Patent · US Expired

High germanium content waveguide materials

US6768856B2 · kind B2 · utility

49Cited by
15References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 27, 2001
Grant dateJul 27, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 21, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B2006/12145
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Germanium-silicon oxide, germanium-silicon oxynitride and silica-germania-titania materials and oxynitride materials suitable for fabricating optical waveguides for liquid crystal based cross-connect optical switching devices have a refractive index of from about 1.48 to about 1.52 at 1550 nm, and a coefficient of thermal expansion at room temperature of from about 3×10−6° C.−1 to about 4.4×10−6° C.−1. The compositions are adjusted so that the refractive index of the germanium-silicon oxide, germanium-silicon oxynitride or silica-germania-titania material is closely matched to the refractive index of a typical liquid crystal material whereby improved optical performance of a liquid crystal based cross-connect optical switching device is achieved. The coefficient of thermal expansion of the germanium-silicon oxide, germanium-silicon oxynitride, or silica-germania-titania material is closely matched to the coefficient of thermal expansion of silicon, whereby strain induced birefringence caused by thermal stresses is reduced or avoided.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.