558 results about "Planar optical waveguide" patented technology

PCT No. PCT / US97 / 22760 Sec. 371 Date Jun. 10, 1999 Sec. 102(e) Date Jun. 10, 1999 PCT Filed Dec. 12, 1997 PCT Pub. No. WO98 / 26315 PCT Pub. Date Jun. 18, 1999A planar optical device is formed on a substrate (12) and comprising an array of waveguide cores (14) and a cladding layer (16) formed contiguously with the cores. At least one of the array of waveguide cores (14) and the cladding layer (16) is an inorganic-organic hybrid material that comprises an extended matrix containing silicon and oxygen atoms with at least a fraction of the silicon being directly bonded to substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon atoms. In accordance with other embodiments of the invention, a method of forming an array of cores comprises the steps of preparing a core composition precursor material; partially hydrolyzing and polymerizing the material; forming an array of waveguide cores under conditions effective to form an inorganic-organic hybrid material that comprises an extended matrix containing silicon and oxygen atoms with at least a fraction of the silicon being directly bonded to substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon atoms.

A planar optical device is formed on a substrate. The device comprises an array of waveguide cores which guide optical radiation. A cladding layer is formed contiguously with the array of waveguide cores to confine the optical radiation to the array of waveguide cores. At least one of the array of waveguide cores and cladding layer is an inorganic-organic hybrid material that comprises an extended matrix containing silicon and oxygen atoms with at least a fraction of the silicon atoms being directly bonded to substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon moieties. This material can be designed with an index of refraction between 1.4 and 1.55 and can be deposited rapidly to thicknesses of up to 40 microns. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a method for forming a planar optical device obviates the need for a lithographic process. Illustratively, a method for forming an array of cores comprises the steps of: (1) preparing a waveguide core composition precursor material comprising at least one silane and a source of hydrocarbon moiety, (2) partially hydrolyzing and polymerizing the waveguide core precursor material to form a waveguide core composition, (3) using a mold, forming an array of waveguide cores comprising the waveguide core composition, and (4) completing hydrolysis and polymerization of the waveguide core composition under conditions effective to form an inorganic-organic hybrid material that comprises an extended matrix containing silicon and oxygen atoms with at least a fraction of the silicon atoms being directly bonded to substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon moieties. A cladding layer is then deposited over the array of waveguide cores. The use of the mold to pattern the array of waveguide cores obviates the need for a lithographic process.

A method for producing light-scattering structures on flat optical waveguides into which light can be coupled for making the light-scattering structures visible. The light-scattering structures are applied to a surface of the optical waveguide in accordance with a predetermined arrangement prescription. The light-scattering structures are applied directly to the optical waveguide with a non-impact method. The application of the light-scattering structures can occur by imprinting with a computer-controlled, contactless-operating print head or by electro-photographic coating.

A waveguide for a display apparatus comprising a planar optical waveguide part (20) for guiding light to be displayed, an input diffraction grating (21) to diffract received light (7) along the optical waveguide part for guiding thereby, an intermediate diffraction grating (22) to receive diffracted light from the input diffraction grating and to expand the received light in a first dimension by diffraction (8), and an output diffraction grating (23) to receive the expanded light and to output the received expanded light (10) from the optical waveguide part by diffraction for display. The input diffraction grating is positioned so as to be located wholly within the geographical area of the intermediate grating, and the grating vectors of the input diffraction grating and the intermediate diffraction grating are oriented in different respective directions.

There is provided a non-linear optical device for enhancing the bandwidth accessible in the nonlinear generation of an optical signal. The device comprises a planar optical waveguide, the planar optical waveguide being operative to generate an optical output from an optical input having an input bandwidth by means of a non-linear optical process, the optical output having a wavelength within an accessible bandwidth, wherein the planar optical waveguide is operative to enhance the accessible bandwidth such that the ratio of the accessible bandwidth to the input bandwidth is at least 4. The device is particularly applicable to broad optical continuum generation, but may also be used in a parametric oscillator or amplifier arrangement with broad tuning range.

