WO2001023955A2 - Commutateur et filtre d'interferometre mach-zehnder nanophotonique - Google Patents

Commutateur et filtre d'interferometre mach-zehnder nanophotonique Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2001023955A2
WO2001023955A2 PCT/US2000/025867 US0025867W WO0123955A2 WO 2001023955 A2 WO2001023955 A2 WO 2001023955A2 US 0025867 W US0025867 W US 0025867W WO 0123955 A2 WO0123955 A2 WO 0123955A2
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Prior art keywords
nanophotonic
arms
arm
length
recited
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PCT/US2000/025867
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English (en)
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WO2001023955A9 (fr
WO2001023955A3 (fr
Inventor
Jose L. Jimenez
Mee Koy Chin
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Nanovation Technologies, Inc.
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Priority to AU29031/01A priority Critical patent/AU2903101A/en
Publication of WO2001023955A2 publication Critical patent/WO2001023955A2/fr
Publication of WO2001023955A3 publication Critical patent/WO2001023955A3/fr
Publication of WO2001023955A9 publication Critical patent/WO2001023955A9/fr

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/10—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type
    • G02B6/12—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type of the integrated circuit kind
    • G02B6/12007—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type of the integrated circuit kind forming wavelength selective elements, e.g. multiplexer, demultiplexer
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/10—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type
    • G02B6/12—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type of the integrated circuit kind
    • G02B6/122—Basic optical elements, e.g. light-guiding paths
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02F—OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
    • G02F1/00—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics
    • G02F1/01—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour 
    • G02F1/21—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour  by interference
    • G02F1/225—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour  by interference in an optical waveguide structure
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02F—OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
    • G02F1/00—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics
    • G02F1/29—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection
    • G02F1/31—Digital deflection, i.e. optical switching
    • G02F1/313—Digital deflection, i.e. optical switching in an optical waveguide structure
    • G02F1/3136—Digital deflection, i.e. optical switching in an optical waveguide structure of interferometric switch type
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/10—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type
    • G02B6/12—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type of the integrated circuit kind
    • G02B2006/12083—Constructional arrangements
    • G02B2006/12097—Ridge, rib or the like
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/10—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type
    • G02B6/12—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type of the integrated circuit kind
    • G02B2006/12083—Constructional arrangements
    • G02B2006/12119—Bend

Definitions

  • the present invention is directed to nanophotomc Mach-Zehnder interferometer
  • An optical network in its simplest representation, consists of an optical source, a destination, and a matrix of devices (e.g., fiber-optical cables, waveguides, cross-connects, amplifiers, etc.) for causing an optical signal generated by the source to reach a desired destination.
  • devices e.g., fiber-optical cables, waveguides, cross-connects, amplifiers, etc.
  • Physical and geographic boundaries present no impediment to telecommunication, data communication and computing, all of which may utilize all or part of an optical network. Consequently, the number or sources and destinations, and the combinations of sources and destinations and the communication paths therebetween, may be nearly infinite.
  • Optical switches provide obviously necessary devices in the optical network for facilitating the routing of an optical signal to its desired destination.
  • optical filters comprise one component that may be used to pluck a desired signal (i.e., a desired wavelength) at a particular point or location in the network and route that desired signal to its desired destination, while also permitting undesired signals to continue along the network.
  • a ⁇ is the desired phase shift
  • ⁇ is the wavelength of the optical signal propagating in
  • L is the actual length of the device
  • An is the change in refractive index effected by the application of a carrier signal or electrical field to the device. Since the change in refractive index typically achievable for current optical devices is on the order of approximately 10 "3 , the actual length of the device needed to introduce a ⁇ phase shift must be at least 1 mm, and preferably longer. However, to achieve large-scale density integration, the actual length L must be reduced without sacrificing the ability to effect a ⁇ phase shift in an optical signal. Those two requirements are in opposite each other.
  • the present invention combines the strong photon confinement characteristics of nanophotonic waveguides and the functionality of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) to provide a compact optical device suitable for large-scale (i.e., dense) integration.
  • MZI Mach-Zehnder interferometer
  • the MZI is constructed in essentially the same manner as a conventional MZI: including two 3 dB couplers joined by two interferometer arms, one of which may have an electrical contact that enables electrical control of the refractive index of that arm.
  • both of the arms include an arcuate section that enable construction of an MZI having arms with respective virtual lengths that are less than their respective actual lengths.
