Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080253711 | High speed optical phase modulator - An optical device includes a phase modulator having a waveguide on a substrate. The phase modulator also includes an n-type region having a proximity to a p-type region that causes formation of a depletion region when a bias is not applied to the modulator. The depletion region is at least partially positioned in the light signal carrying region of the waveguide. The phase modulator is tuned by applying a reverse bias to the phase modulator. The reverse bias changes the size of the depletion region. | 10-16-2008 |
20090129720 | Efficient transfer of light signals between optical devices - An optical device includes a waveguide immobilized on a base. The device includes a port configured to receive light signals from the waveguide such that the light signals travel through the port. The light signals enter the port traveling in a first direction. The port is configured to change the direction of the light signals from the first direction to a second direction that is toward a location above the device or below the device. The device also includes a wedge configured to receive the light signals from the port such that the light signals travel through the wedge and then exit the wedge traveling in a direction that is at an angle in a range of 88° to 92° relative to the device and that is toward a location above or below the device. | 05-21-2009 |
20100207223 | Optical device having light sensor employing horizontal electrical field - The optical device includes a waveguide and a light sensor on a base. The light sensor includes a light-absorbing medium configured to receive a light signal from the waveguide. The light sensor also includes field sources for generating an electrical field in the light-absorbing medium. The field sources are configured so the electrical field is substantially parallel to the base. | 08-19-2010 |
20110095167 | System having light sensor with enhanced sensitivity - The optical device includes a waveguide and a light sensor on a base. The light sensor includes a ridge extending from slab regions positioned on opposing sides of the ridge. The ridge includes a multiplication layer and an absorption layer. The absorption layer is positioned to receive at least a portion of the light signal from the waveguide. Additionally, the absorption layer generates a hole and electron pair in response to receiving a photon of the light signal. The multiplication layer is positioned to receive the electron generated in the absorption layer and to generate additional electrons in response to receiving the electron. | 04-28-2011 |
20110142390 | Optical device having modulator employing horizontal electrical field - The optical device includes a waveguide on a base. The device also includes a modulator on the base. The modulator includes an electro-absorption medium configured to receive a light signal from the waveguide. The modulator also includes field sources for generating an electrical field in the electro-absorption medium. The electro-absorption medium is a medium in which the Franz-Keldysh effect occurs in response to the formation of the electrical field in the electro-absorption medium. The field sources are configured so the electrical field is substantially parallel to the base. | 06-16-2011 |
20110150392 | Reducing optical loss in reflective optical gratings - An optical device includes a light-transmitting medium on a base. The light-transmitting medium at least partially defines a free propagation region through which light signals travel. A reflective grating is positioned such that light signals can travel through the free propagation region and be received by the optical grating. The optical grating is configured to reflect the received light signal back into the free propagation region. The optical grating reflects the light signals such that light signals associated with different wavelengths separate as the light signals travel through the free propagation region. The portion of the light-transmitting medium that defines the free propagation region has a facet through with the light signals are transmitted. The grating includes a buffer layer between the facet and a reflecting layer that is configured to reflect the light signals received by the grating. | 06-23-2011 |
20110206313 | Reducing optical loss in an optical modulator using depletion region - An optical device includes a light-transmitting medium positioned on a base. The light-transmitting medium includes a slab region and a ridge extending upward from the slab region. The ridge defines a portion of an optical waveguide on the device. A modulator is also positioned on the base. The modulator includes a first doped region of the light-transmitting medium and a second doped region of the light-transmitting medium. The first doped region and the second doped region are configured such that a depletion region forms in the waveguide when an electrical bias is not applied to the modulator. At least a portion of the first doped region is positioned in the ridge and at least a portion of the second doped region is positioned in the slab region. The light-transmitting medium includes a first electrical pathway extending from a first location to the first doped region. The first location is on top of the light-transmitting medium and is spaced apart from the ridge. | 08-25-2011 |
20110266422 | Optical device having partially butt-coupled light sensor - An optical device includes a light-transmitting medium positioned on a base. The light-transmitting medium defines a waveguide. The optical device also includes a light sensor. The light sensor includes a light-absorbing medium positioned on the base. A portion of the waveguide ends at a facet such that a first portion of a light signal being guided by the wavegide passes through the facet and a second portion of the light signal bypasses the facet and remains in the light-transmitting medium. The light-absorbing medium is positioned on the light-transmitting medium such that the light-transmitting medium is between the light-absorbing medium and the base. Additionally, the light-absorbing medium is positioned on the light-transmitting medium such that the light-absorbing medium receives the first portion of the light signal that passes through the facet. Further, the light-absorbing medium is configured such that the second portion of the light signal is coupled into the light-absorbing medium from the light-transmitting medium. | 11-03-2011 |
20110286700 | Extension of steps in reflective optical gratings - An optical device includes a light-transmitting medium positioned on a base. The light-transmitting medium at least partially defines a free propagation region through which light signals travel. A reflective grating includes stepped reflecting surfaces positioned such that light signals that travel through the free propagation region are received by the reflecting surfaces. The reflecting surfaces are configured to reflect the light signal back into the free propagation region such that the light signals associated with different wavelengths separate as the light signals travel through the free propagation region. At least a portion of the reflecting surfaces each includes an overlapping region. Additionally, at least a portion of the reflecting surfaces each includes an overlapped region and un un-overlapped region. The reflecting grating is configured such that the light signals travel toward the overlapped regions and the un-overlapped regions before being reflected. The un-overlapped regions are positioned such that the un-overlapped regions receive the light signals but the overlapping regions are positioned between the overlapped region and the light signals so that the overlapping regions receive the light signals before the light signals can be received by the overlapped regions. | 11-24-2011 |