A method for manufacturing a waveguide for a display apparatus comprising providing a planar optical waveguide part (20), depositing upon the optical waveguide part a fluid material (11) curable to form an optically transparent solid, impressing (30) upon the fluid material an impression defining an input diffraction grating region, an intermediate diffraction grating region and an output diffraction grating region wherein the fluid material of the intermediate diffraction grating region is continuous with the fluid material of at least the input diffraction grating region, curing (45) the impressed fluid material to solidify said impression. The physical location of the input diffraction grating is located wholly within the geographical area of the intermediate grating, and the grating vectors of the input diffraction grating and the intermediate diffraction grating are oriented in different respective directions.

The invention discloses a three-dimensional imaging method and a device utilizing a planar lightwave circuit. The three-dimensional imaging method includes that coherent light emitted from coherent light source is converted into a two dimensional point light source array; the position of every point light source in the two dimensional point light source array is randomly distributed; three-dimensional images are discretized into a large amount of vexel; the vexel is divided into a plurality of groups from high to low according to the brightness; a phase regulating amplitude of the point light source is calculated according to the distance between every point light source and every vexel of every group to enable the lightwave from every point light source to be in the same phase when reaches the vexel; every point light source is accumulated as a complex amplitude regulation amplitude for generating every vexel; and an amplitude regulator and a phase regulator of every point light source are driven to generate every group of vexel based on constructive interference. The imaging device is formed by coherent light source, the planar lightwave circuit, a conductive glass front panel and a back driving circuit. The three-dimensional imaging method and the device utilizing the planar lightwave circuit are capable of being widely applied to the fields of three-dimensional display of a computer and a television, three-dimensional human-machine exchange, robot vision and the like.

There is provided a non-linear optical device for enhancing the bandwidth accessible in the nonlinear generation of an optical signal. The device comprises a planar optical waveguide, the planar optical waveguide being operative to generate an optical output from an optical input having an input bandwidth by means of a non-linear optical process, the optical output having a wavelength within an accessible bandwidth, wherein the planar optical waveguide is operative to enhance the accessible bandwidth such that the ratio of the accessible bandwidth to the input bandwidth is at least 4. The device is particularly applicable to broad optical continuum generation, but may also be used in a parametric oscillator or amplifier arrangement with broad tuning range.

An optical module is disclosed. The optical module includes a substrate, and at least one planar optical waveguide that includes a plurality of waveguides and at least one groove vertically penetrating the upper surface of the substrate and which is successively laminated on the substrate. The optical module also includes at least one PCB having at least one integrated photoelectric conversion device that is positioned on the planar optical waveguide facing a corresponding groove, and at least one optical connection block including a body and optical fibers embedded in the body in such a manner that both ends thereof are exposed to the lateral and upper surfaces of the body. The optical connection block is inserted into the corresponding groove of the planar optical waveguide in such a manner that both ends of the optical fibers, which have been exposed, face the waveguides and the PCBs, respectively.

There is provided a non-linear optical device for enhancing the bandwidth accessible in the nonlinear generation of an optical signal. The device comprises a planar optical waveguide, the planar optical waveguide being operative to generate an optical output from an optical input having an input bandwidth by means of a non-linear optical process, the optical output having a wavelength within an accessible bandwidth, wherein the planar optical waveguide is operative to enhance the accessible bandwidth such that the ratio of the accessible bandwidth to the input bandwidth is at least 4. The device is particularly applicable to broad optical continuum generation, but may also be used in a parametric oscillator or amplifier arrangement with broad tuning range. The planar waveguide geometry permits easy integration in more complex photonic integrated circuits such as a Michelson interferometer for low coherence interferometry based optical coherence tomography.

The present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a planar optical waveguide and a micro-lens using a transcribed resin formed by the optical nano-imprint technique. The method includes a step for forming a resin contained with ultraviolet curable materials on the substrate. The mold is pressed against the resin. This step forms a patterned resin that reflects the pattern formed in the mold. After hardening the resin by irradiating the ultraviolet rays, the resin is cooled down as the mold is pressed against the resin from the temperature T1, where the mold is pressed, to T2 below T1. After cooling down the temperature of the resin, the mold is detached to complete the resin with the pattern transcribed from the mold.

