US 11,709,382 B2
High-efficiency thermal phase shifter
Christopher T. Phare, New York, NY (US); Steven A. Miller, New York, NY (US); and Viraj Shah, New York, NY (US)
Assigned to Voyant Photonics, Inc., New York, NY (US)
Filed by Voyant Photonics, Inc., New York, NY (US)
Filed on Feb. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/670,554.
Application 17/670,554 is a continuation of application No. 16/826,051, filed on Mar. 20, 2020, granted, now 11,281,028.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/821,924, filed on Mar. 21, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0163823 A1, May 26, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G02F 1/01 (2006.01)
CPC G02F 1/0147 (2013.01) [G02F 1/011 (2013.01); G02F 2203/50 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An array of phase shifters comprising:
a plurality of phase shifters arranged in rows and columns, each phase shifter comprising:
a substrate;
a cladding layer over the substrate;
a waveguide within the cladding layer comprising a plurality of parallel waveguide sections adjacent each other, a plurality of waveguide bend sections connecting the plurality of parallel waveguide sections, and escape waveguides; and
a heater for heating the waveguide, thereby changing an index of refraction thereof;
wherein each escape waveguide is routed between neighboring phase shifters, such that the escape waveguide is disposed closer to each said neighboring phase shifter than a spacing between said neighboring phase shifters.