WO2001075493A2 - Dispersive optical waveguide array - Google Patents
Dispersive optical waveguide array Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2001075493A2 WO2001075493A2 PCT/GB2001/001533 GB0101533W WO0175493A2 WO 2001075493 A2 WO2001075493 A2 WO 2001075493A2 GB 0101533 W GB0101533 W GB 0101533W WO 0175493 A2 WO0175493 A2 WO 0175493A2
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- curved
- waveguide
- waveguides
- output
- array
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- 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
- G02B6/12009—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 comprising arrayed waveguide grating [AWG] devices, i.e. with a phased array of waveguides
- G02B6/12014—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 comprising arrayed waveguide grating [AWG] devices, i.e. with a phased array of waveguides characterised by the wavefront splitting or combining section, e.g. grooves or optical elements in a slab waveguide
-
- 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
- G02B6/12009—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 comprising arrayed waveguide grating [AWG] devices, i.e. with a phased array of waveguides
- G02B6/12019—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 comprising arrayed waveguide grating [AWG] devices, i.e. with a phased array of waveguides characterised by the optical interconnection to or from the AWG devices, e.g. integration or coupling with lasers or photodiodes
-
- 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
- G02B2006/12104—Mirror; Reflectors or the like
Definitions
- the invention relates to a dispersive optical waveguide array.
- Such arrays are known for use in multiplexers and demultiplexers and may comprise an array of optical waveguides of different pathlength thereby inducing phase changes between optical signals transmitted through the different waveguides within the array.
- Such systems may comprise a plurality of waveguides each arranged around a curved path so as to introduce different optical pathlengths.
- Such a system is for example shown in OPTICS LETTERS January 1 , 1995, volume 20, No 1.
- curved waveguides for a dispersive array may employ a plurality of curves of non-uniform radius of curvature. Such systems result in different physical pathlengths along the curve of each waveguide in the array. Furthermore the change of angle between the input and output end of each curved waveguide is not uniform for each of the waveguides in the array. These variations may cause unwanted signal variations between the light transmitted through the various waveguides in the array.
- the invention provides a dispersive optical waveguide array comprising a plurality of optical paths of different optical pathlength arranged in parallel, which array includes a plurality of curved waveguide sections each of the curved sections having the same curvature and the same section length around the curve.
- said curved sections are arranged so that optical axes of the inputs to the curved sections are all parallel to each other and the optical axes of the outputs of the curved sections are all parallel to each other.
- input waveguide extensions are formed at the input end of the curved waveguide sections, the straight input waveguide extensions having different lengths from each other so that the input extensions have input ends aligned transverse to the optical input axes of the input waveguide extensions.
- straight output waveguide extensions are formed at the output end of the curved waveguide sections, the straight output waveguide extensions having different lengths from each other so that the output extensions have output ends aligned transverse to the output optical axes of the output waveguide extensions.
- a focussing element such as a curved mirror is provided to direct light into an input end of the array.
- a focussing element such as a curved mirror is provided to direct light received from an output of the array.
- the array may be integrated on a planar substrate.
- the array may be formed as an integrated semiconductor chip.
- the array may comprise a plurality of silicon on insulator waveguides.
- the waveguides may be a plurality of ridge waveguides.
- the waveguide array is formed as an integrated semiconductor chip and the or each mirror is formed by etching the semiconductor chip.
- each mirror comprises a curved trench wall etched in the semiconductor.
- the invention includes a dispersive optical waveguide array as aforesaid having at least one optical fibre connected to a waveguide coupled to one end of the array and a plurality of optical fibres connected respectively to a plurality of optical waveguides at the other end of the array.
- Figure 1 represents a curved array of the type used in a prior art arrangement
- Figure 2 shows an integrated semiconductor chip having a dispersive optical waveguide array in accordance with the invention
- FIG. 3 shows a section through one waveguide used in the array of Figure 2
- Figure 4 shows a schematic view of a chip similar to Figure 2
- FIG. 5 shows a different schematic arrangement which may be used in accordance with the invention.