An optical biosensor has a first enclosure with a pathogen recognition surface, including a planar optical waveguide and grating located in the first enclosure. An aperture is in the first enclosure for insertion of sample to be investigated to a position in close proximity to the pathogen recognition surface. A laser in the first enclosure includes means for aligning and means for modulating the laser, the laser having its light output directed toward said grating. Detection means are located in the first enclosure and in optical communication with the pathogen recognition surface for detecting pathogens after interrogation by the laser light and outputting the detection. Electronic means is located in the first enclosure and receives the detection for processing the detection and outputting information on the detection, and an electrical power supply is located in the first enclosure for supplying power to the laser, the detection means and the electronic means.

An apparatus for illuminating a sample includes a planar waveguide. The planar waveguide includes a first substrate, including a first outer surface and a first inner surface, and a second substrate, including a second outer surface and a second inner surface. The first and second inner surfaces of the first and second substrates, respectively, are spaced apart from each other and partly define a volume for confining the sample therein. The apparatus also includes a light source for providing light directed toward the planar waveguide, such that the light is optically coupled to and contained within the planar waveguide between the outer surfaces of the first and second substrates, while illuminating at least a portion of the sample confined within the volume.

The invention discloses a holographic optical waveguide, and belongs to the technical field of augmented reality and virtual reality. The holographic optical waveguide comprises a planar optical waveguide, and an optical coupling in end and an optical coupling out end which are respectively arranged at the two ends of the planar optical waveguide. The optical coupling in end reflects received light rays so that the reflected light rays are enabled to meet the total reflection conditions to be transmitted to the optical coupling out end through multiple times of total reflection between the two reflecting surfaces of the planar optical waveguide. The received light rays are diffractively emergent out of the optical coupling out end. The optical coupling out end is a holographic grating. The holographic grating is a polarization holographic liquid crystal grating comprising a transparent substrate, a light orientation layer and a liquid crystal layer which are arranged in turn, wherein polarization holographic patterns having periodic structures are recorded on the light orientation layer. The invention also discloses a holographic optical waveguide display device. The polarization holographic liquid crystal grating is used as the optical coupling out end of the holographic optical waveguide so that 100% of diffraction efficiency can be achieved theoretically, and zero order waves can be suppressed and conjugate images can be eliminated.

A mode-field transforming planar optical waveguide device includes an under cladding, a first core, a second core, and an over cladding. The under cladding has a flat shape as a whole. The first core has a quadrangular cross section and is placed on the under cladding. The second core is placed on a tapered end portion of the first core. The over cladding is placed in a region including the tapered end portion of the first core and the second core. The under cladding and the first core placed thereon constitute a first optical waveguide. The under cladding, the tapered end portion of the first core placed on the under cladding, the second core placed thereon, and the over cladding placed on and around the second core constitute a mode field size conversion portion. The under cladding, the second core, and the over cladding constitute a second optical waveguide. The first core is made of silicon. The first and second cores differ in cross-sectional shape. A manufacturing method for the optical module is also disclosed.

The present invention provides an optical waveguide modulator. In one embodiment, the optical waveguide modulator includes a semiconductor planar optical waveguide core and doped semiconductor connecting paths located adjacent opposite sides of the core and capable of applying a voltage across the core. The optical waveguide core and connecting paths form a structure having back-to-back PN semiconductor junctions. In another embodiment, the optical waveguide modulator includes a semiconductor optical waveguide core including a ridge portion wherein the ridge portion has at least one PN semiconductor junction located therein. The optical waveguide modulator also includes one or more doped semiconductor connecting paths located laterally adjacent the ridge portion and capable of applying a voltage to the ridge portion.

The invention belongs to the technical field of communication, relates to an asymmetric planar optical waveguide mode multiplexing / demultiplexing device based on few-mode fibers, in particular to a planar optical waveguide mode multiplexing / demultiplexing device which is used for mode diversity multiplexing communication and facilitates interconnection. The device is of a Y-shaped structure and composed of a waveguide main arm and a plurality of waveguide branch arms, wherein the number of the waveguide branch arms is same as the number of transmission modes of the few-mode fibers; the waveguide main arm and the waveguide branch arms are respectively composed of a core layer and a cladding, and the refraction index of the core layers of each of the waveguide main arm and the waveguide branch arms and the refraction index of the cladding of each of the waveguide main arm and the waveguide branch arms are same as the refraction index of a fiber core of each few-mode fiber and the refraction index of a cladding of each few-mode fiber respectively. The asymmetric planar optical waveguide mode multiplexing / demultiplexing device is simple in structure, low in loss, easy to integrate, stable in performance, wide in broadband, simple and efficient.

