Patent Application
20210325606
The present invention relates to a silicon-photonics device. More particularly, the present invention provides a colorless optical splitter based on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform, a method of making the same, and a silicon-photonics circuit integrated with the colorless optical splitter for broad band communication in Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) or Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing (CWDM) system.
Over the last few decades, the use of broadband communication networks exploded. In the early days Internet, popular applications were limited to emails, bulletin board, and mostly informational and text-based web page surfing, and the amount of data transferred was usually relatively small. Today, Internet and mobile applications demand a huge amount of bandwidth for transferring photo, video, music, and other multimedia files. For example, a social network like Facebook processes more than 500TB of data daily. With such high demands on data and data transfer, existing data communication systems need to be improved to address these needs.
Large-scale photonic integrated circuits are becoming very promising for many applications, including next-generation optical networks, optical interconnects, dense wavelength division multiplexed (DWDM) systems, coherent transceivers, lab-on-chip, etc.. Silicon-based photonics integrated circuits have also become very popular, because of their compatibility with mature CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) technologies with excellent processing control, low cost and high-volume processing. Furthermore, silicon-on-insulator
(SOI) is widely used as substrates for making various silicon-photonics devices. It is well known that SOI-based waveguides are usually severely polarization-sensitive so that many polarization handling devices including broad-band colorless splitter have become very important components in silicon photonics integrated circuit (SPIC).
For example, a compact optical splitter made on SOI substrate by simple process with high fabrication tolerance is desired to be integrated with other silicon-photonics devices and used as a crucial component for SPIC-based DWDM or CWDM system working in C-band or O-band. Prior approaches of making the optical splitter for silicon-photonics integrated circuit are mostly process intolerant, wavelength dependent over a broad band, fabrication sensitive, dimension sensitive, and hard to be integrated with other silicon-photonics devices.
Therefore, it is desired to develop improved compact, process-robust, colorless optical splitter for easy integration in silicon-photonics circuits for broad-band DWDM and CWDM application.
The present invention relates to a silicon-photonics device. More particularly, the present invention provides a colorless optical splitter based on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform, a method of making the same, and a silicon-photonics circuit integrated with the colorless optical splitter for broad-band communication in DWDM or CWDM system, though other applications are possible.
In modern electrical interconnect systems, high-speed serial links have replaced parallel data buses, and serial link speed is rapidly increasing due to the evolution of CMOS technology. Internet bandwidth doubles almost every two years following Moore's Law. But Moore's Law is coming to an end in the next decade. Standard CMOS silicon transistors will stop scaling around 5 nm. And the internet bandwidth increasing due to process scaling will plateau. But Internet and mobile applications continuously demand a huge amount of bandwidth for transferring photo, video, music, and other multimedia files. This disclosure describes techniques and methods to improve the communication bandwidth beyond Moore's law.
In an embodiment, the present invention provides an optical splitter. The optical splitter includes a silicon-on-insulator substrate having a cladding layer. The optical splitter additionally includes a first waveguide of a first width and a first length buried in the cladding layer. Furthermore, the optical splitter includes a second waveguide of a second width and a second length buried in the cladding layer disposed in close proximity of the first waveguide by a gap distance. A ratio of the second width over the first width is configured to be smaller than 1 while the first length, the second length, and the gap distance are configured to allow evanescent coupling of a first confined mode of an optical signal in the first waveguide into the second waveguide with a certain splitting ratio being achieved in a range of 1% to <50% substantially unchanged over a broadband of wavelengths.
In an alternative embodiment, the present invention provides a method for making a colorless optical splitter. The method includes providing a silicon-on-insulator substrate having a cladding layer. Additionally, the method includes forming a first waveguide of a first width and a first length buried in the cladding layer. Furthermore, the method includes forming a second waveguide of a second width and a second length buried in the cladding layer disposed in close proximity of the first waveguide by a gap distance. Moreover, the method includes configuring a ratio of the second width over the first width to keep it smaller than 1 while configuring the first length, the second length, and the gap distance to allow evanescent coupling of a first confined mode of an optical signal in the first waveguide into the second waveguide with a certain splitting ratio being achieved in a range of 1% to <50% substantially unchanged over a broadband of wavelengths.
Many benefits of the optical splitter can be achieved with the present invention based on SOI platform. As an example, the SOL platform is fully compatible with CMOS technology, which substantially simplifies the process of making the optical splitter itself as well as integrating it with other silicon-photonics devices. High fabrication tolerance in material selection and feature dimensions allow a simple manufacture process to make the optical splitter based on SOI substrate. By a novel design of using evanescent coupling mechanism, the optical splitter can be made as fully colorless splitter for broad band like C-band at least from 1530 nm to 1570 nm or O-band at least from 1270 nm to 1330 nm, which is substantially advantageous for DWDM and CWDM applications.
The present invention achieves these benefits and others in the context of disclosed colorless optical splitter based on SOI substrate. A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be realized by reference to the latter portions of the specification and attached drawings.
The following diagrams are merely examples, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize many other variations, modifications, and alternatives. It is also understood that the examples and embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and that various modifications or changes in light thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in the art and are to be included within the spirit and purview of this process and scope of the appended claims.
The present invention relates to a silicon-photonics device. More particularly, the present invention provides a colorless optical splitter based on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform, a method of making the same, and a silicon-photonics circuit integrated with the colorless optical splitter for broad-band communication in Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) system, though other applications are possible.
Compact, process-tolerant optical splitter based on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate is a crucial element for implementing broad-band Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) light wave transmission through silicon-photonics integrated circuit (SPIC). Traditional directional coupler formed from two equal-width waveguides with certain gap distance can be used as the optical splitter.
Several variations or modifications of the directional coupler include adiabatic tapered directional coupler. However, the length of the adiabatic tapered directional coupler is long and still is highly fabrication sensitive, making it not suitable for being integrated in SPIC. Another alternate design is grating assisted directional coupler. Yet, its complicate design and fabrication sensitive nature make it not a good candidate for large-scale application in optical communication system based on SPICs. Similarly, a segmented directional coupler also has long (>100 μm) body length and its performance is very fabrication sensitive.
This invention provides a compact, fabrication tolerant, and substantially wavelength-independent broad-band optical splitter based on silicon-on-insulator platform for integration with silicon-photonics integrated circuits. The fabrication process of two non-equal-width waveguides in a cladding of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate is substantially within the scope of standard CMOS process and the optical performance is insensitive to key feature dimensions. The achieved splitting ratio can be any value between 1% to <50% and substantially wavelength independent for a wide range of wavelengths, making it a perfect broad band optical splitter. The following description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and to incorporate it in the context of particular applications. Various modifications, as well as a variety of uses in different applications will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to a wide range of embodiments. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments presented, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with this specification and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference. All the features disclosed in this specification, (including any accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.
Furthermore, any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for” performing a specified function, or “step for” performing a specific function, is not to be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. Section 112, Paragraph 6. In particular, the use of “step of” or “act of” in the Claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 112, Paragraph 6.
Please note, if used, the labels left, right, front, back, end, top, bottom, forward, reverse, up, down, side, vertical, lateral, clockwise and counter-clockwise have been used for convenience purposes only and are not intended to imply any particular fixed direction. Instead, they are used to reflect relative locations and/or directions between various portions of an object.
Referring to part A of
The two waveguides 101 and 102 configured as seen in part A of
In an embodiment, the splitting ratio is determined by the evanescent coupling which is set by keeping a width ratio W2/W1 of the two waveguides to a value smaller than 1 and configuring the length L of them and their gap distance G during the fabrication process of the 1×2 splitter as shown in part A of
In an alternative embodiment, the same evanescent coupling effect can be applied to design a colorless splitter for operation in O-band at least from 1270 nm to 1330 nm for a variety of splitting ratios ranging from 1% to <50%.
The first waveguide 201 and the second waveguide 202 have substantially the same length L between a first end and a second end. The first waveguide 201 includes a first taper region 207 at the first end coupled to a first input waveguide 203 and a second taper region 208 at the second end coupled to a main out waveguide 204. The main out waveguide serves a bar output with a major portion of power of an optical signal received from the first input waveguide 203 (1st In). The second waveguide 202 includes a first taper region 209 at the first end coupled to a second split out waveguide 206 and a second taper region 210 coupled to a first split out waveguide 205. The first split out waveguide 205 is configured to output a minor portion of power of an optical signal received from the first input waveguide 203. The second split out waveguide 206 is configured to output a minor portion of power of an optical signal traveling in opposite direction received from the main out waveguide 204. Thus, the 2×2 splitter serves a bi-directional optical splitter. The minor portion of power outputted in either the first split out waveguide or the second split out waveguide is basically determined by the splitting ratio designed within the 2×2 splitter by configuring feature dimensions including the ratio of W2/W1, the length L, and the gap distance G.