  • only one of the interferometer arms may include an arcuate section, thus providing a built-in phase difference between the two arms, rather then the previously described electrically controllable phase difference.
  • the couplers may be co- directional, Y-branches or multi-mode interferometer (MMI) couplers, as a matter of design choice.
  • the present invention is directed to a nanophotonic Mach-Zehnder interferometer device that includes at least one interferometer arm having an arcuate section that reduces the amount of real estate occupied by that arm without compromising the ability of that arm to effect a ⁇ phase shift in an optical signal propagating therein.
  • the arcuate section enables the length in one direction of the arm to be reduced, yet ensures that the optical length of that arm is sufficient to induce the desired phase shift in an optical signal propagating therethrough.
  • optical waveguides must be substantially straight to minimize losses in the optical signal.
  • the present invention advantageously utilizes the improved optical characteristics of strongly confined waveguides (e.g., the ability to propagate light through a curve with low optical loss) to enable the use of curved waveguides in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer arm.
  • the interferometer arm may be constructed as a number of "S" shaped sections so as to "meander" over its actual length.
  • a nanophotonic Mach-Zehnder interferometer has first and second arms having respective first and second actual lengths and respective first and second virtual lengths extending along an optical path direction of the interferometer.
  • the actual length of one of the interferometer arms is greater than its virtual length. An optical signal propagating through that arm will experience a phase shift when compared with an optical signal propagating through the other arm.
  • a nanophotonic Mach-Zehnder interferometer has first and second arms of having respective first and second actual lengths and respective first and second virtual lengths extending along an optical path direction of the interferometer.
  • the actual lengths of the first and second arms are each greater than their respective virtual lengths.
  • the interferometer also includes an electrical contact coupled to one of the interferometer arms. An electrical signal selectively applied to the interferometer arm via the electrical contact can cause the optical length of that arm to change. Consequently, an optical signal propagating through that arm will experience a phase shift when compared with an optical signal propagating through the other arm.
  • a nanophotonic switch for receiving and switching an optical signal comprises a Mach-Zehnder interferometer having an input coupler for receiving an optical signal and an output coupler.
  • First and second interferometer arms are optically connected between the input and output couplers along an optical path of the switch.
  • the arms have respective first and second actual lengths and respective first and second virtual lengths extending along the optical path of the switch.
  • the actual lengths of the first and second arms are greater than their respective virtual lengths.
  • the switch also includes an electrical contact coupled to one of the interferometer arms. An electrical signal selectively applied to the interferometer arm via the electrical contact can cause the optical length of that arm to change. Consequently, an optical signal propagating through that arm will experience a phase shift when compared with an optical signal propagating through the other arm.
  • a nanophotonic filter for receiving and filtering an optical signal comprises a Mach-Zehnder interferometer having an input coupler for receiving an optical signal and an output coupler.
  • First and second interferometer arms are optically connected between the input and output coupler along an optical path of the filter.
  • the arms have respective first and second actual lengths and respective first and second virtual lengths extending along an optical path direction of the filter.
  • the actual length of one of the interferometer arms is greater than its virtual length.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a 1 x 16 switch that is part of a high-density optical component
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a nanophotonic switch having a Mach-Zehnder interferometer constructed in accordance with the present invention
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a nanophotonic filter having a Mach-Zehnder interferometer constructed in accordance with the present invention.
  • FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a nanophotonic waveguide that provides strong photon confinement.
  • the present invention is directed to a nanophotonic Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) device having at least one arm which has an actual length greater than its virtual length.
  • An arcuate section is provided in at least one arm to increase the actual length of that arm without increasing its virtual length.
  • virtual length refers to the length of an interferometer arm in one direction; preferably, in a direction coaxial to and extending along an optical path direction of the interferometer.
  • the present invention takes advantage of the low bending loss properties of strongly confined nanophotonic waveguides to provide a bend or arcuate section in the MZI arm.
  • the actual length of the arm and the optical length e.g., actual length times refractive index «
  • the present invention provides those sufficient actual and optical lengths in a significantly reduced length on the chip (i.e., its virtual length) that requires less on-chip real estate and thus provides for denser integration of a plurality of optical devices in an optical component.
  • the strong photon confinement properties of nanophotonic waveguides such as are disclosed in U.S. Patent Numbers 5,878,070 and 5,790,583, facilitate construction of optical devices that provide the benefits and advantages of the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of a part of an optical component 10 comprising a plurality of optically interconnected optical devices 20 (e.g., switches, filters, etc.).
