Tunable reflectors based on multi-cavity interference

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9829630-B2
Application number	US-201514806270-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2015
Priority date	Sep 8, 2011
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

A reflective structure includes an input/output port and an optical splitter coupled to the input/output port. The optical splitter has a first branch and a second branch. The reflective structure also includes a first resonant cavity optically coupled to the first branch of the optical splitter. The first resonant cavity comprises a first set of reflectors and a first waveguide region disposed between the first set of reflectors. The reflective structure further includes a second resonant cavity optically coupled to the second branch of the optical splitter. The second resonant cavity comprises a second set of reflectors and a second waveguide region disposed between the second set of reflectors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A reflective structure comprising:
an input/output port;
an optical splitter coupled to the input/output port, the optical splitter having a first branch and a second branch;
a phase shifter in the first branch of the optical splitter;
a first resonant cavity optically coupled to the first branch of the optical splitter, wherein the first resonant cavity comprises a first set of reflectors and a first waveguide region disposed between the first set of reflectors;
a second resonant cavity optically coupled to the second branch of the optical splitter, wherein the second resonant cavity comprises a second set of reflectors and a second waveguide region disposed between the second set of reflectors; and
a phase control section in the first waveguide region or in the second waveguide region.

2. The reflective structure of claim 1 wherein the phase control element comprises at least one of a heater or a carrier-based element.

3. The reflective structure of claim 1 wherein the optical splitter comprises a directional coupler.

4. The reflective structure of claim 1 wherein the first set of reflectors and the second set of reflectors comprise modulated waveguide structures.

5. The reflective structure of claim 1 wherein a length of the first waveguide region and a length of the second waveguide region are different.

6. The reflective structure of claim 1 wherein the first resonant cavity and the second resonant cavity comprise Fabry-Perot cavities.

7. The reflective structure of claim 1 wherein a reflector, of the first set of reflectors or of the second set of reflectors, is 27 microns long.

8. The reflective structure of claim 1 wherein a reflector, of the first set of reflectors or of the second set of reflectors, has a stop band that extends from ˜1525 nanometers to ˜1575 nanometers.

9. The reflective structure of claim 1 wherein the first branch or the second branch has a bend with a radius of curvature of 7 microns.

10. The reflective structure of claim 1 wherein the first branch or the second branch has a refractive index of 3.48.

11. The reflective structure of claim 1 wherein the first resonant cavity has a waveguide section having a length of 149.3 microns and the second resonant cavity has a waveguide section having a length of 138.1 microns.

Assignees

• Skorpios Tech Inc

Inventors

• Van Orden Derek
• Mizrahi Amit
• Creazzo Timothy
• Krasulick Stephen B

Classifications

• G02F1/011

  in optical waveguides, not otherwise provided for in this subclass · CPC title

• G02B6/29359

  Cavity formed by light guide ends, e.g. fibre Fabry Pérot [FFP] · CPC title

• H01S3/0637

  Integrated lateral waveguide, e.g. the active waveguide is integrated on a substrate made by Si on insulator technology (Si/SiO2) · CPC title

• H01S5/4068

  with lateral coupling by axially offset or by merging waveguides, e.g. Y-couplers · CPC title

• G02F1/0147

  based on thermo-optic effects (G02F1/132 takes precedence) · CPC title