Demountable edge couplers with micro-mirror optical bench for photonic integrated circuits
US11022755B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 23, 2019 |
| Grant date | Jun 1, 2021 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 23, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/3885
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An edge coupler having an optical bench with a mirror array. Each mirror bends, reflects and/or reshapes incident light. The edge coupler is optically coupled to the optical elements in a PIC chip which direct light to the edge of the PIC chip. The edge coupler provides a demountable, passively aligned coupling between an optical fiber array and the PIC chip. The edge coupler may be a free space edge coupler without any optical element between the mirror array and the optical elements of the PIC chip, or may include grooves each receiving a section of optical fiber with its longitudinal axis along the first light path and terminating substantially at or extending beyond the edge of the edge coupler. The optical fiber array may include an optical fiber connector terminating and supporting the ends of the optical fibers in optical alignment with the mirror array of the edge coupler.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.