Optical isolator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9588361-B2
Application number	US-201615046646-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 18, 2016
Priority date	Aug 19, 2013
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an optical isolator which includes a planar lightwave circuit, a magneto-optic thin film and a metal thin film with a magnetic field. A channel for transmitting an optical signal is configured in the planar lightwave circuit. The magneto-optic thin film is disposed on the planar lightwave circuit, and a plane on which the magneto-optic thin film is located is parallel to the channel. The metal thin film is disposed on the magneto-optic thin film.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical isolator, comprising:
a planar lightwave circuit configured with a channel for transmitting an optical signal;
a magneto-optic thin film disposed on a cladding of the planar lightwave circuit, wherein a plane on which the magneto-optic thin film is located is parallel to the channel for transmitting the optical signal;
a metal thin film disposed on the magneto-optic thin film so that the magneto-optic thin film is between the metal thin film and the cladding; and
a permanent-magnet thin film disposed on the metal thin film so that the metal thin film is between the magneto-optic thin film and the permanent-magnet thin film.

2. The optical isolator according to claim 1 , wherein the planar lightwave circuit comprises the cladding, a substrate and a core layer located between the cladding and the substrate, and the core layer is the channel for transmitting an optical signal.

3. The optical isolator according to claim 1 , wherein the metal thin film comprises a ferromagnetic metal thin film.

4. The optical isolator according to claim 1 , wherein the metal thin film comprises any one or combination of gold, silver and copper.

5. The optical isolator according to claim 1 , wherein the planar lightwave circuit comprises silica.

6. The optical isolator according to claim 1 , wherein the planar lightwave circuit comprises any one or combination of lithium niobate (LiNbO 3 ), III-V semiconductor compound, silicon on an insulator, silicon oxynitride (SiON) and high molecular polymer.

7. The optical isolator according to claim 6 , wherein the III-V semiconductor compound comprises any one or a combination of indium phosphide (InP) or gallium arsenide (GaAs).

8. The optical isolator according to claim 1 , wherein a dielectric grating is configured in the channel for transmitting the optical signal.

9. The optical isolator according to claim 2 , wherein a dielectric grating is disposed on the core layer.

Assignees

• Huawei Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Chen Jian
• Xu Zhiguang

Classifications

• H01F10/193

  Magnetic semiconductor compounds {(in general H01F1/40; multilayers, e.g. superlattices H01F10/3213)} · CPC title

• G02F1/0955 Primary

  used as non-reciprocal devices, e.g. optical isolators, circulators · CPC title

• G02F1/0036

  Magneto-optical materials · CPC title

• G02F1/09 Primary

  based on magneto-optical elements, e.g. exhibiting Faraday effect · CPC title