  • optical component and “component” refer to a plurality of interconnected devices which may be any combination of optical, opto- electrical, and/or electrical and which may be constructed as an integrated circuit.
  • Various other optical, opto-electrical, and/or electrical devices may also be included in the optical component, as a matter of design choice.
  • optical devices may include, by way of non-limiting example, lasers, waveguides, couplers, switches, filters, resonators, interferometers, amphfiers, modulators, multiplexers, cross-connects, routers, phase shifters, splitters, fiber-optic cables, and various other optical, opto-electrical, and electrical devices.
  • the devices 20 depicted in FIG. 1 are merely illustrative of an embodiment of the present invention. Referring next to FIG. 2, an optical switch 20 having two branches 200, 300 and constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is depicted.
  • the switch 20 includes a Mach-Zehnder interferometer 30 having first and second arms 40, 50 optically coupled between an input coupler 60 and an output coupler 70 along an optical path direction of the switch 20; the optical path direction representing the direction of light propagation through the switch 20 and being indicated in the figure by arrow C.
  • the couplers 60, 70 depicted in FIG. 2 are co-directional, 3 dB couplers.
  • Y-branches or multi-mode interferometer (MMi) couplers may be provided, as a routine matter of design choice.
  • the switch 20 may receive an optical signal input from either one of two optical sources 100, 110 which may comprise a laser, fiber-optic cable, or other up-stream (along the optical path direction) light generating or light propagating device or system.
  • a first optical signal may be directed into an input 22 of the switch 20 by first optical source 100.
  • the first optical signal may comprise a single- or multi-wavelength signal, and may be selectively switched to either output A or B.
  • a second optical signal may be directed into an input 28 by a second optical source 110, and may also be selectively switched to either of output A or B.
  • Outputs 24, 26 are sine and cosine functions of wavelength, respectively (as described in more detail below), and thus complementary.
  • Each branch 200, 300 of the switch 20 depicted in FIG. 2 is constructed as a nanophotonic waveguide, as described in more detail below.
  • waveguide refers generally to a photonic-well or photonic-wire structure that provides strong photon confinement.
  • the term waveguide is not intended as a limitation on the construction, shape, materials, functionality, or any other aspect of the optical device 20 and component 10 of the present invention, but merely as a general reference.
  • the optical signal passes through an input coupler 60 which functions as a 50:50 splitter to direct approximately one-half (in terms of signal amplitude or power) of the input optical signal to each of the first and second arms 40, 50 of the MZI 30.
  • the split optical signal passes through each of the first and second arms 40, 50, and is recombined by an output coupler 70 and output from either output A or B, depending on the phase shift introduced by the MZI 30.
  • Each of the first and second arms 40, 50 define an actual length which is defined as the end-to-end waveguide length of each arm 40, 50.
  • the actual length may be measured, for example, by fully extending each arm to form a straight waveguide and measuring the length of the straightened waveguide.
  • Each of the first and second arms 40, 50 also defines a respective virtual length, designated as L f in the figures, and generally defined as the length of the arms 40, 50 in the optical path direction of the respective interferometer arm 40, 50. Minimizing the virtual length L f of the arms 40, 50 of the MZI 30 permits a greater number of optical devices 20 constructed in accordance with the present invention to be provided in a single optical component 10.
  • the actual length of at least one interferometer arm is greater than its respective virtual length. This is preferably accomplished by providing an arcuate section 42, 52 and a straight section 44, 54 in the respective interferometer arm 40, 50 to permit a longer interferometer arm (i.e., longer actual length) to be constructed using less on-chip real estate.
  • the actual length may range from approximately 1 mm to approximately 2 mm, while the virtual length Lf may be smaller and may facilitate construction of a MZI 30 having interferometer arms that may be between 10 and 40 times smaller than a conventional MZI with straight arms (i.e., the reduction factor provided by the present invention).
  • Longer straight sections 44, 54 may be provided in accordance with the present invention to increase the actual length without a corresponding increase in virtual length and thus provide an increased reduction factor.
  • the use of InP-based nanophotonic waveguides in the construction of the MZI 30 enable a significant increase in the bend radius of the arcuate section 42, 52 without an increase in optical signal loss due to propagation of light through a bend or curved section of a waveguide.
