Rwth Aachen

Rheinisch-westfalische Technische Hochschule (rwth) Aachen

Rwth Aachen University

Florian Merget

Jeremy Witzens

Alvaro Moscoso-Martir

Juliana Mueller

Juliana MÜLLER

The invention describes an apparatus that implements efficient coupling between a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) and a second optical element such as a fiber or laser, while at the same time allowing for efficient polarization management and/or optical isolation. It enables the packaging of PICs with large single mode fiber counts and in- and out-coupling of light with arbitrary polarization. The apparatus comprises a glass interposer that contains at least one polarization selective element together with a pair of lenses transforming a beam profile between the 2nd optical element and a polarization selective coupler on the PIC. The invention also comprises a method for fabricating the apparatus based on a subassembly of building blocks that are manufactured using wafer-scale high-precision glass-molding and surface treatment(s) such as thin-film coating.

Optical coupler comprising a molded optical interposer together with a PIC and 2 polarization selective elements enabling isolation and/or polarization management

A transmitter (TX) for a WDM optical link includes a light source (CS) generating a plurality of discrete lines (EL) with different frequencies (f), a plurality of modulators (FSM, RRM, MZM), each modulator (FSM, RRM, MZM) being configured to modulate one of the discrete lines (EL) according to a data stream (c-c), at least one optical amplifier (SOA) configured to simultaneously amplify multiple lines (EL), wherein only a subset of the generated lines (EL) is routed to the optical amplifier (SOA) resp. to each one of the optical amplifiers (SOA). A receiver (RX) for an optical link adapted to work together with the transmitter (TX) is also described. An optical link including the transmitter (TX) and/or the receiver (RX), and a method to operate said link are also described.

WDM comb source based optical link with improved optical amplification

An apparatus may include a photonic device with at least a first waveguide having a light-conducting core bounded by at least one cladding layer, at least a second waveguide having a light-conducting core bounded by at least one cladding layer, wherein the first waveguide is aligned to couple with the second waveguide, wherein alignment of the first waveguide with the second waveguide with respect to at least one axis C coincides with at least one stop area of the photonic device resting on a stop surface of a corresponding support structure on a substrate, wherein the stop area is a stop in a recess from a surface of the photonic device. A method to fabricate the apparatus may include the recess is formed by etching of the photonic device, and/or the support structure is formed by etching of the substrate.

Self-alignment for apparatus comprising photonic device

An electro-optical modulator with two electrodes as part of a transmission line of a first phase modulator and two electrodes as part of a transmission line of a second phase modulator included in two arms of a Mach-Zehnder-interferometer. An electrical controller applies a first electrical high-frequency-modulated voltage signals between the first and second electrodes and applies a second electrical high-frequency-modulated signals between the fourth and third electrodes. The electrical controller applies signals such that voltages applied to the first and fourth electrodes have substantially a same high-frequency content, and voltages applied to the second and third electrodes have substantially the same high-frequency content. In such configuration, a constant voltage offset is produced by either the voltages applied to the first and fourth electrodes or, the second and third electrodes. Thereby, cross-talk between electrodes, electrical losses, device size and fabrication costs may be reduced.

Growing community of inventors

Würselen, Germany

Florian Merget