US 11,714,240 B2
On-chip optical switch based on an echelle grating
Shuren Hu, Arcadia, CA (US); Amir Hanjani, Cincinnati, OH (US); Chen Chen, Arcadia, CA (US); Mehdi Asghari, La Canada Flintridge, CA (US); and Bradley Jonathan Luff, La Canada Flintridge, CA (US)
Assigned to SiLC Technologies, Inc., Monrovia, CA (US)
Filed by SiLC Technologies, Inc., Monrovia, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 30, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/899,596.
Application 17/899,596 is a division of application No. 17/145,312, filed on Jan. 9, 2021, granted, now 11,460,642.
Prior Publication US 2022/0413224 A1, Dec. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. G02B 6/34 (2006.01); G02B 6/35 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/34 (2013.01) [G02B 6/3548 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of operating an on-chip optical switch, comprising:
directing an optical signal from an input waveguide towards a reflecting surface included in an echelle grating, the optical signal being directed towards the reflecting surface such that the optical signal can travel one of multiple different paths,
each of the different paths extending from the input waveguide to the reflecting surface and then to a different one of multiple coupling waveguides; and
operating a phase tuner so as to tune an index of refraction of the paths such that the path traveled by the optical signal changes in response to a level of a change in the index of refraction provided by the tuning.