  • the arcuate section 42, 52 may have a bend radius ranging from approximately 20 ⁇ m to approximately 100 ⁇ m; with a preferred bend radius of
  • the MZI 30 of the present invention functions similarly to other Mach-Zehnder devices.
  • a phase shift of between 0° and ⁇ ° may be introduced into an optical signal propagating in one interferometer arm if the optical length (the product of the actual length of that arm and its refractive index ⁇ ) of that arm is different from the optical length of the other interferometer arm.
  • the optical length of an interferometer arm may be changed by application of an electrical signal to that arm.
  • the electrical signal changes the refractive index of the arm to which it is applied and thus changes the optical length of that arm.
  • a phase shift determined by the applied electrical signal may be introduced into an optical signal propagating through that arm.
  • Application of an electrical signal is typically a preferred method of changing the optical length where the actual lengths of the interferometer arms are approximately equal.
  • An electrical signal connected to one arm 50 of the MZI 30 may apply a drive voltage which causes the refractive index and thus optical path length of that arm 50 to change. Consequently, the optical signal propagating in that arm 50 experiences a phase shift based on the amplitude of the drive voltage.
  • the applied drive voltage varies so as to cause a phase shift in the optical signal propagating in that arm 50 of between approximately 0° and
  • the interferometer arms may not be the same length, thereby introducing a phase shift into an optical signal propagating through one arm when compared to an optical signal propagating through the other arm, by virtue of the different actual (and thus, optical) lengths of the arms.
  • the present invention advantageously enables construction of interferometer arms having actual lengths that are greater than their respective virtual lengths, resulting in construction of smaller, more densely packaged optical components and optical, opto-electrical, and/or electrical devices.
  • an electrical signal may be coupled to an interferometer arm 50 via an electrical contact 80.
  • the electrical signal causes a change in the refractive index of that arm 50 which changes the optical length of that arm and causes an optical signal propagating in that arm to effectively experience a longer optical path. Consequently, a phase shift is introduced in that signal.
  • the phase shifted optical signal (propagating through branch 300 and arm 50) combines with the non-phase shifted optical signal (propagating through branch 200 and arm 40) via the output coupler 70.
  • the optical signal may be switched between the two output ports 24, 26 of the switch 20.
  • a filter 20 including a MZI 30 constructed in accordance with the present invention is depicted.
  • the two arms 40, 50 of the MZI 30 have a built-in phase difference due to the different actual lengths of the arms.
  • the first arm 40 is a substantially straight waveguide, while the second arm 50 includes both an arcuate section 52 and a straight section 54 that increases the actual length of that arm.
  • the optical signals propagating in the first and second arms 40, 50 (which was split by the input coupler 60) will be out of phase with each other due to the different actual lengths of the arms 40, 50, with only a predetermined wavelength propagating out of the filter 20; that predetermined wavelength being determined by the amount of phase shift introduced via the second arm 50.
  • no external electrical source is required, nor is it necessary to change the refractive index of either arm.
  • the built-in phase difference of the filter 20 of FIG. 3 is defined by the equation:
  • n ⁇ is the effective refractive index of the waveguide of the second interferometer arm 50
  • L is the actual length of that arm 50
  • L b is the actual length of arms 40.
  • phase shift given by Eq. 2 equates to an integer multiple
  • the signals A, B at the two outputs 24, 26 of the filter 20 are periodic functions of wavelength with a periodicity given by: ⁇ n eff AL
  • differential path length (i.e., AL) need only be varied by a maximum of ⁇ /2.
  • a plurality of filters 20 constructed in accordance with the present invention and cascaded as depicted in FIG. 1 may be used to construct narrowband filters for isolating a desired wavelength.
  • the use of nanophotonic waveguides in the construction of switches, filters, and other optical and electro-optical devices and components in accordance with the present invention permit the realization of significant differential path lengths in very small areas.
  • FIG. 4 An illustrative, non-limiting cross-sectional representation of a strongly confined waveguide 110 is depicted in FIG. 4. That cross-section is representative of the cross- sectional structure of a waveguide used in the construction of the switch and filter disclosed herein and of an optical device constructed in accordance with the present invention.
  • the core 116 is sandwiched between upper and lower cladding layers 114, 118 that are also preferably InP material.
  • the present invention also contemplates waveguides constructed in Lithium Niobate, silica/glass, and other semiconductor materials provided that strong confinement (at least in the horizontal direction in FIG. 4) is achieved.
