US 12,451,966 B1
Optical communication systems and silicon photonics passive multiplexers and demultiplexers having Mach-Zehnder interferometer structures
Hong Cai, San Jose, CA (US); Yun Wang, Ottawa (CA); and Jie Lin, Cupertino, CA (US)
Assigned to Marvell Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore (SG)
Filed by Marvell Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore (SG)
Filed on May 2, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/142,299.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/337,653, filed on May 3, 2022.
Int. Cl. H04B 10/40 (2013.01); H04B 10/079 (2013.01); H04J 14/02 (2006.01)
CPC H04B 10/40 (2013.01) [H04B 10/0795 (2013.01); H04J 14/0209 (2013.01)] 33 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An optical communication system comprising:
a transceiver device configured to receive or transmit a plurality of optical signals having respective wavelengths; and
a first passive multiplexer and demultiplexer having a Mach-Zehnder interferometer structure and configured to transmit the plurality of optical signals directly or indirectly to the transceiver device or to receive the plurality of optical signals directly or indirectly from the transceiver device and to operate as a passive multiplexer or a passive demultiplexer, the first passive multiplexer and demultiplexer comprising
a first arm comprising a first waveguide, the first arm having a first dimension,
a second arm comprising i) a second waveguide, and ii) a third waveguide, the second waveguide having a second dimension, the third waveguide having a third dimension, the second dimension being based on the first dimension and finely adjusts at least one performance parameter of the first passive multiplexer and demultiplexer, and the third dimension being based on the first dimension and coarsely adjusts the at least one performance parameter,
a splitter configured to perform a demultiplexing or multiplexing operation including propagating, based on the respective wavelengths, the plurality of optical signals between i) a first port and ii) the first waveguide and the second waveguide, and
a coupler configured to propagate, based on the respective wavelengths, the plurality of optical signals between i) the first waveguide and the third waveguide and ii) a second port and a third port.