US 12,449,605 B2
System, apparatus and method for integrating laser and optical circuitry on a photonics integrated circuit using an assembly having a prism and isolator
Boping Xie, San Ramon, CA (US); Jonathan Doylend, Morgan Hill, CA (US); and Alexander Krichevsky, Cupertino, CA (US)
Assigned to Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 23, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/483,059.
Prior Publication US 2022/0011519 A1, Jan. 13, 2022
Int. Cl. G02B 6/34 (2006.01); H01S 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/34 (2013.01) [H01S 3/0064 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
a substrate;
a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) adapted to the substrate, the PIC including at least one optical circuit, a first plurality of waveguides, a second plurality of waveguides, and a laser to output optical energy via the first plurality of waveguides, wherein:
the first plurality of waveguides has a channel pitch and comprises first end lengths that intersect a first edge of the PIC; and
the second plurality of waveguides has the same channel pitch, and comprises second end lengths that intersect the first edge of the PIC and are substantially parallel to the first end lengths;
one or more lens arrays adapted to the PIC, the lens arrays including first lenses in an output optical path of the first plurality of waveguides and second lenses in an input optical path of the second plurality of waveguides; and
a prism assembly adapted to the substrate, the prism assembly to reflect into the second plurality of waveguides optical energy received from the first plurality of waveguides, the prism assembly including:
a prism comprising a first surface to receive optical energy emitted into free space by the first lenses, and a second surface to emit into free space optical energy for receipt by the second lenses, wherein the prism comprises a 90° retroreflector prism that turns the optical energy emitted into free space 180° while maintaining parallelism and the channel pitch within the free space between the first and second surfaces of the prism and the lens arrays; and
at least one optical isolator between the prism and the lens arrays, the optical isolator to block reflected optical energy from returning to the laser.