US4866406A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Wide-band optical modulator
Assignee: Proterial Ltd
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Filing: 1987-08-17
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Granted: 1989-09-12
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Expires: 2007-08-17
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides a wide band optical modulator comprising an optical waveguide which is provided on a substrate and comprises a substance having electrooptic effects, a laminate which is provided on the optical waveguide and comprises a substance having a refractive index smaller than that of the optical waveguide, and two traveling-wave electrodes which are provided opposite to each other on the parallel side surfaces of the laminate in the traveling direction of light so as to hold the laminate therebetween. When the laminate provided on the optical waveguide is replaced by a gap, similar effects to those of the above-described optical modulator can be obtained.
Inventors
- 👤 Makoto Minakata
- 👤 Kazunori Miura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 19:54
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/03; G02F1/035; G02F1/0356
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
105 words
A wide band optical modulator comprising an optical waveguide formed on a substrate of a substance having electro-optic properties, a laminate formed on the upper surface of said optical waveguide and having a refractive index smaller than that of said optical waveguide, and two traveling-waveguide electrodes disposed opposite to each other on each side surface of said optical waveguide and said laminate to retain both said optical waveguide and said laminate therebetween, thereby forming an electric field between said two traveling-waveguide electrodes, the electric field being perpendicular to the traveling direction of light and the direction of disposition of said laminate on said optical waveguide.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
105 words
A wide band optical modulator comprising an optical waveguide formed on a substrate of a substance having electro-optic properties, a laminate formed on the upper surface of said optical waveguide and having a refractive index smaller than that of said optical waveguide, and two traveling-waveguide electrodes disposed opposite to each other on each side surface of said optical waveguide and said laminate to retain both said optical waveguide and said laminate therebetween, thereby forming an electric field between said two traveling-waveguide electrodes, the electric field being perpendicular to the traveling direction of light and the direction of disposition of said laminate on said optical waveguide.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A wide band optical modulator according to claim 1, wherein said laminate disposed on said optical waveguide between said two travelling-waveguide electrodes is SiO 2 .
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A wide band optical modulator according to claim 1, wherein the material of said substrate is LiNbO 3 and said optical waveguide is Ti-diffused LiNbO 3 .
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
A wide band optical modulator according to claim 1, wherein the sectional shape of said laminate which is provided between said two travelling-wave electrodes on said optical waveguide is at least one of a rectangle or trapezoid on the surface perpendicular to the travelling direction of light.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A wide band optical modulator according to claim 1, wherein the opposite surfaces of said two traveling-wave electrodes have symmetrical shapes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
A wide band optical modulator according to claim 1, wherein a sectional area S 1 perpendicular to the traveling direction of light on the optical waveguide provided between two traveling waveguide electrodes and a sectional area S 2 perpendicular to the traveling direction of light of the laminate have a relationship of S 1 <S 2 .
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
A wide band optical modulator according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a width (g) of the optical waveguide provided between the two traveling waveguide electrodes to a height (d) of each of the traveling waveguide electrodes is d/g>2.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
117 words
A wide band optical modulator comprising an optical waveguide formed on a substrate and composed of a substance having electro-optic properties, a gap formed on the upper surface of said optical waveguide, and two travelling-waveguide electrodes disposed opposite each other on each side surface of said optical waveguide and said gap to retain both said optical waveguide and said gap therebetween, thereby forming an electric field between said two traveling-waveguide electrodes, said electric field being perpendicular to the traveling direction of light and the direction of disposition of said gap on said optical waveguide; and electrode supporting members each having a refractive index smaller than that of said optical waveguide and supporting each of said travelling-waveguide electrodes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
117 words
A wide band optical modulator comprising an optical waveguide formed on a substrate and composed of a substance having electro-optic properties, a gap formed on the upper surface of said optical waveguide, and two travelling-waveguide electrodes disposed opposite each other on each side surface of said optical waveguide and said gap to retain both said optical waveguide and said gap therebetween, thereby forming an electric field between said two traveling-waveguide electrodes, said electric field being perpendicular to the traveling direction of light and the direction of disposition of said gap on said optical waveguide; and electrode supporting members each having a refractive index smaller than that of said optical waveguide and supporting each of said travelling-waveguide electrodes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
A wide band optical modulator according to claim 8, wherein said electrode supporting members comprise SiO 2 .
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
A wide band optical modulator according to claim 8, wherein the sectional shape of said gap formed between said opposite two travelling-wave electrodes is at least one of a rectangle or trapezoid on the surface perpendicular to the travelling direction of light.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A wide band optical modulator according to claim 5, wherein said two traveling-wave electrodes are plates and are provided in parallel with each other.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
A wide band optical modulator according to claim 5, wherein said two traveling-wave electrodes each comprise Al.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
57 words
A wide band optical modulator according to claim 8, wherein a sectional area S 1 perpendicular to the traveling direction of light of the optical waveguide provided between two traveling waveguide electrodes and a sectional area S 2 perpendicular to the traveliing direction of light of the gap have a relationship of S 1 <S 2 .