- a dispersive waveguide array 11 consists of a plurality of curved waveguides 12 having their input ends terminating along line 13 and their output ends terminating along line 14. At the input end each waveguide is connected by a straight waveguide section 15 leading to an input 16. The straight waveguide sections 15 are all inclined towards each other so as to point to a focus 17 at the end of the input waveguide 16. Similarly the output ends of the curved waveguides at 14 are connected by straight waveguide extensions 19 which are again inclined towards each other so as to point at an output focus 20 adjacent a plurality of output waveguides 21.
- the curved waveguide sections 12 have a non-uniform radius of curvature as well as a non-uniform pathlength along the curved section.
- the angle through which light is bent between the input to each curved section and the output from that curved section is non- uniform for each of the curved waveguides 12. This non-uniformity will cause some signal changes for light transmitted through the respective channels which depends solely on these non-uniform properties of the curved waveguides, such as band loss, birefringence and lack of control of curved optical path length.
- Figure 2 relates to an integrated semiconductor chip 25 on which is formed the dispersive waveguide array which consists of curved sections 26 intermediate straight input waveguide extensions 27 and straight output waveguide extensions 28.
- the waveguides formed on this chip are of a known type of ridge waveguide formed from silicon on insulator.
- a section through one waveguide in the device of Figure 2 is shown in Figure 3. It will be understood that each of the waveguides shown in Figure 2 may be formed as a ridge similar to the structure shown in Figure 3.
- a ridge waveguide is formed as an upstanding rib 30 formed on a silicon layer 31.
- a silicon substrate 32 is covered with a silicon dioxide layer 33 immediately below the silicon layer 31.
- a silicon dioxide coating 34 is formed over the upper surface of the silicon 31 and over the rib 30.
- Optical signals are transmitted in a single mode through the silicon layer and rib 30 as shown in Figure 2.
- the curved waveguide sections 26 are formed as a plurality of curved waveguides side by side and with equal spacing between adjacent pairs of waveguides. They provide a plurality of light paths in parallel with each other.
- Each of the curved waveguides has the same radius of curvature and the same curved pathlength.
- the input ends of the curved waveguides are aligned along the line 35 and the output ends of the curved waveguide sections are aligned along line 36.
- the curved waveguides are formed with integrated input extensions 27 which are all straight and parallel to each other. They are of varying length so that the input ends 37 of the input waveguide extensions are aligned transverse to the optical axis of the light entering the dispersive array.
- the curved waveguides have integrated output extensions 28 which are each straight and parallel to each other. The length of the output extensions 28 is varied so that the output end 39 of the output extensions are aligned transverse to the output axis of light from the array.
- the chip is provided with an input optical fibre 40 and a plurality of output optical fibres 41. These are arranged external to the chip 25 and are aligned with an input waveguide 42 and a plurality of output waveguides 43 with optical connections in known manner.
- Two curved mirrors 45 and 46 are formed on the semiconductor chip 25. Light from the input waveguide 42 is directed onto mirror 45 which reflects the input light onto the input end 37 of the dispersive array. It will be appreciated that the mirror 45 is focussed onto the input waveguide 42 so that the reflected light is collimated and directed in parallel manner into the dispersive array. Light which emerges from the output 39 of the dispersive array is parallel and reflected by mirror 46 so as to be focussed onto the respective output waveguides 43.
- the chip between the mirrors and the dispersive array acts as a slab waveguide.
- the dispersive array shown in Figure 2 may be used in an optical multiplexer or demultiplexer in which light signals of differing wavelengths are transmitted through the dispersive array and the phase difference induced in light passing through the different channels of the array may be used in operation as a multiplexer or demultiplexer.
- the different optical pathlengths that are introduced in the dispersive array are caused by the different physical lengths of the straight parallel input and output waveguide extensions 27 and 28.
- the pathlength around the curved sections 26 is the same for each channel.
- each of the mirrors 45 and 46 is formed by etching a mirror in the semiconductor of the chip 25.
