Integrated transceiver with lightpipe coupler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9906304-B2
Application number	US-201715651952-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2017
Priority date	Jan 14, 2004
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

A transceiver comprising a chip, a semiconductor laser, and one or more photodetectors, the chip comprising optical and optoelectronic devices and electronic circuitry, where the transceiver is operable to: communicate, utilizing the semiconductor laser, an optical source signal into the chip via a light pipe with a sloped reflective surface, generate first optical signals in the chip based on the optical source signal, transmit the first optical signals from the chip via the light pipe, and receive second optical signals from the light pipe and converting the second optical signals to electrical signals via the photodetectors. The optical signals may be communicated out of and in to a top surface of the chip. The one or more photodetectors may be integrated in the chip. The optoelectronic devices may include the one or more photodetectors integrated in the chip. The light pipe may be a planar lightwave circuit (PLC).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A communication system comprising:
a transceiver comprising a photonic chip, a semiconductor laser, and one or more photodetectors;
wherein said semiconductor laser communicates an optical source signal into said photonic chip via a light pipe with a sloped reflective surface, said optical source signal for generating first optical signals that are transmitted from said photonic chip via said light pipe; and
wherein second optical signals are received via said light pipe and converted to electrical signals via said one or more photodetectors.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said photonic chip comprises waveguides, optical couplers, and modulators.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein said optical couplers comprise grating couplers.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein said one or more photodetectors are integrated in said photonic chip.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein said one or more photodetectors are mounted on said photonic chip.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein said first optical signals, and said optical source signal and said second optical signals are communicated out of and in to, respectively, a top surface of said photonic chip.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the light pipe comprises a planar lightwave circuit (PLC).

8. A communication system comprising a photonic chip, a semiconductor laser coupled with said photonic chip, and one or more photodetectors;
wherein said semiconductor laser communicates an optical source signal into said photonic chip via a light pipe with a sloped reflective surface, said optical source signal for generation of first optical signals that are transmitted from said photonic chip via said light pipe; and
wherein second optical signals are received via said light pipe and converted to electrical signals utilizing said one or more photodetectors.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein said first optical signals, and said optical source signal and said second optical signals are communicated out of and in to, respectively, a top surface of said photonic chip.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein said one or more photodetectors are integrated in said photonic chip.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein said one or more photodetectors are mounted on said photonic chip.

12. A method for communicating optical signals, the method comprising:
in a transceiver comprising a photonic chip, a semiconductor laser coupled with said photonic chip, and one or more photodetectors:
communicating, utilizing said semiconductor laser, an optical source signal into said chip via a light pipe with a sloped reflective surface;
generating first optical signals in said photonic chip based on said optical source signal;
transmitting said first optical signals from said photonic chip via said light pipe; and
receiving second optical signals from said light pipe and converting said second optical signals to electrical signals utilizing said one or more photodetectors.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said photonic chip comprises waveguides, optical couplers, and modulators.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said one or more photodetectors are integrated in said photonic chip.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein said optical couplers comprise grating couplers.

16. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said one or more photodetectors are mounted on said photonic chip.

17. The method according to claim 12 , comprising communicating said first optical signals, and said optical source signal and said second optical signals, respectively, out of and in to a top surface of said photonic chip.

18. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the light pipe comprises a planar lightwave circuit (PLC).

19. A method for communicating optical signals, the method comprising:
in a transceiver comprising a photonic chip, a semiconductor laser, and one or more photodetectors:
communicating, utilizing said semiconductor laser, an optical source signal into said photonic chip via a light pipe with a sloped reflective surface;
generating first optical signals in said photonic chip based on said optical source signal;
transmitting said first optical signals from said photonic chip via said light pipe; and
receiving second optical signals from said light pipe and converting said second optical signals to electrical signals via said one or more photodetectors.

20. The method according to claim 19 , comprising communicating said first and second optical signals and said optical source signal out of and in to a top surface of said photonic chip.

21. The method according to claim 19 , wherein said one or more photodetectors are integrated in said photonic chip.

22. The method according to claim 19 , wherein said photonic chip comprises one or more grating couplers for coupling optical signals into and/or out of said photonic chip.

23. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the light pipe comprises a planar lightwave circuit (PLC).

24. A system for two-way communication of optical signals comprising:
a photonic chip;
a semiconductor laser; and
one or more photodetectors; wherein:
an optical source signal is communicated, utilizing said semiconductor laser, into said photonic chip via a light pipe with a sloped reflective surface;
optical signals representative of electronic signals received from the electronic circuitry of said photonic chip are communicated from said photonic chip via said light pipe; and
electronic signals representative of optical signals received via said light pipe are generated in said photonic chip using said one or more photodetectors.

25. The system of claim 24 , wherein said one or more photodetectors are integrated in said photonic chip.

26. The system of claim 24 , wherein said photonic chip comprises grating couplers for communicating optical signals into and/or out of said photonic chip.

27. The system of claim 24 , wherein said photonic chip comprises waveguides, couplers, and modulators.

28. The system of claim 24 , wherein the light pipe comprises a planar lightwave circuit (PLC).

Assignees

• Luxtera Inc

Inventors

• Dedobbelaere Peter
• Pinguet Thierry
• Peterson Mark
• Harrison Mark
• Dickinson Alexander G
• Gunn Lawrence C

Classifications

• G02B6/4214

  the intermediate optical element having redirecting reflective means, e.g. mirrors, prisms for deflecting the radiation from horizontal to down- or upward direction toward a device (G02B6/4246 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/4246

  Bidirectionally operating package structures · CPC title

• H04B10/40 Primary

  Transceivers · CPC title

• G02B6/4295

  coupling with semiconductor devices activated by light through the light guide, e.g. thyristors, phototransistors · CPC title

• G02B2006/12121

  Laser · CPC title