US3898585A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Leaky corrugated optical waveguide device
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1974-01-14
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Granted: 1975-08-05
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Expires: 1994-01-14
Abstract
Abstract Diffracted leaky optical waves are coupled out of a thin film optical waveguide device having one surface which is periodically thickness-modulated or corrugated to form an optical diffraction grating. The waveguide device is constructed such that the average thickness of the waveguide in the complex refractive index of the waveguide or one of the layers surrounding the waveguide is varied when an external power source applied to the device is varied and thereby, a parameter of the leaky wave in accordance with the variable power source. In one embodiment, the waveguide is made of light amplifying material which is suitably excited to produce lasing action and cause an optical wave to propagate in the waveguide. The variable parameter in this case is the wavelength of the leaky wave, and the leaky wave is always normal to the plane of the diffraction grating. Consequently, a tunable laser is provided. In a second embodiment, no lasing occurs, but instead, an external light source is used to cause an optical wave to propagate in the waveguide. The parameter which is varied is the angle between the leaky wave and the normal to the diffraction grating, the wavelength of the leaky wave remaining constant.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul F Heidrich
- 👤 Jr Peter Stephen Zory
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 21:54
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/05; H01S3/06; H01S3/063; H01S3/0632; H01S3/0635; G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/10; G02B6/12; G02B6/122; G02B6/124; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/29; G02F1/295; G02F1/2955; H01S3/02; H01S3/022; H01S3/14; H01S3/20; G02F2201/00; G02F2201/30; G02F2201/302
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
A leaky corrugated optical waveguide device comprising: a. a thin film, thickness modulated, dielectric optical waveguide whose opposite surfaces are planar and corrugated, respectively, the corrugated surface forming a diffraction grating with a pitch d for reflecting various diffraction orders of the propagating wave, said waveguide having an index of refraction nf at a light wavelength lambda ; and b. a light-transparent first planar electrode overlying said planar surface of said waveguide; c. a second planar electrode overlying said corrugated surface; d. means for causing a light wave to propagate in said waveguide, whereby a leaky light wave of the first diffraction order of the propagating wave is reflected from said corrugated surface and transmitted through said planar surface and said first electrode; and e. means for applying a variable electric potential across said electrodes to vary nf and thereby a parameter of the leaky wave.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
146 words
A leaky corrugated optical waveguide device comprising: a. a thin film, thickness modulated, dielectric optical waveguide whose opposite surfaces are planar and corrugated, respectively, the corrugated surface forming a diffraction grating with a pitch d for reflecting various diffraction orders of the propagating wave, said waveguide having an index of refraction nf at a light wavelength lambda ; and b. a light-transparent first planar electrode overlying said planar surface of said waveguide; c. a second planar electrode overlying said corrugated surface; d. means for causing a light wave to propagate in said waveguide, whereby a leaky light wave of the first diffraction order of the propagating wave is reflected from said corrugated surface and transmitted through said planar surface and said first electrode; and e. means for applying a variable electric potential across said electrodes to vary nf and thereby a parameter of the leaky wave.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
68 words
A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said parameter is the angle of the leaky light wave relative to the normal to said planar surface and the pitch d is such that the second diffraction order of said propagating wave does not exist whereby the angle of the transmitted leaky light wave relative to the normal to said planar surface is dependent upon said variable electric potential.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
96 words
A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said parameter is the wavelength of the transmitted leaky light wave, the waveguide is made of light aMplifying material, and the pitch d is such that the second diffraction order is reflected back on the propagating light wave, and further comprising means for pumping said waveguide to produce by lasing action the propagating wave at wavelength lambda , whereby the transmitted leaky light wave is constrained to be normal to said planar surface, while the wavelength of the leaky light wave is dependent upon said variable electric potential.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
157 words
A leaky corrugated optical waveguide device comprising: a. a thin film, thickness modulated, dielectric waveguide whose opposite surfaces are planar and corrugated, respectively, the corrugated surface forming a diffraction grating with a pitch d for reflecting various diffraction orders of a propagating light wave in the waveguide; b. means for causing a light wave beam to propagate in said waveguide in a guided mode m, whereby a leaky light wave of the first diffraction order of the propagating wave is reflected from said corrugated surface and transmitted through said planar surface of said waveguide; and c. means for varying the effective refractive index of the guided mode m and, thereby, a parameter of the leaky wave, where said effective refractive index is defined by nfcos theta , where nf is the refractive index of said film for the mode m, and theta is the bounce angle between the propagating wave and the plane of said diffraction grating.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
157 words
A leaky corrugated optical waveguide device comprising: a. a thin film, thickness modulated, dielectric waveguide whose opposite surfaces are planar and corrugated, respectively, the corrugated surface forming a diffraction grating with a pitch d for reflecting various diffraction orders of a propagating light wave in the waveguide; b. means for causing a light wave beam to propagate in said waveguide in a guided mode m, whereby a leaky light wave of the first diffraction order of the propagating wave is reflected from said corrugated surface and transmitted through said planar surface of said waveguide; and c. means for varying the effective refractive index of the guided mode m and, thereby, a parameter of the leaky wave, where said effective refractive index is defined by nfcos theta , where nf is the refractive index of said film for the mode m, and theta is the bounce angle between the propagating wave and the plane of said diffraction grating.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
92 words
A device as defined in claim 4 wherein said parameter is the angle phi of the leaky light wave relative to the normal to said planar surface and the pitch d is such that the second diffraction order of said propagating wave does not exist, and wherein said means for varying said effective refractive index comprises means for varying the average thickness of said waveguide to vary the bounce angle theta , whereby the angle phi of the transmitted leaky light wave is dependent upon the variation of the average waveguide thickness.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
109 words
A device as defined in claim 4 wherein said parameter is the angle phi of the transmitted leaky light wave relative to the normal to said planar surface and the pitch d is such that the second diffraction order of said propagating wave does not exist, and further comprising superstrate and substrate layers on said planar and corrugated surfaces, respectively, said means for varying said effective refractive index comprising means for varying the refractive index of one of said layers to vary said bounce angle theta , whereby angle phi of the transmitted leaky light wave is dependent upon the variation of said refractive index of said one layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
78 words
A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said parameter is the angle phi of the transmitted leaky light wave relative to the normal to said planar surface and the pitch d is such that the second diffraction order of said propagating wave does not exist, and wherein said means for varying said effective refractive index comprises means for varying the refractive index nf, whereby the angle phi of the transmitted leaky light wave is dependent upon nf.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for varying the refractive index nf comprises means for applying a variable electric potential between said planar and corrugated surfaces of said waveguide.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-04 | 1979-02-03 | 1979-08-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-04 | 1983-02-03 | 1983-08-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-04 | 1987-02-03 | 1987-08-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |