Optical waveguides – With optical coupler – Plural
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-08
2003-12-02
Healy, Brian (Department: 2874)
Optical waveguides
With optical coupler
Plural
C385S014000, C385S016000, C398S043000, C398S045000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06658179
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to optical micromachined or microelectromechanical system based multiplexers and multiplexing methods.
2. Description of Related Art
Multiplexers are generally well-known. For example, an optical multiplexer/demultiplexer comprising an array of optical waveguides is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,350 to Dragone. For optical applications, an optical add/drop multiplexer receives an input optical signal with many optical channels at different wavelengths from a single optical fiber. The optical signal is demultiplexed into separate optical channels based on their wavelengths. Once demultiplexed, each of the separate optical channels can either pass through the optical add/drop multiplexer to a multiplexer or be dropped. For any channel that is dropped, a new signal can be added to utilize that channel. The passed and added channels are remultiplexed into an output optical signal sent out on a single optical fiber.
Current optical add/drop multiplexers are assembled from discrete components including demultiplexers, switches and multiplexers. Typical multiplexers and demultiplexers include diffraction gratings in free space optics and arrayed waveguide gratings for guided wave optics. Optical switches are used for dropping, adding and passing channels.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The systems and methods of this invention provide high quality optical multiplexing of an optical signal with improved performance.
The systems and methods of this invention separately provide optical multiplexers with improved manufacturability and reduced manufacturing costs.
The systems and methods of this invention separately provide optical multiplexers with reduced size and weight.
The systems and methods of this invention separately provide optical multiplexers with latching switches.
The systems and methods of this invention separately provide monolithic integration of optical multiplexers and demultiplexers with optical switches.
The systems and methods of this invention separately and independently provide a micro-optical device having an aligned waveguide switch.
According to various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods of this invention, a silicon demultiplexer, a plurality of silicon switches and a silicon multiplexer are monolithically integrated on a single silicon chip. In embodiments, the silicon demultiplexer and the silicon multiplexer each comprise a diffraction grating. In other embodiments, the silicon demultiplexer and the silicon multiplexer each comprise an arrayed waveguide grating. In various exemplary embodiments, the silicon optical switches comprise 1×2 or 2×2 or m×n optical switches, optical changeover switches, micromachined torsion mirrors, electrostatic, magnetostatic, piezoelectric or thermal micromirrors, and/or tilting micromirrors.
According to various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods of this invention, an optical signal is input into a monolithic reconfigurable optical multiplexer. The input optical signal comprises a data stream. The optical multiplexer includes at least one silicon demultiplexer, a plurality of silicon optical switches and at least one silicon multiplexer integrated on a single silicon chip. In embodiments, an optical signal is output that comprises a modified data stream.
According to various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods of this invention, an optical communications system comprises an input optical fiber, a silicon demultiplexer communicating with the input optical fiber, a silicon multiplexer, a plurality of silicon optical switches communicating between the silicon demultiplexer and the silicon multiplexer and an output optical fiber communicating with the silicon multiplexer. The silicon demultiplexer, optical switches and multiplexer are monolithically integrated on a single silicon chip.
These and other features and advantages of this invention are described in, or are apparent from, the following detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods according to this invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5002350 (1991-03-01), Dragone
patent: 5002354 (1991-03-01), Koai
patent: 5261015 (1993-11-01), Glasheen
patent: 5612815 (1997-03-01), Labeye et al.
patent: 5999290 (1999-12-01), Li
patent: 6363183 (2002-03-01), Koh
patent: 6385362 (2002-05-01), Norwood
patent: 6445841 (2002-09-01), Gloeckner et al.
patent: 2001/0031113 (2001-10-01), Frish et al.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/467,526, Kubby et al., filed Dec. 21, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/468,423, Kubby et al., filed Dec. 21, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/468,141, Kubby et al., filed Dec. 21, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/467,185, Kubby et al., filed Dec. 20, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/467,184, Kubby et al., filed Dec. 20, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/467,482, Kubby et al., filed Dec. 20, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/718,017, Lin, filed Nov. 20, 2000.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/844,574, Chen et al., filed Apr. 30, 2001.
Cornel Marxer et al., “Micro-Opto-Mechanical 2 × 2 Switch for Single-Mode Fibers Based on Plasma-Etched Silicon Mirror and Electrostatic Actuatioin”, Journal of Lightwave Technology, vol. 17, No. 1, Jan. 1999.
Shi-Sheng Lee et al., “Free-Space Fiber-Optic Switches Based on MEMS Vertical Torsion Mirrors”, Journal of Lightwave Technology, vol. 17, No. 1, Jan. 1999.
Hiroshi Toshiyoshi et al., “Electrostatic Micro Torsion Mirrors for an Optical Switch Matrix”, Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems, vol. 5, No. 4, Dec. 1996.
Hiroshi Toshiyoshi et al., “Electromagnetic Torsion Mirrors for Self-Aligned Fiber-Optic Crossconnectors by Silicon Micromachining”, IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, vol. 5, No. 1, Jan./Feb. 1999.
L. Y. Lin et al., “Free-Space Micromachined Optical Switches for Optical Networking”, IEEE Jorunal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, vol. 5, No. 1, Jan./Feb. 1999.
A. Azzam Yasseen et al., “A Rotary Electrostatic Micromotor 1 × 8 Optical Switch”, IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, vol. 5, No. 1, Jan./Feb. 1999.
Joseph E. Ford et al., “Wavelength Add-Drop Switching Using Tilting Micromirrors”, Journal of Lightwave Technology, vol. 17, No. 5, May 1999.
B. Jalali et al., “Advances in Silicon-on-Insulator Optoelectronics”, IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, vol. 4, No. 6, Nov./Dec. 1998.
M.R.T. Pearson et al., “Arrayed waveguide grating demultiplexers in silicon-on-insulator”, Ontario, Canada (No date).
E. Ollier et al., “Micro-opto mechanical switch integrated on silicon”, Electronics Letters, vol. 31, No. 23, Nov. 1995.
E. Ollier et al., “Integrated electrostatic micro-switch for optical fibre networks driven by low voltage”, Electronics Letters, vol. 32, No. 21, Oct. 1996.
Terry T.H. Eng et al., “Micromechanical Optical Switching with Voltage Control Using SOI Movable Integrated Optical Waveguides”, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, vol. 7, No. 11, Nov. 1995.
“Arrayed Waveguide Grating Multiplexer/Demultiplexer”, Lucent Technologies, Jan. 2000.
Chen Jingkuang
Kubby Joel A.
Lin Pinyen
Su Yi
Healy Brian
Wood Kevin S
Xerox Corporation
LandOfFree
Monolithic reconfigurable optical multiplexer systems and... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Monolithic reconfigurable optical multiplexer systems and..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Monolithic reconfigurable optical multiplexer systems and... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3163002