plurality thereof extending beyond other optical waveguide ribs from said plurality thereof to define an optical input over said optical waveguide base and configured to receive an incoming optical wave;
said plurality of optical waveguide ribs being coupled to said optical input, and extending parallel to an optical axis and configured to generate a stationary optical interference pattern from the incoming optical wave; and
at least one optical waveguide rib from the plurality thereof extending beyond other optical waveguide ribs from said plurality thereof to define an optical output over said optical waveguide base and coupled to said plurality of optical waveguide ribs;
said plurality of optical waveguide ribs being spaced apart to define a pitch for causing an optical coupling between said plurality of optical waveguide ribs.

11. The multi-mode interference device of claim 10 wherein said optical waveguide base and said plurality of optical waveguide ribs have a parallelepiped shape with dimensions and at least one material characteristic; and wherein said optical waveguide base and said plurality of optical waveguide ribs are configured to generate the stationary optical interference pattern based upon the dimensions and the at least one material characteristic.

12. The multi-mode interference device of claim 10 further comprising at least one prism coupled to said plurality of optical waveguide ribs to further define the optical output.

13. The multi-mode interference device of claim 10 wherein said plurality of optical waveguide ribs has differing widths configured to generate a desired power distribution at the optical output.

14. The multi-mode interference device of claim 10 wherein adjacent pairs of said plurality of optical waveguide ribs have differing pitches configured to generate a desired power distribution at the optical output.

15. A method of making a multi-mode interference device comprising:
forming an optical input from a first optical waveguide rib from a plurality thereof, the first optical waveguide rib extending beyond other optical waveguide ribs from the plurality thereof, the optical input being over an optical waveguide base and to receive an incoming optical wave;
forming the plurality of optical waveguide ribs over the optical waveguide base, coupled to the optical input, and extending parallel to an optical axis and to generate a stationary optical interference pattern from the incoming optical wave; and
forming an optical output from at least one optical waveguide rib from the plurality thereof, the at least one optical waveguide rib extending beyond other optical waveguide ribs from the plurality thereof, the optical output being over the optical waveguide base and coupled to the plurality of optical waveguide ribs;
the plurality of optical waveguide ribs being spaced apart to define a pitch for causing an optical coupling between the plurality of optical waveguide ribs.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the optical waveguide base and the plurality of optical waveguide ribs have a parallelepiped shape with dimensions and at least one material characteristic; and wherein the optical waveguide base and the plurality of optical waveguide ribs generate the stationary optical interference pattern based upon the dimensions and the at least one material characteristic.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising forming at least one prism coupled to the plurality of optical waveguide ribs to further define the optical output.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the plurality of optical waveguide ribs has differing widths configured to generate a desired power distribution at the optical output.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein adjacent pairs of the plurality of optical waveguide ribs have differing pitches configured to generate a desired power distribution at the optical output.

Assignees

• St Microelectronics Crolles 2

Inventors

• Baudot Charles

Classifications

• G02B2006/12159

  Interferometer · CPC title

• G02B2006/12154

  Power divider · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• G02B6/34

  utilising prism or grating {(G02B6/293 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G02B6/125

  Bends, branchings or intersections · CPC title