In a specific embodiment, for forming a splitter with highly asymmetric splitting ratio the length L tends to be optimized in a smaller value, comparing to a splitting ratio closer to 50%. The gap distance tends to be optimized in a larger value to have less evanescent coupling. Yet, gap distance G and the length are fairly insensitive to achieve a certain splitting ratio, making the fabrication process quite robust and facilitating to have this splitter being integrated in silicon-photonics integrated circuits which are widely implanted in broadband DWDM or CWDM opto-electrical communication application.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of making a colorless optical splitter based on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform. Referring to
In an embodiment, the method is implemented by a process of configuring a ratio of the second width over the first width to keep it smaller than 1 while configuring the first length, the second length, and the gap distance to allow evanescent coupling of a first confined mode of an optical signal in the first waveguide into the second waveguide with a certain splitting ratio being achieved in a range of 1% to <50% substantially unchanged over a broadband of wavelengths. Optionally, each of the first waveguide and the second waveguide is formed as rectangular shape having a rectangular cross section. Optionally, the first length and the second length are made equal for process convenience. Optionally, the first waveguide is formed with two tapered regions at its two ends respectively coupled to an input waveguide and a main output waveguide having a width smaller than the first width. Optionally, the second waveguide is formed with at least one tapered region coupled to a first split output waveguide having a width smaller than the second width. Optionally, the length and the gap distance are configured to yield a saturated value of a splitting ratio as the ratio of the second width over the first width is set to an optimized value. Optionally, the splitting ratio is measurable by introducing an optical signal of a certain power to the input waveguide of the first waveguide and measuring a major portion of power being outputted to the main output waveguide and a minor portion of power being outputted to the first split output waveguide. Optionally, the optical signal can be provided from a wavelength tunable source so that the splitting ratio can be recorded for a broad band of wavelengths such as a C-band at least from 1530 nm to 1570 nm or an O-band at least from 1270 nm to 1330 nm.
In an embodiment, the process of forming of the first waveguide and the second waveguide includes forming the two waveguides in parallel to each other with rectangular shaped cross sections having a same height using a silicon nitride material buried in a cladding layer using a silicon oxide material. Optionally, the two waveguides are formed in a same level laterally.
In the embodiment, the process of configuring the first length, the second length, and the gap distance comprises optimizing the length and gap distance under an optimized ratio of the second width over the first width to have the certain splitting ratio to reach a saturate value as the length is finalized with a value smaller than 25 mm and the gap distance is finalized with a value smaller than 2 μm.
In yet another aspect, the present disclosure provides a silicon-photonics circuit for broad band DWDM or CWDM communication system containing colorless optical splitter based on SOI platform. Optionally, the silicon-photonics circuit includes passive components like multiplexer or demultiplexer, optical coupler, optical splitter, etc. Optionally, the silicon-photonics circuit includes components like modulator, phase shifter etc. that are coupled to active devices (laser or photodetector) for transmitting or receiving optical signals with broad band of wavelengths. Optionally, the broad band can be a C-band from 1525 nm to 1575 nm, or at least from 1530 nm to 1570 nm. Optionally, the broad band can be an O-band at least from 1270 nm to 1330 nm. The colorless optical splitter described herein can be optimized to have an arbitrary splitting ratio ranging from 1% to <50% for splitting a certain portion of light wave for all wavelengths in the C-band or O-band in the first waveguide to a second waveguide. Optionally, the splitting ratio is substantially constant independent from the wavelengths in the entire broad band. Optionally, the colorless optical splitter can be configured to be a 1×2 uni-directional device or a 2×2 bi-directional device for different applications. Optionally, the colorless optical splitter has a compact size that can be easily integrated in the silicon-photonics circuit for achieve compact module design and high capacity for high-speed data communication applications.
While the above is a full description of the specific embodiments, various modifications, alternative constructions and equivalents may be used. Therefore, the above description and illustrations should not be taken as limiting the scope of the present invention which is defined by the appended claims.