- the etching may be used to form an etched trench having the required curvature for the two concave mirrors shown so as to produce the correct focussing requirements on the chip.
- Such etched trenches are formed with a reflecting trench wall in known manner. It will be appreciated that by using the concave reflecting mirrors on opposite sides of the array, the physical space required on the semiconductor chip is reduced in order to implement the dispersive array with the required focussing distances between the input and output waveguides and the array itself.
- Figure 2 The system shown in Figure 2 is illustrated schematically in Figure 4 where the input fibre 40 and output fibres 41 are located on opposite sides of the semiconductor chip 25.
- Figure 5 shows an alternative arrangement in which the input fibre 40 and output fibres 41 are located on the same chip edge. This is achieved by etching suitable mirror locations on the chip in order to direct both the input and output light at the same chip edge. This may be used to simplify construction in that the fibre attachments to the waveguide chip are all formed from a common edge of the chip.
- the invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing example.
- the array may be formed on other types of semiconductor chip and other optical arrangements may be used to admit light to, or receive light from, the array.
- references to optical paths arranged in parallel herein are intended to distinguish over serial optical paths and this term is not intended to indicate that the waveguides providing said optical paths are geometrically parallel.
- a dispersive optical waveguide array comprising a plurality of optical paths of different optical pathlength arranged in parallel, which array includes a plurality of curved waveguide sections each of the curved sections having the same curvature and the same section length around the curve.
- a dispersive optical waveguide array according to claim 1 in which said curved sections are arranged so that optical axes of the inputs to the curved sections are all parallel to each other and the optical axes of the outputs of the curved sections are all parallel to each other.
- An array according to claim 12 comprising a plurality of silicon on insulator waveguides.
- An array according to claim 13 comprising a plurality of ridge waveguides.
- each mirror comprises a curved trench wall etched in the semiconductor.
- a dispersive optical waveguide array according to any one of the preceding claims having an optical fibre connected to an input waveguide and a plurality of optical fibres connected respectively to a plurality of output optical waveguides.
Abstract
Description
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP01921535A EP1279055A2 (en) | 2000-04-05 | 2001-04-03 | Dispersive optical waveguide array |
AU48510/01A AU4851001A (en) | 2000-04-05 | 2001-04-03 | Dispersive optical waveguide array |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB0008425.1 | 2000-04-05 | ||
GB0008425A GB2361073B (en) | 2000-04-05 | 2000-04-05 | Dispersive optical waveguide array device |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO2001075493A2 true WO2001075493A2 (en) | 2001-10-11 |
WO2001075493A3 WO2001075493A3 (en) | 2002-03-07 |
Family
ID=9889305
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/GB2001/001533 WO2001075493A2 (en) | 2000-04-05 | 2001-04-03 | Dispersive optical waveguide array |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US6560393B2 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1279055A2 (en) |
AU (1) | AU4851001A (en) |
GB (1) | GB2361073B (en) |
WO (1) | WO2001075493A2 (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2002075381A2 (en) * | 2001-03-21 | 2002-09-26 | Bookham Technology Plc | Arrayed waveguide grating with differing focal lengths |
WO2002077688A1 (en) * | 2001-03-21 | 2002-10-03 | Bookham Technology Plc | Optical wavelength dispersive device |
Families Citing this family (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2384320A (en) * | 2002-01-21 | 2003-07-23 | Bookham Technology Plc | Arrayed waveguide grating having opposing waveguide halves |
