Other

Gemfire Corporation

Newport Opticom. Inc.

Arthur Telkamp

Ying Wen Hsu

Randy Wayne Bindrup

An improved low-loss waveguide crossover uses an out-of-plane, such as vertical, waveguide to bridge over any number of waveguides with very low, or essentially no, optical loss or crosstalk. Optical signals transmitted in a waveguide system having the improved waveguide crossover can cross over one or multiple transverse waveguides with a greatly reduced loss of signal intensity by using a second waveguide (such as a bridge) positioned in a second plane different from the plane containing the transverse waveguides. An optical signal from the input waveguide is coupled efficiently through directional coupling to the bridge waveguide and optionally from the bridge waveguide to the output waveguide. Methods for fabricating the improved waveguide crossover are described.

Low-loss optical waveguide crossovers using an out-of-plane waveguide

An optical switching system that switches the path of an optical signal by moving a microstructure onto which a light-guiding structure is mounted. The microstructure is formed by a MEMs and semiconductor process to be integral to the substrate. The light-guiding structure may include waveguides. The microstructure moves from one position to another position (e.g., laterally, vertically, rotationally) such that incoming optical signals align over a small air gap to different optical paths, depending on the position of the movable microstructure. As a result, the optical signal propagate along different optical paths (e.g., straight pass through or cross over) depending on the position of the movable microstructure. The optical paths have a large radii of curvature so as to change the direction of the optical signal gradually, thereby reducing insertion losses. By combining optical switches in both the vertical and horizontal directions, the resulting optical switching system handles switching in three dimensions.

Low loss optical switching system

A 1&#xd7;N or N&#xd7;1 optical switch based on a plurality of movable MEMS-created platforms, each carrying a light guiding structure such as a waveguide, where the position of the platforms determines which optical path is connected through the optical switch. The MEMS-created platforms are formed integral with the substrate of the optical switch. The waveguides residing on the movable platforms gradually change the direction of the optical signal in order to minimize losses. The movable platforms can move linearly or rotationally, for example. Also described is a method for fabricating such an optical switch and its components by etching from the bottom of the substrate and through the oxide.

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Irvine, CA, United States of America

Arthur Telkamp