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
A wide band optical modulator according to claim 8, wherein a ratio of width (g) of the optical waveguide provided between the two traveling waveguide electrodes to a height (d) of each of the traveling waveguide electrodes is d/g>2.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
111 words
A wide band optical modulator comprising a ridge-type optical waveguide formed on a substrate and composed of a substance having electro-optic properties; a laminate formed on the upper surface of said ridge-type optical waveguide and having a refractive index smaller than that of said ridge-type optical waveguide; and two traveling-waveguide electrodes disposed opposite to each other on each side of said ridge-type optical waveguide and said laminate to retain both said ridge-type optical waveguide and said laminate therebetween, thereby forming an electric field between said two traveling-waveguide electrodes, said electric field being perpendicular to the traveling direction of light and the direction of disposition of said laminate on said optical waveguide.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
111 words
A wide band optical modulator comprising a ridge-type optical waveguide formed on a substrate and composed of a substance having electro-optic properties; a laminate formed on the upper surface of said ridge-type optical waveguide and having a refractive index smaller than that of said ridge-type optical waveguide; and two traveling-waveguide electrodes disposed opposite to each other on each side of said ridge-type optical waveguide and said laminate to retain both said ridge-type optical waveguide and said laminate therebetween, thereby forming an electric field between said two traveling-waveguide electrodes, said electric field being perpendicular to the traveling direction of light and the direction of disposition of said laminate on said optical waveguide.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
118 words
A wide band optical modulator, comprising a plurality of branched ridge-type optical waveguide formed on a substrate and composed of a substance having electro-optic properties; a laminate formed on the upper surface of at least one of said ridge-type optical waveguide and having a refractive index smaller than that of said ridge-type optical waveguide; and two traveling-waveguide electrodes disposed opposite to each other on each side of said ridge-type optical waveguide and said laminate to retain both said ridge-type optical waveguide and said laminate therebetween, thereby forming an electric field between said two traveling-waveguide electrodes, said electric field being perpendicular to the traveling direction of light and the direction of disposition of said laminate on said optical waveguide.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
118 words
A wide band optical modulator, comprising a plurality of branched ridge-type optical waveguide formed on a substrate and composed of a substance having electro-optic properties; a laminate formed on the upper surface of at least one of said ridge-type optical waveguide and having a refractive index smaller than that of said ridge-type optical waveguide; and two traveling-waveguide electrodes disposed opposite to each other on each side of said ridge-type optical waveguide and said laminate to retain both said ridge-type optical waveguide and said laminate therebetween, thereby forming an electric field between said two traveling-waveguide electrodes, said electric field being perpendicular to the traveling direction of light and the direction of disposition of said laminate on said optical waveguide.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
111 words
A wide band optical modulator, comprising a ridge-type optical waveguide formed on a substrate and composed of a substance having electro-optic properties; a gap formed on the upper surface of said ridge-type optical waveguide and having a refractive index smaller than that of said ridge-type optical waveguide; and two traveling-waveguide electrodes disposed opposite to each other on each side of said ridge-type optical waveguide and said gap to retain both said ridge-type optical waveguide and said gap therebetween, thereby forming an electric field between said two traveling-waveguide electrodes, said electric field being perpendicular to the traveling direction of light and the direction of disposition of said gap on said optical waveguide.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
111 words
A wide band optical modulator, comprising a ridge-type optical waveguide formed on a substrate and composed of a substance having electro-optic properties; a gap formed on the upper surface of said ridge-type optical waveguide and having a refractive index smaller than that of said ridge-type optical waveguide; and two traveling-waveguide electrodes disposed opposite to each other on each side of said ridge-type optical waveguide and said gap to retain both said ridge-type optical waveguide and said gap therebetween, thereby forming an electric field between said two traveling-waveguide electrodes, said electric field being perpendicular to the traveling direction of light and the direction of disposition of said gap on said optical waveguide.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
118 words
A wide band optical modulator comprising a plurality of ridge-type optical waveguides formed on a substrate and composed of a substance having electro-optic properties; a gap formed on the upper surface of at least one of said ridge-type optical waveguide and having a refractive index smaller than that of said ridge-type optical waveguide ; and two traveling-waveguide electrodes disposed opposite to each other one each side of said ridge-type optical waveguide and said gap to retain both said ridge-type optical waveguide and said gap therebetween, thereby forming an electric field between said two traveling-waveguide electrodes, said electric field being perpendicular to the traveling direction of light and the direction of disposition of said gap on said optical waveguide.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
118 words
A wide band optical modulator comprising a plurality of ridge-type optical waveguides formed on a substrate and composed of a substance having electro-optic properties; a gap formed on the upper surface of at least one of said ridge-type optical waveguide and having a refractive index smaller than that of said ridge-type optical waveguide ; and two traveling-waveguide electrodes disposed opposite to each other one each side of said ridge-type optical waveguide and said gap to retain both said ridge-type optical waveguide and said gap therebetween, thereby forming an electric field between said two traveling-waveguide electrodes, said electric field being perpendicular to the traveling direction of light and the direction of disposition of said gap on said optical waveguide.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
A wide band optical modulator according to claim 8, wherein the opposite surfaces of said two traveling-wave electrodes have symmetrical shapes.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
27 words
A wide band optical modulator according to claim 8, wherein the material of said substrate is LiNbO 3 and said optical waveguide is Ti-diffused LiNbO 3 .
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-09-11 | 1993-03-13 | 1993-09-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-09-11 | 1997-03-13 | 1997-09-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-09-11 | 2001-03-13 | 2001-09-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |