Patent · US Expired

Vertical taper waveguide

US6973236B2 · kind B2 · utility

10Cited by
4References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 24, 2002
Grant dateDec 6, 2005
Priority date—
Expiry dateDec 24, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B6/1228
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A tapered waveguide improves insertion loss occurring at the slab/waveguide interface of an optical array waveguide grating (AWG). The tapered waveguide has two segments. The first segment decreases from a first thickness, nearest the slab of the AWG to a second thickness moving away from the slab. The second segment has a substantially constant or uniform thickness equal to the second thickness of the first segment. The second segment may also have a swallowtail shape comprising a forked end having two sidewalls tapered back towards the first segment. Light that would otherwise be lost at the slab/waveguide interface is instead captured by the tapered waveguide which laterally channels the light back into the waveguides thus mitigating insertion loss.

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