Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110142391 | Ring resonator with wavelength selectivity - The ring resonator includes waveguides configured to guide light signals. The waveguides include an input waveguide and one or more loop waveguides. One of the loop waveguides is a primary loop waveguide that is optically coupled with the input waveguide at a wavelength of light. A tuner is configured to tune the wavelength at which the light is optically coupled from the input waveguide into the primary loop waveguide. One or more light detectors are each configured to provide an output indicating an intensity of light guided in one of the one or more loop waveguides. Electronics are configured to tune the tuner in response to the output from the light detector. | 06-16-2011 |
20110310467 | System having light sensor with enhanced sensitivity - The system includes a light-transmitting medium positioned on a base. The light-transmitting medium included a ridge and a slab region. The ridge extends upward from the slab region and defines a portion of a waveguide on the base. The waveguide is configured to guide a light signal through the device. The device also includes an avalanche effect light sensor positioned on the base and configured to detect the presence of the light signal. The light sensor includes a light-absorbing medium positioned on the ridge of the light-transmitting medium such that the light signal is coupled from the light-transmitting medium into the light-absorbing medium. The light-transmitting includes a charge layer located at an interface of the light-transmitting medium and the light-absorbing medium. A multiplication region is formed in the slab regions of the light-transmitting medium such that the multiplication region receives charge carriers from the charge layer during the operation of the light sensor. | 12-22-2011 |
20120207424 | OPTICAL MODULATOR WITH THREE-DIMENSIONAL WAVEGUIDE TAPERS - An integrated circuit that includes an optical waveguide defined in a semiconductor layer is described. In this integrated circuit, light is coupled between the optical waveguide and an optical modulator, which is disposed on the optical waveguide, using 3-dimensional (3-D) taper structures that are proximate to the ends of the optical modulator. The cross-sectional areas of these 3-D taper structures transition, over a distance, from that of the optical waveguide (distal from the optical modulator) to that of optical modulator (proximate to the ends of the optical modulator). In this way, a spatial extent of an optical mode in the optical waveguide and a spatial extent of the optical mode in the optical modulator may be approximately matched to reduce the optical loss when the light is coupled to or from the optical modulator. | 08-16-2012 |
20120263410 | Device with multiple light sensors receiving light signals from a waveguide - The device includes a main waveguide on a base. The main waveguide is configured to guide a light signal through a light-transmitting medium. The device also includes multiple transition waveguides on the base. Each of the transition waveguide intersects a terminal end of the main waveguide such that each transition waveguide receives a different portion of the light signal from the main waveguide. The device also includes one or more light sensors positioned on the base. Each transition waveguide guides the received light portions to the one or more light sensors such that each of the light signal portions is received at the one or more light sensors. | 10-18-2012 |
20130020664 | Application of electrical field power to light-transmitting medium - A device includes an input waveguide on a base. The input waveguide guides a light signal through a light-transmitting medium to a light sensor. The light sensor includes a sensor waveguide on the base. The device also includes a sensor waveguide on the base. The sensor waveguide includes a light-absorbing medium that receives the light signal from the input waveguide. The light-absorbing medium has one or more continuous doped regions that are each positioned such that an application of electrical energy to the doped regions forms an electrical field in the light-absorbing medium. One or more of the doped regions has a first portion that is located within the light-absorbing medium and a second portion located outside of the light-absorbing medium. The device also includes an electrical conductor for applying the electrical energy to one of the doped regions. The electrical conductor contacts the portion of the doped regions that is located outside of the light-absorbing medium. | 01-24-2013 |
20130020668 | Optical device having light sensor with doped regions - The optical device includes a waveguide on a base. The waveguide is configured to guide a light signal through a light-transmitting medium to a light sensor. The light sensor includes a sensor waveguide on the base. The sensor waveguide receives the light signal from the input waveguide. Additionally, the sensor waveguide includes a light-absorbing medium having an input side. The input side is interfaced with the light-transmitting medium such that at least a portion of the light signal received by the sensor waveguide travels through the input side of the light-absorbing medium upon being received by the sensor waveguide. The light-absorbing medium includes doped regions. One or more of the doped regions each extends from within the light-absorbing medium to the input side of the light-absorbing medium. | 01-24-2013 |
20130094074 | Gain medium providing laser and amplifier functionality to optical device - An optical device includes a gain medium on a substrate. The device also includes one or more laser cavities and an amplifier on the substrate. The one or more laser cavities each guides a light signal through a different region of the gain medium such that each of the light signals is amplified within the gain medium. The amplifier guides an amplified light signal through the gain medium such that the amplified light signal is amplified in the gain medium. | 04-18-2013 |
20130182305 | Optical device having reduced optical leakage - An optical device includes a ridge on a base. The ridge includes an active medium. An active component on the base is a light sensor and/or a light modulator. The active component is configured to guide a light signal through the active medium included in the ridge. Electrical current carriers contact the lateral sides of the ridge on opposing sides of the ridge. Each of the electrical current carriers includes a carrier material that is doped so as to increase the electrical conductivity of the carrier material. The carrier material is different from the active medium. | 07-18-2013 |
20130195398 | Optical component having reduced dependency on etch depth - An optical device includes an active component on a base. The active component is a light sensor and/or a light modulator. The active component is configured to guide a light signal through a ridge of an active medium extending upwards from slab regions of the active medium. The slab regions are on opposing sides of the ridge. The active medium includes a doped region that extends into a lateral side of the ridge and also into one of the slab regions. The depth that the doped region extends into the slab region is further than the depth that the doped region extends into the ridge. | 08-01-2013 |
20130209033 | Coupling between optical devices - A base device has a first waveguide positioned on a first base. The waveguide is at least partially defined by a ridge extending away from the first base. An auxiliary optical device has a second waveguide positioned on a second base. The second optical device is immobilized on the base device such that the second waveguide is between the first base of the first optical device and the second base of the auxiliary device. The first waveguide is optically aligned with the second waveguide such that the first waveguide and second waveguides can exchange optical signals. | 08-15-2013 |
