Optical waveguide coupler and method for producing same

US6501885B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Contraves Space AG · CH

Inventors

• Reto Holzner · Zürich, CH
• Thomas J. Brunschwiler · Thalwil, CH
• Josef Wagner · Augsburg, DE
• Alex Dommann · Buchs, CH
• Andreas Mündle · Satteins, AT
• Jakob Jütz · Grabs, CH

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 10, 2001
• Grant date: Dec 31, 2002
• Expiry date: Jan 10, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B6/125
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The optical waveguide coupler comprises a structure (1) of a number of elongated narrow optical waveguide strips (2), which consist respectively of a front area (3), a center area (4) and a coupling area (5). The center area (4) has respective transition areas (6) and (7) to the corresponding area (3) or (5). A gap (9) in the front areas (3) provided between two adjoining strips (2) is larger than the thickness of the narrow strips (2). The front faces (8) of the front areas (3), and the front faces of the coupling areas (5) are embodied to be as smooth as possible, wherein all strips form a stack in the coupling area (5). The gaps are pits which result from etching of an Si substrate with the aid of a DRIE etching process.