Apparatus and methods for accommodating manufacturing variance in optical photonic integrated circuits
US10866359B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 30, 2018 |
| Grant date | Dec 15, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 4, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F2203/24
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A photonic integrated circuit is provided that is adapted to compensate for an unintentional manufactured refractive index profile, such as a gradient, that arises due to manufacturing variance. The photonic integrated circuit including at least a thermal source and a spaced thermal sink to induce a thermal gradient in the photonic integrated circuit between the thermal source and the spaced thermal sink, the thermal gradient imparts an opposing thermal refractive index profile to correct for the manufactured refractive index profile. In some embodiments the photonic integrated circuit may be constructed with features that have an intentional structured refractive index profile that ensures any unintentional manufactured refractive index profile is correctable by the opposing thermal refractive index profile induced by the thermal source.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.