KR-102963761-B1 - COMPACT LIGHT SPLITTING DEVICES AND METHODS

Abstract

Configurations for a light splitting device used for light splitting across an operating bandwidth of wavelengths are disclosed. The light splitting device may include a first coupler and a second coupler, wherein the first coupler has a first splitting power relationship and the second coupler has a second splitting power relationship, and the first and second splitting power relationships are complementary to each other across an operating bandwidth of wavelengths. The light splitting device may further include a phase delay located between the first and second couplers. The phase delay can produce output light having an approximately uniform optical power distribution across an operating bandwidth of wavelengths. In some embodiments, the first and second couplers may be directional couplers, and in other embodiments, the first and second couplers may be tapered couplers.

Inventors

• 우, 이-쿠에이

Assignees

• 애플 인크.

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20220826

Priority Date

20220628

Claims (20)

1. As a light splitting device, A first coupler for coupling light over an operating bandwidth of wavelengths spanning at least 1 micrometer - said first coupler is: The first leg of the first coupler; and Includes a second leg of the first coupler optically coupled to the first leg of the first coupler. A second coupler for coupling light across the operating bandwidth of the above wavelengths - the second coupler is: The first leg of the second coupler above; and Includes a second leg of the second coupler optically coupled to the first leg of the second coupler; and It includes a fixed phase delay located between the first coupler and the second coupler, and The above-mentioned first coupler has a first divided power relationship; The above second coupler has a second split power relationship; An optical splitting device in which the first coupler and the second coupler have a complementary splitting power relationship over the operating bandwidth of the wavelengths, such that the first splitting power relationship and the second splitting power relationship are inversely proportional as a function of wavelength.
2. In paragraph 1, The above first and second couplers are directional couplers; The first coupler includes a first coupling region in which light is coupled between the first and second legs of the first coupler; The second coupler includes a second coupling region in which light is coupled between the first and second legs of the second coupler in a second coupling region; The first and second legs of the second coupler are a light splitting device that outputs the light.
3. An optical splitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second couplers are each tapered couplers.
4. In paragraph 1, A light splitting device in which the first and second legs of the second coupler output light with a consistent optical power ratio output.
5. In claim 1, the light splitting device is a light splitting device that outputs light with a consistent optical power ratio output across the operating bandwidth of the wavelengths.
6. An optical splitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first coupler and the second coupler are each narrowband couplers.
7. In paragraph 1, The above-mentioned first coupler is a first tapered coupler; The first coupler includes a first coupling region; The first and second legs are tapered in the first coupling region; The above second coupler is a second tapered coupler; The above second coupler includes a second coupling region; A light splitting device in which the third and fourth legs are tapered in the second coupling region.
8. In Paragraph 7, The first coupler is adiabatically tapered in the first coupling region; The second coupler is an optical splitting device that is adiabatically tapered in the second coupling region.
9. As a light splitting device, A first coupler for coupling light using a first divided power relationship between the wavelengths of light and the output optical power - the first coupler is: The first leg of the first coupler; and The second leg of the first coupler comprises the second leg of the first coupler positioned such that the light is coupled between the second leg and the first leg. A second coupler for coupling light using a second divided power relationship between the wavelengths of light and the output optical power—the second coupler is; The first leg of the second coupler above; and The second leg of the second coupler comprises the second leg of the second coupler positioned such that the light is coupled between the first leg of the second coupler and the second leg of the second coupler -; and An optical splitting device comprising a fixed phase delay located between the second leg of the first coupler and the second leg of the second coupler, wherein the first and second split power relationships between the wavelengths of the light and the output optical power are inversely proportional to each other over a bandwidth of wavelengths spanning at least 1 micrometer.
10. In Paragraph 9, The first divided power relationship between the wavelengths of the light and the output optical power is expressed as a positive slope; The second divided power relationship between the wavelengths of the light and the output optical power is expressed as a negative slope; The light splitting device described above is a light splitting device having a third split power relationship between the wavelengths of the light and the output optical power, expressed by a flat slope when compared to the positive slope and the negative slope.
11. In Paragraph 9, The first coupler and the second coupler couple light across a first operating bandwidth of wavelengths; The light splitting device described above couples light across a second operating bandwidth of wavelengths, wherein the first operating bandwidth of the wavelengths is narrower than the second operating bandwidth of the wavelengths.
12. In claim 11, the third and fourth legs are optical splitting devices that output a uniform optical power distribution over a broadband operating bandwidth of the wavelengths.
13. In claim 12, the optical splitting device wherein the uniform optical power distribution depends at least partially on the phase delay.
14. In claim 9, the optical splitting device, wherein the first and second couplers are each directional couplers.
15. In Paragraph 9, The first coupler above is a tapered coupler, and the first coupler is: It includes a coupling region in which light is coupled between the first and second legs of the first coupler; An optical splitting device in which the first leg of the first coupler has a taper opposite to that of the second leg of the first coupler in the coupling region.
16. As a method for splitting light, Step of inputting a first input light to a first coupler; A step of outputting first and second output light from the first coupler; A step of delaying the phase of the second output light by a fixed amount; A step of receiving the first output light and the phase-delayed second output light by a second coupler; and The method includes the step of outputting first and second output light from the second coupler, and The first input light for the first coupler is within an operating bandwidth of wavelengths spanning at least 1 micrometer; The above-mentioned first coupler has a first divided power relationship; The above second coupler has a second split power relationship; A method in which the first and second divided power relationships are complementary, so that the first divided power relationship and the second divided power relationship are inversely proportional over the operating bandwidth of the wavelengths as a function of wavelength.
17. In Paragraph 16, The first coupler above is a first directional coupler, and the first coupler is: A first leg of the first coupler having a first width; It includes a second leg of the first coupler having a second width equal to the first width; The first leg of the first coupler is separated from the second leg of the first coupler by a first constant gap; The second coupler above is a second directional coupler, and the second coupler is: The first leg of the second coupler having a third width; It includes a second leg of the second coupler having a fourth width identical to the third width; A method in which the first leg of the second coupler is separated from the second leg of the second coupler by a second constant gap.
18. In claim 16, the step of delaying the phase of the second output light further comprises the step of generating phase-delayed light.
19. In paragraph 16, the method wherein the operating bandwidth of the above wavelengths spans at least 1 micrometer.
20. In Paragraph 16, The first coupler and the second coupler are tapered couplers; The above method is: A step of adiabatically coupling the first input light; and A method further comprising the step of adiabatically coupling the first output light and the phase-delayed second output light.

