Efficiently combining multiple taps of an optical filter

US10727945B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• GenXComm, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Thien-An Nguyen · Corning, US
• Monireh Moayedi Pour Fard · Austin, US
• Farzad Mokhtari Koushyar · Austin, US
• McKay Bradford · Leander, US
• Ke Liu · 安丰镇, CN

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 15, 2019
• Grant date: Jul 28, 2020
• Expiry date: Jul 15, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04B2210/006
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An optical filter comprises an array of waveguides fabricated on an optical integrated circuit (PIC). The array comprises individual waveguides, each of which receive light inputs, e.g., individual taps of a multi-tap optical filter used in an interference cancellation circuit. Each individual waveguide comprises an inlet, and an outlet. Typically, the output(s) of the individual waveguides are located at an exit (edge) of the PIC. In one embodiment, at least one second waveguide in the array is patterned on the PIC in a converged configuration such that, relative to a first waveguide, the light transiting these waveguides co-propagates and interacts across given portions of the respective waveguides before exiting the waveguide array along a common facet, thereby generating or inhibiting one of: intermodulation products, and harmonics. This structural configuration enables the generation of various modes of transmission at the PIC exit, enabling more efficient transfer of the energy, e.g., to an associated photodetector (PD) that provides conversion of the energy to the RF domain.