Optical waveguides – Planar optical waveguide – Thin film optical waveguide
Patent
1996-10-03
1998-11-17
Lee, John D.
Optical waveguides
Planar optical waveguide
Thin film optical waveguide
G02B 6122
Patent
active
058388699
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns an integrated-optical channel waveguide. The new characteristics of the channel waveguide open up new application areas which require modulation or switching and/or spatially integrating light components of differing wavelengths and/or at least one wavelength range. The invention is related to the patent applications "Junction Splitters consisting of Channel Waveguides and Applications", and "Colour Image Generation Systems and Applications" submitted on the same day
2. Description of the Related Art
One of the principal procedures, which has become established in integrated optics for dimensioning integrated-optical channel waveguides and devices based on them, is to select in some suitable fashion the geometric and substance parameters of the channel waveguide as appropriate for a definite wavelength given by the application aim. Due to the given facts prevailing in optical telecommunications technology, in particular the transmission characteristics of standardized single-mode and multimode fibers, substrate materials presently available, and waveguide manufacturing technologies, and the limits of structure transfer processes (e.g. photo-lithography), the interest in integrated optics has so far almost exclusively concentrated on applications for wavelengths in the infrared spectrum Against this background, it had so far not been necessary in integrated optics to investigate an optical bandwidth within the meaning of the definition given in this description, namely the wavelength range within which the light will be simultaneously guided in single-mode and efficiently along a channel waveguide. In the entire literature on integrated optics, neither has there been an investigation of a channel waveguide with regard to this subject, nor is there a description of the effective refractive index of the guided mode as a function of the wavelength. Thus, neither theoretical calculations regarding this subject have been published so far nor have channel waveguides been proposed, fabricated or investigated whose optical bandwidth defined above comprises a wavelength range of e.g. 400 nm--in particular, however, the entire visible wavelength spectrum.
For transmission, modulation, and/or switching of light by means of integrated-optical devices, it is necessary to fabricate optical fibre waveguides whose function is based on the increase of the refractive index in the waveguiding region; e.g. channel waveguides or optical fibres (in: W. Kaithe, R. Muller, Integrierte Optik (Integrated Optics), Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft Geest & Portig K.-G., Leipzig, 1991). Another option for light transmission and light modulation is offered by quasi-waveguides, e.g. ARROW (in: M. Mann, U. Tritschel, C. Wachter, L. Leine, F. Lederer "Directional coupler based on an antiresonant reflecting optical waveguide", Opt. Lett., Vol. 16(1991), No. 11, pp. 805-807). For effective modulation and/or switching of light, it is advantageous if waveguides only guide the fundamental mode. Different light wavelengths thus require different values for the characteristic waveguide parameters, which in general require the use of different waveguides for different light wavelengths. Single-mode optical fibres, on the other hand, have the known characteristic to transmit, in single-mode and effectively, light within a wide spectrum range. To date, however, no channel waveguide in or on a substrate material is known, that is characterized by guiding light of differing wavelengths, which wavelengths differ by more than approximately 130 nm (value applicable to visible light only), in one and the same channel waveguide--in single-mode and with sufficient efficiency from a technical point of view.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This present invention is based on the task to guide in single-mode light of several wavelengths or wavelength ranges in one and the same channel waveguide. And the light waves carried in the channel waveguide should allow switching or modul
REFERENCES:
patent: 4707058 (1987-11-01), Tolksdorf et al.
patent: 4746183 (1988-05-01), Soref et al.
patent: 4834480 (1989-05-01), Baker et al.
patent: 4904039 (1990-02-01), Soref
patent: 4979788 (1990-12-01), Brazas, Jr.
patent: 5064265 (1991-11-01), Khanarian et al.
patent: 5276745 (1994-01-01), Revelli, Jr.
patent: 5351320 (1994-09-01), Kanetake et al.
patent: 5354709 (1994-10-01), Lorenzo et al.
patent: 5381426 (1995-01-01), Fontana et al.
"Fabrication and Characterization of Singlemode Channel Waveguides and . . . " Rottschalk, Ruske, Horning & Rasch, SPIE 2213, 1994, pp. 152-163.
"Integrierte Optik", Karthe, Muller & Jena, Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft Geest & Portig K.-G. Leipzig, 1991.
Fabrication and Characterization of Optical Waveguides in KtiOPO.sub.4, Bierlein, Ferretti, Brixner & Hsu, Appl. Phys. Lett. 50(18), Mar. 4, 1987, pp. 1216-1218.
XP000568115, Proceedings of the Spie, vol. 2213, Jan. 1994, pp. 152-163, Article "Fabrication and Characterization of Singlemode Channel Waveguides and Modulators in KT10P04 for the Short Visible Wavelenght Region" / Rottschalk, et al.
XP002003795, Applied Optics, vol. 16, No. 1, Jan. 1977, pp. 113-118, Article "Mode Dispersion in Diffused Channel Waveguides By the Effective Index Method" / Hocker, et al.
XP002003796, Applied Physics letters, vol. 50, No. 18, May 1987, pp. 1216-1218, "Fabrication and Characterization of Optical Waveguides in KTi0P04" / Bierlin, et al.
Groeber Volker
Rasch Andreas
Rottschalk Matthias
Ruske Jens-Peter
Kang Ellen E.
LDT Gmb&H Co. Laser-Display-Technologie KG
Lee John D.
LandOfFree
Strip waveguide and uses thereof does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Strip waveguide and uses thereof, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Strip waveguide and uses thereof will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-893735