The invention relates to the technical field of photonic devices, in particular to a vertical coupling grating coupler bonded by metal and a manufacturing method thereof. The grating coupler comprises a carrier piece, a metal bonding layer serving as a reflective mirror layer, a lower limiting layer of slab waveguide, tapered waveguide and submicron waveguide, a sandwich layer of the slab waveguide, the tapered waveguide and the submicron waveguide , an upper limiting layer of the slab waveguide, the tapered waveguide and the submicron waveguide and an optical fiber, wherein the carrier piece is formed by a silicon wafer or a glass sheet, the lower limiting layer is formed by a DVS-BCB layer, the sandwich layer is formed by a silicon layer, the upper limiting layer is formed by a silicon oxide oxidation layer, the slab waveguide, the tapered waveguide and the submicron waveguide are mutually linked up in the horizontal direction, a coupling grating and a reflecting grating are manufactured on the surface of the slab waveguide sandwich layer, and one end of the optical fiber is vertically close to the surface of the upper limiting layer of an SOI with a silicon substrate removed. According to the vertical coupling grating coupler, high-efficiency vertical coupling between the optical fiber and planar optical waveguide can be realized.

The present invention discloses a silicon-based germanium photodetector. The silicon-based germanium photodetector comprises an optical waveguide layer, a silicon oxide layer and a silicon substrate which are sequentially stacked from top to bottom; the optical waveguide layer includes an optical coupling region, a planar optical waveguide region and an optical output region which are distributed sequentially along the propagation direction of optical signals; a coupling grating for receiving the optical signals and guiding the optical signals to the planar optical waveguide region is formed in the coupling region; and the silicon-based germanium photodetector further comprises a germanium layer stacked on the optical output region, a silicon covering layer stacked on the germanium layer, a first electrode formed on the silicon covering layer, and a second electrode formed on the optical output region, wherein the germanium layer receives the optical signals from the optical output region and converts the optical signals into electrical signals. According to the silicon-based germanium photodetector of the invention, the silicon covering layer is adopted, so that bandwidth is greatly improved, the dark current of the device is greatly reduced, and therefore, the comprehensive performance index of the device can be improved, and the requirements of high-speed optical communication and optical interconnection systems can be better satisfied.

The invention discloses a waveguide display based on a diffractive optical element. The waveguide display comprises an image source, an input coupler, an output coupler and a planar optical waveguide, wherein the output coupler is a multiplexed volume holographic grating. By adopting the structure, the problem of limitation on the field angle of the conventional waveguide display based on the diffractive optical element is solved. The waveguide display can be widely applied to the field of waveguide displays.

A one step process for fabricating planar optical waveguides comprises using a laser to cut at least two channels in a substantially planar surface of a piece of dielectric material defining a waveguide there between. The shape and size of the resulting guide can be adjusting by selecting an appropriate combination of laser beam spatial profile, of its power and of the exposure time. A combination of heating and writing lasers can also be used to fabricate waveguides in a dielectric substrate, wherein the heating laser heats the substrate with a relatively broad focused spot, the power of the heating laser being controlled to raise the temperature heating the substrate just below the substrate's threshold temperature at which it begins to absorb electro-magnetic radiation, the writing laser, which yields a spot size smaller than the heating laser then melts the substrate within the focal spot of the heating laser. Compare to processes from the prior art, a waveguide fabrication process according to the present invention results in lower cost, faster processing time and applicability to a wider range of materials. The present process is particularly suited for the mass production of inexpensive photonic devices.

The invention discloses a planar optical waveguide and a manufacturing method thereof. The planar optical waveguide comprises a lower cladding, a waveguide core layer, an isolation layer and an upper cladding; the refractive index of the upper cladding is equal to that of the lower cladding and is higher than that of the isolation layer; the isolation layer is formed on the lower cladding; the waveguide core layer is packaged completely in the isolation layer; the upper cladding is formed on the isolation layer. The refractive index distribution of the planar optical waveguide is optimized, the loss of a device is reduced, and the 1250-1650 full band width performance can be realized more easily.

