Device, method and system for optical communication with a photonic integrated circuit chip and a transverse oriented lens structure

US12298572B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Intel Corporation · US

Inventors

• Changhua Liu · Chandler, US
• Pooya Tadayon · Portland, US
• Zhichao Zhang · Chandler, US
• Liang Zhang · Chandler, US
• Srikant Nekkanty · Chandler, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 25, 2021
• Grant date: May 13, 2025
• Expiry date: Sep 13, 2043

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B6/428
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Techniques and mechanisms for facilitating horizontal communication with a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) chip, and a lens structure which is optically coupled thereto. In an embodiment, a PIC chip comprises integrated circuitry, photonic waveguides, and integrated edge-oriented couplers (IECs) which are coupled to the integrated circuitry via the photonic waveguides. The PIC chip forms respective first divergent lens surfaces of the IECs, which are each at a respective terminus of a corresponding one of the photonic waveguides. A lens structure, which is adjacent to the IECs, comprises a second divergent lens surface having an orientation which is substantially orthogonal to the respective orientations of the first divergent lens surfaces. In another embodiment, an edge of the PIC chip forms one or more recess structures, and the lens structure comprises one or more tenon portions which each extends into a respective recess structure of the one or more recess structures.