  • the waveguide 110 there depicted in cross-section may comprise either a photonic-well or a photonic-wire waveguide.
  • Exemplary photonic- wire and photonic-well devices are respectively disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,878,070 and 5,790,583, the entire disclosure of those patents being incorporated herein by reference.
  • the waveguide 110 is formed of semiconductor materials for on-chip integration with other devices such as a semiconductor laser to construct an optical component 10 .
  • a wafer epitaxial growth process is used to form the various semiconductor layers of the waveguide 110 on the substrate 112.
  • a lower cladding layer 118 preferably of InP, is formed on the substrate 112, also preferably InP.
  • a core 116 is formed on the first cladding layer 118 and may be comprised of, by way of non-limiting example, InGaAsP.
  • An upper cladding layer 114 also preferably of InP, is formed on the core 116.
  • the lower cladding layer 118 may be suitably doped to form n-type semiconductor material, and the upper cladding layer 114 may be suitably doped to form p-type semiconductor material, thus forming a P-I-N structure of stacked, layered semiconductor materials.
  • the core 116 is a relatively high refractive index semiconductor material having a refractive index ri core greater than about 2.5, such as from about 3 to about 3.5 and above, for InGaAsP, AlGaAs, InGaN/AlGaN materials.
  • the upper and lower cladding layers 114, 118 have a slightly lower refractive index compared to the core 116 and thus weakly confine photons within the waveguide in the vertical direction. However, strong lateral confinement is still provided by the difference between refractive index of the core 116 and the relatively low refractive index medium 120 laterally surrounding the core 116.
  • the cladding layers 114, 118 may have a refractive index of about 3.17 as compared to the refractive index of 1 for air or of 1.5 for silica.
  • the refractive index of cladding layers 114, 118 is slightly less than the refractive index of core 116, which is preferably about 3.4.
  • the upper and lower cladding layers 114, 118 have a very low refractive index as compared to the refractive index of the core 116 and thus strongly confine photons in all directions about the waveguide core 116.
  • Typical low refractive index mediums 120 described below for use in practicing the present invention have refractive index n ⁇ ow below about 2.0, preferably below 1.6, such as from about 1.5 to about 1.0.
  • the ratio of the refractive indices n c0re /n ⁇ 0 w is preferably larger than about 1.3.
  • a waveguide 110 may comprise semiconductor materials such as In x Ga 1-x , As y P ⁇ -y , or In x Al ⁇ . x-y Ga y As as the n ⁇ re and n t ii gh materials and an aforementioned material with a refractive index of about 1.6 or lower as the n ⁇ ow material.
  • the waveguide 110 may comprise semiconductor materials In x Ga ⁇ -x N/Al x Ga 1-x N as the i ⁇ or e and nj,i g h materials and a material with a refractive index of about 1.6 or lower as the n ⁇ . ow material.
  • the waveguide 110 may comprise semiconductor materials Al x Ga 1-x As or In x Ga ⁇ . x P as the nc 0re and nhi gn materials and a material with a refractive index of about 1.6 or lower as the n ⁇ ow material.
  • the high refractive index semiconductor waveguide core 116 is surrounded by a relatively low refractive index medium on all sides.
  • the high refractive index semiconductor waveguide core 116 is surrounded by a relatively low refractive index medium on two sides opposite to each other.
  • typical semiconductor waveguide core materials for use in practicing the present invention have a refractive index n ⁇ re greater than about 2.5, such as from about 3 to about 3.5 and above for InGaAsP, AlGaAs, etc. materials
  • typical low-refractive index mediums for use in practicing the invention have refractive index n ⁇ . ow below about 2.0, such as from about 1.6 to about 1.0 for silica, silicon nitride, acrylic, polyimide, aluminum oxide, epoxy, photoresist, PMMA, spin-on glass, polymers with low absorption at the emission wavelength, or air.
