Abstract:
Technologies for generating a broadband optical output include a plurality of narrowband optical sources formed in a silicon substrate to generate a narrowband optical output, a plurality of input optical waveguides to route the narrowband optical output, an optical multiplexer formed in the silicon substrate to reflect the routed narrowband optical output, and an output optical waveguide to collect the reflected narrowband optical output to generate the broadband optical output. The output optical waveguide may route the broadband optical output to an output of the photonic integrated circuit.
Abstract:
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed toward techniques and configurations for an optical coupler. In some embodiments, the device may include an optical waveguide to transmit light input from a light source. The optical waveguide may include a semiconductor layer, having a trench with one facet that comprises an edge formed under an approximately 45 degree angle and another facet formed substantially normal to the semiconductor layer. The edge may interface with another medium to form a mirror to receive inputted light and reflect received light substantially perpendicularly to propagate the received light. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
Abstract:
Techniques and mechanisms for a monolithic photonic integrated circuit (PIC) to provide spectrometry functionality. In an embodiment, the PIC comprises a photonic device, a first waveguide and a second waveguide, wherein one of the first waveguide and the second waveguide includes a released portion which is free to move relative to a substrate of the PIC. During a metering cycle to evaluate a material under test, control logic operates an actuator to successively configure a plurality of positions of the released portion relative to the photonic device. In another embodiment, light from the first waveguide is variously diffracted by a grating of the photonic device during the metering cycle, where portions of the light are directed into the second waveguide. Different wavelengths of light diffracted into the second waveguide may be successively detected, for different positions of the released portion, to determine spectrometric measurements over a range of wavelength.
Abstract:
A portion of an optical waveguide extending laterally within a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) chip is at least partially freed from the substrate to allow physical displacement of a released waveguide end relative to the substrate and relative to an adjacent photonic device also fabricated in the substrate. The released waveguide end may be displaced to modulate interaction between the photonic device and an optical mode propagated by the waveguide. In embodiments where the photonic device is an optical coupler, employing for example an Echelle grating or arrayed waveguide grating (AWG), mode propagation through the coupler may be modulated via physical displacement of the released waveguide end. In one such embodiment, thermal sensitivity of an integrated optical wavelength division multiplexer (WDM) is reduced by displacing the released waveguide end relative to the coupler in a manner that counters a temperature dependence of the optical coupler.
Abstract:
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed toward techniques and configurations for an optical device having a semiconductor layer to propagate light and a mirror disposed inside the semiconductor layer and having echelle grating reflective surface to substantially totally internally reflect the propagating light inputted by one or more input waveguides, to be received by one or more output waveguides. The waveguides may be disposed in the semiconductor layer under a determined angle relative to the mirror reflective surface. The determined angle may be equal to or greater than a total internal reflection angle corresponding to the interface, to provide substantially total internal reflection of light by the mirror. The mirror may be formed by an interface of the semiconductor layer comprising the mirror reflective surface and another medium filling the mirror, such as a dielectric. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
Abstract:
A solid state photonics circuit having a liquid crystal (LC) layer for beam steering. The LC layer can provide tuning of an array of waveguides by controlling the application of voltage to the liquid crystal. The application of voltage to the liquid crystal can be controlled to perform beam steering with the light signal based on different tuning in each of the waveguides of the array. The waveguides are disposed in a substrate having an oxide or other insulating layer with an opening. The opening in the oxide layer exposes a portion of a path of the array of waveguides. The waveguides are exposed to the liquid crystal through the oxide opening, which allows the voltage changes to the liquid crystal to tune the optical signals in the waveguides.