US 12,092,871 B2
Active-passive photonic integrated circuit platform
Aditya Malik, Santa Barbara, CA (US); Hyun Dai Park, Goleta, CA (US); and Tin Komljenovic, Goleta, CA (US)
Assigned to NEXUS PHOTONICS LLC, Goleta, CA (US)
Filed by Aditya Malik, Santa Barbara, CA (US); Hyun Dai Park, Goleta, CA (US); and Tin Komljenovic, Goleta, CA (US)
Filed on Jan. 12, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/573,916.
Prior Publication US 2023/0244034 A1, Aug. 3, 2023
Int. Cl. G02B 6/14 (2006.01); G02B 6/122 (2006.01); G02B 6/13 (2006.01); G02B 6/12 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/14 (2013.01) [G02B 6/1228 (2013.01); G02B 6/13 (2013.01); G02B 2006/12142 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device comprising:
a plurality of waveguide structures fabricated on a common substrate; the plurality of waveguide structures comprising:
a first active waveguide structure supporting a first optical mode in a first sublayer and a second optical mode in a second sublayer;
a first intermediate waveguide structure, at least partly butt-coupled to a first end surface of the first active waveguide structure, supporting an intermediate optical mode;
a first passive waveguide structure supporting a passive optical mode, wherein a first tapered waveguide structure in at least one of the first intermediate waveguide structure and the first passive waveguide structure facilitates efficient mode transformation from the intermediate optical mode to the passive optical mode;
a second intermediate waveguide structure supporting the intermediate optical mode;
a second active waveguide structure having a first end surface at least partly butt-coupled to the second intermediate waveguide structure, the second active waveguide structure comprising a third sublayer supporting the second optical mode, wherein a second tapered waveguide structure in at least one of the second intermediate waveguide structure and the first passive waveguide structure facilitates efficient mode transformation from the passive optical mode to the intermediate optical mode in the second intermediate waveguide structure;
a third intermediate waveguide structure at least partly butt-coupled to a second end surface of the second active waveguide structure, the third intermediate waveguide structure supporting the intermediate optical mode; and
a second passive waveguide structure supporting the passive optical mode, wherein a third tapered waveguide structure in at least one of the third intermediate waveguide structure and the second passive waveguide structure facilitates efficient mode transformation from the intermediate optical mode in the third intermediate waveguide structure to the passive optical mode in the second passive waveguide structure;
wherein the plurality of waveguide structures is disposed axially in a sequence having an order starting with the first active waveguide structure, followed by the first intermediate waveguide structure, the first passive waveguide structure, the second intermediate waveguide structure, the second active waveguide structure, and the third intermediate waveguide structure in turn, and ending with the second passive waveguide structure;
wherein lithographic alignment marks facilitate precise mutual alignments between layers defining each of the plurality of waveguide structures.