The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 08, 2007
Filed:
Nov. 07, 2003
Christopher Richard Doerr, Middletown, NJ (US);
Lawrence Warren Stulz, Neptune, NJ (US);
Christopher Richard Doerr, Middletown, NJ (US);
Lawrence Warren Stulz, Neptune, NJ (US);
Lucent Technologies Inc., Murray Hill, NJ (US);
Abstract
Spot-size conversion for interfacing a first optical element having a higher refractive index to a second optical element having a lower refractive index is achieved through the use of two optical star couplers coupled to each other through a plurality of optical paths embedded in a planar waveguide. The beam from the high refractive index element is introduced into a high numerical aperture (NA) star coupler, which directs the beam through a plurality of optical paths to a second star coupler with a lower numerical aperture than the first star coupler so that its output spot-size is larger. The output port of the second star coupler is interfaced to the lower refractive index element. Wavelength selection can be provided by making non-zero path-length differences between adjacent optical paths between the two star couplers. Wavelength tunability can be provided by including phase shifters in the paths between the two star couplers to alter the effective optical lengths of the paths to selectively produce the desired phase interference pattern at the desired wavelength.