Infinera Corporation

Pavel Viktorovich Studenkov

Peter Weindel Evans

Mehrdad Ziari

Scott W Corzine

Matthias Kuntz

Masaki Kato

Charles H Joyner

Vikrant Lal

Fred A Kish, Jr

Mark Missey

Matthew Fisher

Joseph Summers

A photonic integrated circuit is provided that may include a substrate; one or more optical sources, on the substrate, to output light associated with a corresponding one or more optical signals; one or more waveguides connected to the one or more optical sources; a multiplexer connected to the one or more waveguides; and one or more light absorptive structures, located on the substrate adjacent to one of the one or more optical sources, one of the one or more waveguides, and/or the multiplexer, to absorb a portion of the light associated with at least one of the corresponding one or more optical signals.

Light absorption and scattering devices in a photonic integrated circuit that minimize optical feedback and noise

Consistent with the present disclosure, both arms of an MZ interferometer are 'double-folded' and are bent in at least two locations to define first and second acute inner angles. Accordingly, the arms of the MZ interferometer may have substantially the same length, and, further, the MZ interferometer has a more compact geometry. In one example, the arms parallel each other and have a serpentine shape, and, in a further embodiment, the arms parallel one another and have a Z-shape. Accordingly, since the temperature of a PIC upon which the MZ interferometer is provided does not vary significantly over such short distances, the temperatures of both arms is substantially the same.

Mach-Zehnder interferometer having bended waveguides

An apparatus having a first waveguide, a second waveguide, a third waveguide, a fourth waveguide, and a fifth waveguide is described. A symmetric coupler has a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end of the symmetric coupler is coupled to and in optical communication with the first waveguide and the second waveguide. The distal end of the symmetric coupler is coupled to and in optical communication with the fourth waveguide. An asymmetric coupler has a proximal end and a distal end. The asymmetric coupler is in a cascaded configuration with the symmetric coupler. The cascaded configuration has the proximal end of the asymmetric coupler coupled to and in optical communication with the fourth waveguide and the third waveguide. The distal end of the asymmetric coupler is coupled to and in optical communication with the fifth waveguide.

Broadband waveguide based optical coupler

A device may include a number of optical waveguides, each of which being spaced from one another. The optical waveguides may each include at least one curved section and widths of the curved sections of the optical waveguides may be selected to reduce polarization conversion of light traversing the birefringent optical waveguides.

Suppression of resonant polarization conversion in photonic integrated circuits

An optical device may include a substrate; an arrayed waveguide grating provided on the substrate and having first and second slabs; multiple first waveguides extending from the first slab, the multiple first waveguides may supply respective first optical signals to the first slab; multiple second waveguides extending from the second slab, the multiple second waveguides may supply respective second optical signals to the second slab; a third waveguide extending from the second slab, the third waveguide outputting a third optical signal from the second slab, the third optical signal including the first optical signals; a fourth waveguide extending from the first slab, the fourth waveguide may output a fourth optical signal from the first slab, the fourth optical signal including the second optical signals; and a first scattering device optically coupled to a portion of an edge of the first slab between the multiple first waveguides and the fourth waveguide.

Scattering device on an arrayed waveguide grating

The present invention provides a system, apparatus and method to maintain the polarization state of an optical signal propagating within a photonic integrated circuit, or from a first photonic integrated circuit to a second photonic integrated circuit. According to various embodiments of the invention, an optical circuit is provided which includes an optical coupler configured to accept a first optical signal on a first input and a second optical signal on a second input, the second optical signal having a polarization state. The optical coupler may combine the first and second optical signals into an optical output signal. A principle axis of a first end of an optical fiber is may be configured to align with the polarization state of the second optical signal, such that a polarization maintaining connection is established. The polarization state may be a TM polarization state, a TE polarization state, or another polarization state. The optical circuit may include birefringent structures, such as birefringent waveguides and birefringent wavelength selective couplers, to further maintain the polarization of optical signals propagating through the photonic integrated circuits.

Polarization control in a photonic integrated circuit

The present invention provides a polarization converter, and a method for fabricating the same. The polarization converter includes a geometric shape which induces rotation of a polarization of an optical signal from a first polarization state to a second polarization state as the optical signal propagates along the polarization converter. The performance of the polarization converter is maintained in light of inconsistencies in fabrication processes resulting in improved manufacturability.

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Pavel Viktorovich Studenkov