US 12,422,624 B2
Tunable silicon nitride waveguide structure
Matthew J. Traverso, Saratoga, CA (US); and Donald J. Adams, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to Cisco Technology, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by Cisco Technology, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 14, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/168,617.
Prior Publication US 2024/0272369 A1, Aug. 15, 2024
Int. Cl. G02B 6/35 (2006.01); G02F 1/225 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/357 (2013.01) [G02B 6/3524 (2013.01); G02B 6/3584 (2013.01); G02F 1/2257 (2013.01); G02F 2203/055 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An optical device, comprising:
a cladding material;
a waveguide spaced apart from the cladding material by a gap; and
a capacitive actuator comprising a first conductive plate embedded in the cladding material and a second conductive plate embedded in the cladding material, the second conductive plate positioned relative to the first conductive plate such that the gap is positioned between the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate, the capacitive actuator configured to move the cladding material relative to the waveguide to vary the gap and change an effective refractive index of the waveguide.