The invention provides an apparatus and method for highly selective and sensitive chemical sensing. Two modes of laser light are transmitted through a waveguide, refracted by a thin film host reagent coating on the waveguide, and analyzed in a phase sensitive detector for changes in effective refractive index. Sensor specificity is based on the particular species selective thin films of host reagents which are attached to the surface of the planar optical waveguide. The thin film of host reagents refracts laser light at different refractive indices according to what species are forming inclusion complexes with the host reagents.

An integrated optical waveguide type surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor having an optical waveguide with a corresponding SPR sensing area, photodetectors, and wavelength tunable laser or any kind of external tunable laser source / coupler formed on a substrate. In an embodiment, the laser is a wavelength tunable laser and optionally, the integrated device may include a power source on the substrate for providing a electric power to the wavelength tunable laser and the photodetectors, or a circuit for signal processing, or a microfluidic structure for routing a target sample to the SPR sensor area. The microfluidic structure optionally includes a mixer or a reaction chamber for mixing and allowing a physical or chemical reaction to occur, respectively. In an embodiment, plural planar integrated optical waveguide type SPR sensors may be fabricated on a substrate to form an array of SPR sensors.

Methods of forming a tapered evanescent coupling region for use with a relatively thin silicon optical waveguide formed with, for example, an SOI structure. A tapered evanescent coupling region is formed in a silicon substrate that is used as a coupling substrate, the coupling substrate thereafter joined to the SOI structure. A gray-scale photolithography process is used to define a tapered region in photoresist, the tapered pattern thereafter transferred into the silicon substrate. A material exhibiting a lower refractive index than the silicon optical waveguide layer (e.g., silicon dioxide) is then used to fill the tapered opening in the substrate. Advantageously, conventional silicon processing steps may be used to form coupling facets in the silicon substrate (i.e., angled surfaces, V-grooves) in an appropriate relation to the tapered evanescent coupling region. The coupling facets may be formed contiguous with the tapered evanescent coupling region, or formed through the opposing side of the silicon substrate.

The invention discloses an edge-coupled surface plasma nanometer laser, which comprises a basal lamina (4), a metal film layer (1) which is arranged above the basal lamina, a gain medium nano-wire (2) which is arranged at one side on the lateral edge of the metal film layer and is parallel thereto, a gap area (3) which is arranged between the lateral edge of the metal film layer and the gain medium nano-wire and a cladding (5). The coupling between the gain medium nano-wire (2) and the lateral edge of the metal film layer (1) can remarkably limit the distribution of an optical field so as to realize the restriction of two-dimensional sub-wavelength of the optical field outputted by the laser and also to maintain the lower transmission loss. The surface plasma nanometer laser overcomes the defects of the surface plasma nanometer laser based on the multi-layer structure that the processing production technology is relatively complicated and the integration between the laser and the planar optical waveguide is difficult to realize, so the planar integration of nanometer active device can be realized.

An optical waveguide for light transmission and a method for creating a master and for generating an optical waveguide therefrom. The waveguide includes a first polymer layer having at least one optical element formed therein, the first polymer layer having an index of refraction of preferably 1.55 or greater, bonded to a second polymer layer, preferably polypropylene, having an index of refraction of preferably 1.50 or less. Since the refractive index of air is approximately 1.0, the first polymer layer is sandwiched between two layers of low refractive index material. The differences between the indices of refraction cause light projected into the polymer layer to be guided in the polymer layer by total internal reflection. Furthermore, once the optical element has been formed in the first polymer layer, it can be used as a master for generating embossments. The embossments are preferably generated by placing liquid polymer in contact with the master, curing it, and separating the cured polymer embossment from the master.

An optical module is disclosed. The optical module includes a substrate, and at least one planar optical waveguide that includes a plurality of waveguides and at least one groove vertically penetrating the upper surface of the substrate and which is successively laminated on the substrate. The optical module also includes at least one PCB having at least one integrated photoelectric conversion device that is positioned on the planar optical waveguide facing a corresponding groove, and at least one optical connection block including a body and optical fibers embedded in the body in such a manner that both ends thereof are exposed to the lateral and upper surfaces of the body. The optical connection block is inserted into the corresponding groove of the planar optical waveguide in such a manner that both ends of the optical fibers, which have been exposed, face the waveguides and the PCBs, respectively.