US 12,449,595 B2
Integrated vacuum cell assemblies
Sterling Eduardo McBride, Princeton, NJ (US); Joey J. Michalchuk, Lambertville, NJ (US); Seth Charles Caliga, Lafayette, CO (US); and Alan M. Braun, Princeton, NJ (US)
Assigned to SRI INTERNATIONAL, Menlo Park, CA (US)
Appl. No. 17/758,930
Filed by SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (US)
PCT Filed Oct. 7, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/054599
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 15, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/145931, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 22, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/961,791, filed on Jan. 16, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0049199 A1, Feb. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. G02B 6/122 (2006.01); G02B 6/12 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/1228 (2013.01) [G02B 2006/12138 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a photonic integrated circuit comprising one or more waveguides configured in a substrate, wherein a portion of a top surface of the substrate is substantially planar; and
a vacuum envelope comprising one or more walls coupled to the portion of the top surface of the substrate,
wherein each waveguide is configured to transmit light from a light input surface of the photonic integrated circuit exterior to the vacuum envelope to an interior of the vacuum envelope, and
wherein, for each waveguide:
the substrate comprises adjacent waveguide channels defining sidewall surfaces of the waveguide, and
the top surface of the substrate defines a top surface of the waveguide,
wherein each waveguide includes a bridge structure coupled to the one or more walls of the vacuum envelope and planar with the portion of the top surface of the substrate, and
wherein the bridge structure intersects the adjacent waveguide channels.