Active region-less polymer modulator integrated on a common PIC platform and method

• Main Authors: Lebby, Michael, Enami, Yasufumi
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 01.03.2022
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS, THE OPTICAL OPERATION OF WHICH ISMODIFIED BY CHANGING THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIUM OF THEDEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF THE INTENSITY,COLOUR, PHASE, POLARISATION OR DIRECTION OF LIGHT, e.g.SWITCHING, GATING, MODULATING OR DEMODULATING; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION; ELECTRICITY; FREQUENCY-CHANGING; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS; OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICS; PHYSICS; TECHNIQUES OR PROCEDURES FOR THE OPERATION THEREOF

A monolithic PIC including a monolithic laser formed in/on a platform and a polymer modulator monolithically built onto the platform and optically coupled to the laser. The modulator includes a first cladding layer, a passive core region with a surface abutting a surface of the first cladding layer, the core region extending to define an input and an output for the modulator. A shaped electro-optic polymer active component has a surface abutting a surface of a central portion of the core region. The active component is polled to align dipoles and promote modulation of light and has a length that extends only within a modulation area defined by modulation electrodes. A second cladding layer encloses the active component and is designed to produce adiabatic transition of light waves traveling in the core region into the active component to travel the length thereof and return to the core region.