Description

Compact Light Splitting Devices and Methods Cross-reference regarding related applications This application claims the benefit of 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/248,236 filed September 24, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technology field The present disclosure generally relates to optical splitting devices. More specifically, embodiments of the present specification relate to an optical system comprising optically coupled optical couplers, wherein a phase delay is located between the optical couplers. Generally, optical systems utilize multiple optical inputs to measure various types of information. Some of these optical systems can output light at multiple different wavelengths. However, as the number of monitored wavelengths increases, so do the size, cost, and complexity of the optical system. Due to the scaling of optical systems utilizing multiple optical inputs, light sources, and/or wavelengths of light, optical systems used to generate, split, couple, and/or monitor light may not be suitable for certain applications due to factors such as size, cost, and complexity. For example, such optical systems may occupy too much space to be reasonably included in compact electronic devices such as mobile phones, tablet computing devices, laptops, and wearables. Additionally, existing optical systems for emitting and/or monitoring light may only function over a narrow wavelength range and may not function efficiently over different or wide wavelength ranges. Therefore, it may be desirable to use a system that operates over a broad wavelength range while maintaining a compact form factor for inclusion in compact electronic devices. Embodiments of systems, devices, methods, and apparatuses described in this disclosure relate to compact broadband optical splitting devices. Systems, devices, methods, and apparatuses relating to optical splitting devices utilizing cascade 2 x 2 directional couplers or cascade 2 x 2 tapered couplers are also described. Cascade 2 x 2 directional couplers may individually be narrowband 2 x 2 couplers. When 2 x 2 directional couplers are optically coupled to each other such that a phase delay is located on one of the arms between the 2 x 2 directional couplers, the directional splitting device can be performed over a wider bandwidth (e.g., broadband wavelengths). Similarly, 2 x 2 tapered couplers can be individually narrowband 2 x 2 couplers, but when optically coupled to each other such that a phase delay is located between the 2 x 2 tapered couplers, the tapered split device can function over a wider bandwidth (e.g., broadband wavelengths). In some examples, the present disclosure describes an optical splitting device. The optical splitting device may include a first coupler that couples light over an operating bandwidth of wavelengths. The first coupler may include a first leg of the first coupler and a second leg of the first coupler that is optically coupled to the first leg of the first coupler. The optical splitting device may also include a second coupler that couples light over an operating bandwidth of wavelengths. The second coupler may include a first leg of the second coupler and a second leg of the second coupler that is optically coupled to the first leg of the second coupler. The optical splitting device may also include a phase delay located between the first coupler and the second coupler. Additionally, the first coupler has a first splitting power relationship, the second coupler has a second splitting power relationship, and the first coupler and the second coupler have complementary splitting power relationships over an operating bandwidth of wavelengths. In other examples, the present disclosure may include a light splitting device. The light splitting device may include a first coupler for coupling light using a first split power relationship between the wavelengths of light and output optical power, wherein the first coupler includes a first leg and a second leg of the first coupler positioned such that light is coupled between a second leg and a first leg. The light splitting device may include a second coupler for coupling light using a second split power relationship between the wavelengths of light and output optical power—the second coupler includes a first leg and a second leg of the second coupler positioned such that light is coupled between a first leg of the second coupler and a second leg of the second coupler—and a phase delay positioned between a second leg of the first coupler and a second leg of the second coupler, wherein the first and second split power relationships between the wavelengths of light and output optical power are different from each other. In other examples, the present disclosure may include a method for splitting light. The method may include the steps of inputting a first input light to a first coupler, outputting first and second output light from t