WO2004083922A1 (en) * | 2003-03-21 | 2004-09-30 | Ignis Technologies As | Optical muliplexer based on arrayed waveguide grating |
US8251527B1 (en) * | 2011-02-11 | 2012-08-28 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Light duct bend |
Citations (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP0639782A1 (en) * | 1993-08-02 | 1995-02-22 | Nippon Telegraph And Telephone Corporation | Integrated optical waveguide circuit and optical branch line test system using the same |
GB2316759A (en) * | 1996-07-30 | 1998-03-04 | Northern Telecom Ltd | Optical multiplexer/demultiplexer having diffraction gratings in tandem |
Family Cites Families (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JP3053294B2 (en) * | 1992-05-18 | 2000-06-19 | 日本電信電話株式会社 | Optical multiplexer / demultiplexer |
KR100274804B1 (en) * | 1998-04-22 | 2001-01-15 | 윤종용 | Bi-directional optical wavelength multiplexer and demultiplexer |
US6222956B1 (en) * | 1998-05-29 | 2001-04-24 | Hitachi Cable Ltd. | Optical wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer |
JP2000206348A (en) * | 1999-01-13 | 2000-07-28 | Furukawa Electric Co Ltd:The | Compensation method of light transmission wavelength of optical waveguide circuit |
US6603898B2 (en) * | 1999-02-24 | 2003-08-05 | Lucent Technologies Inc | Apparatus and method for achieving a smooth spectral response optical filter |
-
2000
- 2000-04-05 GB GB0008425A patent/GB2361073B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
2001
- 2001-01-09 US US09/756,197 patent/US6560393B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2001-04-03 AU AU48510/01A patent/AU4851001A/en not_active Abandoned
- 2001-04-03 WO PCT/GB2001/001533 patent/WO2001075493A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 2001-04-03 EP EP01921535A patent/EP1279055A2/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP0639782A1 (en) * | 1993-08-02 | 1995-02-22 | Nippon Telegraph And Telephone Corporation | Integrated optical waveguide circuit and optical branch line test system using the same |
GB2316759A (en) * | 1996-07-30 | 1998-03-04 | Northern Telecom Ltd | Optical multiplexer/demultiplexer having diffraction gratings in tandem |
Non-Patent Citations (4)
Title |
---|
MU HEE CHO ET AL: "1*4 wavelength division demultiplexer by using a multimode interferometer" UNGYONG MULLI, JAN. 1999, KOREAN PHYS. SOC, SOUTH KOREA, vol. 12, no. 1, January 1999 (1999-01), pages 21-26, XP002182352 ISSN: 1013-7009 * |
OKAYAMA H ET AL: "WAVELENGTH ROUTER USING BRIDGED PLANAR SPECTROGRAPHS" JAPANESE JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS, PUBLICATION OFFICE JAPANESE JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS. TOKYO, JP, vol. 37, no. 6B, June 1998 (1998-06), pages 3718-3722, XP000860815 ISSN: 0021-4922 * |
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 018, no. 146 (P-1707), 10 March 1994 (1994-03-10) -& JP 05 323246 A (NIPPON TELEGR & TELEPH CORP), 7 December 1993 (1993-12-07) * |
PEARSON M R T ET AL: "Arrayed waveguide grating demultiplexers in silicon-on-insulator" SILICON-BASED OPTOELECTRONICS II, SAN JOSE, CA, USA, 28 JAN. 2000, vol. 3953, 28 January 2000 (2000-01-28), pages 11-18, XP002182353 Proceedings of the SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, 2000, SPIE-Int. Soc. Opt. Eng, USA ISSN: 0277-786X * |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2002075381A2 (en) * | 2001-03-21 | 2002-09-26 | Bookham Technology Plc | Arrayed waveguide grating with differing focal lengths |
WO2002077688A1 (en) * | 2001-03-21 | 2002-10-03 | Bookham Technology Plc | Optical wavelength dispersive device |
WO2002075381A3 (en) * | 2001-03-21 | 2003-03-27 | Bookham Technology Plc | Arrayed waveguide grating with differing focal lengths |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2001075493A3 (en) | 2002-03-07 |
US6560393B2 (en) | 2003-05-06 |
US20010028777A1 (en) | 2001-10-11 |
GB2361073A (en) | 2001-10-10 |
AU4851001A (en) | 2001-10-15 |
EP1279055A2 (en) | 2003-01-29 |
GB0008425D0 (en) | 2000-05-24 |
GB2361073B (en) | 2003-08-06 |
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