Optical waveguides – With optical coupler – Input/output coupler
Reexamination Certificate
2007-08-15
2008-12-30
Healy, Brian M (Department: 2883)
Optical waveguides
With optical coupler
Input/output coupler
C385S001000, C385S002000, C385S014000, C385S129000, C385S130000, C385S131000, C398S081000
Reexamination Certificate
active
07471859
ABSTRACT:
An optical waveguide has a surface. An array of separately actuated bodies is disposed proximal to the exposed surface, and an actuator separately actuates at least some of the bodies to change a spectral characteristic of a wave propagating through the waveguide. Preferably, the bodies are metal striplines, an electro-optical material is disposed between the striplines and the exposed surface, and the actuator is a CMOS chip that imposes a voltage to some or all of the lines. The voltage changes the refractive index at the interface with the surface, changing an index of refraction profile of the waveguide and effectively imposing a grating. Alternatively, the bodies are micro-beams and the actuator, also controlled by a CMOS chip, separately moves each micro-beam into and out of proximity to the surface. The grating is programmable via the CMOS chip. The programmable gratings may be used to couple different waves in the same or different waveguides, and may act as Bragg gratings, binary supergratings, or multi-level supergratings.
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Bloch Jonathan C.
Fay Martin F.
Levner Daniel
Weiss Jeffrey
Brown University Research Foundation
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
Healy Brian M
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