High-tolerance broadband-optical switch in planar lightwave circuits
US7254299B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 26, 2004 |
| Grant date | Aug 7, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 2, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F2203/48
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Broadband optical switches based on adiabatic couplers having a pair of asymmetric waveguides with variable curvature sections include in a 2×2 configuration based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometer two such adiabatic couplers, and in a 1×2 or 2×1 configuration an adiabatic coupler and an Y-splitter. Each adiabatic coupler includes two waveguide branches of different but constant widths having curved sections with varying radii, separated over a coupling length by a changing spacing therebetween and blending in an asymmetric intersection area, and two symmetric branches. In the 2×2 switch, the two adiabatic couplers face each other with their respective symmetric branches, and are connected by the two identical arms along a main propagation axis in a mirror image. The utilization of the variable curvature adiabatic couplers in silica MZI switches on a silicon substrate provides switches with an exceptional broadband range (1.2-1.7 μm), very high extinction ratios (>35 dB), low fabrication sensitivity and polarization independent operation. The switches are significantly smaller than known broadband switches, have significantly smaller excess loss, faster switching time and low power …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.