20130229701 | Integration of components on optical device - The optical device includes a Fabry-Perot laser positioned on a base. A modulator is also positioned on the base so as to receive the output from the laser. The modulator is a Franz-Keldysh modulator that uses the Franz-Keldysh effect to modulate light signals. The laser and modulator are configured such that the modulator modulates the output from the laser and also such that the temperature dependence of the modulator tracks the temperature dependence of the laser. | 09-05-2013 |
20130230267 | High speed optical transmitter producing modulated light signals - An optical system includes modulators positioned on a base. Each modulator includes a modulator waveguide that receives a light signal and guides the received light signal through the modulator. The system also includes drive electronics in electrical communication with the modulators. The drive electronics apply electrical energy to each of the modulators such that an electrical field is generated within the modulator waveguide so as to modulate one of the light signals into a modulated signal. The system includes multiple drive paths that each has a length from a contact pad on the drive electronics to a location where the electrical field is formed in one of the modulator waveguides. The modulators are configured such that the drive path length for each of the modulators is less than 0.5 mm. | 09-05-2013 |
20130294472 | Integration of laser into optical platform - An optical device includes a laser or amplifier positioned on a base. The laser includes a ridge of a gain medium positioned on the base such that the base extends out from under the ridge. The ridge includes a top that connects lateral sides of the ridge. Electronics are configured to drive an electrical current through the ridge such that the electrical current passes through one or more of the lateral sides of the ridge. | 11-07-2013 |
20130301979 | Isolation of components on optical device - The optical device includes an active component on a base. The active component is a light sensor and/or a light modulator. The active component including an active medium that includes a ridge and slab regions. The ridge extends upwards from the base and is positioned between the slab regions. The ridge defines a portion of a waveguide on the base. One or more isolation trenches each extends into the slab regions of the active medium and is at least partially spaced apart from the ridge of the active medium. | 11-14-2013 |
20130316484 | Enhancing uniformity of slab region thickness in optical components - A method of forming an optical device includes generating a device precursor having a layer of a light-transmitting medium on a base. The method also includes forming an etch stop on the layer of light-transmitting medium. An active medium is grown on the etch stop and on the light-transmitting medium such that the light-transmitting medium is between the base and the grown active medium. The grown active medium is etched down to the etch stop so as to define a ridge in the active medium. The ridge of active medium defines a portion of a component waveguide that will guide a light signal through an active component on the device. | 11-28-2013 |
20140105239 | Reduction of Mode Hopping in a Laser Cavity - The laser cavity is positioned on a substrate and includes a cavity waveguide guiding a laser light signal between a gain medium and a partial return device. The partial return device receives the laser light signal from the cavity waveguide and returns a first portion of the laser light signal to the cavity waveguide. The partial return device transmits a second portion of the laser light signal to an output waveguide. The partial return device reflects different wavelengths of the laser light signal at different intensities. Additionally, the partial return device is configured such that when the most intense wavelength of the laser light signal reflected by the partial return device is the same as a wavelength of one of modes of the laser light signal, the mode with the next longest wavelength and the mode with the next shortest wavelength are each reflected by the partial return device at an intensity greater than 80% of the intensity of the most intensely reflected wavelength. | 04-17-2014 |
20140111793 | WAFER LEVEL TESTING OF OPTICAL DEVICES - A wafer includes multiple optical devices that each includes one or more optical components. The optical components include light-generating components that each generates a light signal in response to application of electrical energy to the light-generating component from electronics that are external to the wafer. The optical components also include receiver components that each outputs an electrical signal in response to receipt of light. The wafer also includes testing waveguides that each extends from within a boundary of one of the optical devices across the boundary of the optical device and also provides optical communication between a first portion of the optical components and a second portion of the optical components. The first portion of the optical components includes one or more of the light-generating components and the second portion of the optical components include one or more of the receiver components. | 04-24-2014 |
20140113397 | Enhancing planarization uniformity in optical devices - An optical device is formed from a device precursor having a layer of a light-transmitting medium on a base. A first feature is formed on the device precursor. The device precursor is then processed such that a stop layer protects the first feature and a portion of the device precursor is above the top of the stop layer. The first feature is between the base and the stop layer. The device precursor is planarized such that the portion of the device precursor located above the top of the stop layer becomes flush with the top of the portion of the stop layer that is present on the device precursor after the planarization. During the planarization, the stop layer acts as a planarization stop that slows or stops the rate of planarization. | 04-24-2014 |
20140133864 | Edge coupling of optical devices - A system includes optical modules. Each module includes a different base and one or more module waveguides on the base. Module waveguides from different modules are aligned such that the aligned module waveguides exchange light signals. At least a portion of one of the aligned module waveguides is between the base of one of the modules and the base of another module. First electronics operate a transmitter on a first one of the optical modules so as to generate one of the light signals. Second electronics operate a receiver on a second one of the modules such that the electronics generate an electrical signal in response to the receiver receiving one of the light signals. | 05-15-2014 |
20140332918 | ENHANCING THE PERFORMANCE OF LIGHT SENSORS THAT RECEIVE LIGHT SIGNALS FROM AN INTEGRATED WAVEGUIDE - The light sensor and waveguide are positioned on a base such that a light signal guided by the waveguide is received at the light sensor. The waveguide includes a taper configured such that a ratio of a width of the waveguide at a first location in the taper:the width of the waveguide at a second location in the taper is greater than 1.2:1 where a length of the taper between the first location and the second location is less than 60 μm. | 11-13-2014 |