  • the ratio of the refractive indices ricore/ iow has to be larger than about 1.3, in accordance with preferred embodiment of the present invention.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Nonlinear Science (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Optical Integrated Circuits (AREA)

Abstract

Cette invention a trait à un interféromètre Mach-Zehnder (MZI) dont au moins l'un des bras est d'une longueur réelle supérieure à sa longueur virtuelle. L'un des bras au moins comporte un segment cintré (constituant de la sorte un bras méandrique) et ce, afin d'allonger la longueur réelle de ce bras sans pour autant allonger la longueur virtuelle ni nuire à la capacité dudit bras à effectuer un déphasage π dans un signal optique s'y propageant. Dans la mesure où ce sont des guides d'ondes fortement confinés qui constituent ce dispositif MZI, qu'il s'agisse de dispositifs à puits photonique ou à tracé photonique, le faible enregistrement de pertes par courbure de ces guides d'ondes autorise l'utilisation d'un segment cintré ou d'une courbure dans ledit guide d'ondes sans que ne se manifestent de pertes préjudiciables dans le signal optique. La longueur réelle du bras et la longueur optique sont identiques à celles des dispositifs relevant des techniques antérieures et sont suffisantes pour procéder au déphasage désiré. A la différence, toutefois, des dispositifs relevant des techniques antérieures, cette invention permet de construire des longueurs réelles ainsi que des longueurs optiques suffisantes, mais aux dimensions réduites, sur la microplaquette (en l'occurrence la longueur virtuelle) réclamant moins de surface occupée sur ladite microplaquette. Il est, de ce fait, possible de mettre en place davantage de dispositifs optiques dans un composant optique.
PCT/US2000/025867 1999-09-21 2000-09-21 Commutateur et filtre d'interferometre mach-zehnder nanophotonique WO2001023955A2 (fr)

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Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6711315B1 (en) 2001-11-09 2004-03-23 Avrio Technologies, Inc. 3-D electro optical switch
US6934427B2 (en) 2002-03-12 2005-08-23 Enablence Holdings Llc High density integrated optical chip with low index difference waveguide functions
US7103245B2 (en) 2000-07-10 2006-09-05 Massachusetts Institute Of Technology High density integrated optical chip
WO2010065710A1 (fr) * 2008-12-03 2010-06-10 Massachusetts Institute Of Technology Modulateurs optiques résonants
US7853108B2 (en) 2006-12-29 2010-12-14 Massachusetts Institute Of Technology Fabrication-tolerant waveguides and resonators
US7903909B2 (en) 2007-10-22 2011-03-08 Massachusetts Institute Of Technology Low-loss bloch wave guiding in open structures and highly compact efficient waveguide-crossing arrays
US7920770B2 (en) 2008-05-01 2011-04-05 Massachusetts Institute Of Technology Reduction of substrate optical leakage in integrated photonic circuits through localized substrate removal
CN114924357A (zh) * 2022-03-29 2022-08-19 中国电子科技集团公司第五十四研究所 一种基于级联马赫-曾德干涉仪结构的波分复用光延时线

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Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7103245B2 (en) 2000-07-10 2006-09-05 Massachusetts Institute Of Technology High density integrated optical chip
US6711315B1 (en) 2001-11-09 2004-03-23 Avrio Technologies, Inc. 3-D electro optical switch
US6934427B2 (en) 2002-03-12 2005-08-23 Enablence Holdings Llc High density integrated optical chip with low index difference waveguide functions
US7853108B2 (en) 2006-12-29 2010-12-14 Massachusetts Institute Of Technology Fabrication-tolerant waveguides and resonators
US8068706B2 (en) 2006-12-29 2011-11-29 Massachusetts Institute Of Technology Fabrication-tolerant waveguides and resonators
US7903909B2 (en) 2007-10-22 2011-03-08 Massachusetts Institute Of Technology Low-loss bloch wave guiding in open structures and highly compact efficient waveguide-crossing arrays
US8116603B2 (en) 2007-10-22 2012-02-14 Massachusetts Institute Of Technology Low-loss Bloch wave guiding in open structures and highly compact efficient waveguide-crossing arrays
US7920770B2 (en) 2008-05-01 2011-04-05 Massachusetts Institute Of Technology Reduction of substrate optical leakage in integrated photonic circuits through localized substrate removal
WO2010065710A1 (fr) * 2008-12-03 2010-06-10 Massachusetts Institute Of Technology Modulateurs optiques résonants
CN114924357A (zh) * 2022-03-29 2022-08-19 中国电子科技集团公司第五十四研究所 一种基于级联马赫-曾德干涉仪结构的波分复用光延时线
CN114924357B (zh) * 2022-03-29 2024-03-12 中国电子科技集团公司第五十四研究所 一种基于级联马赫-曾德干涉仪结构的波分复用光延时线

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