Patent US5007696A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5007696A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Electro-optic channel waveguide
Assignee: Corning Inc
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Filing: 1990-01-08
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Granted: 1991-04-16
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Expires: 2010-01-08
Abstract
Abstract A three-dimensional electro-optic waveguide is formed as a channel in a structure made of an organic non-linear optical polymer. A poling electric field is maintained in a portion of the polymer structure defining the channel, and the polymer structure is heated above the glass-transition temperature to enable dipolar moieties of the polymer to become aligned by the poling field. Heating continues until the dipolar moieties are sufficiently aligned to produce a higher index of refraction in the channel portion than in adjacent cladding portions of the polymer structure for at least one polarization of optical radiation propagating through the channel. The poling field is maintained as the polymer structure is then cooled below glass-transition temperature, thereby preserving alignment of the dipolar moieties (and hence preserving the differential index of refraction) in the channel portion of the polymer structure. Guided modes of optical radiation of at least one polarization can be supported in the channel.
Inventors
- 👤 John I. Thackara
- 👤 George F. Lipscomb
- 👤 Hyun-Nam Yoon
- 👤 Ronald N. De Martino
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 13:48
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/10; G02B6/12; G02B6/126; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/061; G02F1/065; G02F1/29; G02F1/31; G02F1/313; G02F1/3137
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
390 words
A polymer structure having an electro-optic channel waveguide formed therein, said polymer structure consisting of a substantially non-linear optical polymer, said polymer structure comprising a waveguide portion and a cladding portion, said cladding portion abutting said waveguide portion so as to define a configuration for said channel waveguide, said waveguide portion and said cladding portion of said polymer structure being substantially identical to each other in chemical composition, said waveguide and cladding portions of said polymer structure being differentially poled with respect to each other, said channel waveguide being formed in said polymer structure by the process of: (a) maintaining an electric field as a poling field in a portion of said polymer structure that is to become said waveguide portion, said poling field being patterned to define the configuration for said electro-optic channel waveguide; (b) maintaining said polymer structure in a temperature range above glass-transition temperature for said polymer while said poling field is being maintained in said portion of said polymer structure that is to become said waveguide portion, said polymer structure being maintained above glass-transition temperature for a time sufficient to cause dipolar moieties of said polymer in said portion of said polymer structure that is to become said waveguide portion to become sufficiently aligned by said poling field so as to produce a higher index of refraction in said portion that is to become said waveguide portion than in an adjacent portion of said polymer structure that is to become said cladding portion, said higher index of refraction being sufficient to support a guided mode of optical radiation of at least one polarization in said channel waveguide; and (c) cooling said polymer structure below glass-transition temperature while said poling field continues to be maintained in said portion of said polymer structure that is to become said waveguide portion, said poling field being maintained in said portion that is to become said waveguide portion for a sufficient time as said polymer structure is being cooled below glass-transition temperature so that the aligned dipolar moieties of said polymer in said portion of said polymer structure that is to become said waveguide portion can achieve thermal relaxation only after a time that is long relative to a useful lifetime of said polymer structure in an application utilizing said waveguide portion of said polymer structure as said electro-optic channel waveguide.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
390 words
A polymer structure having an electro-optic channel waveguide formed therein, said polymer structure consisting of a substantially non-linear optical polymer, said polymer structure comprising a waveguide portion and a cladding portion, said cladding portion abutting said waveguide portion so as to define a configuration for said channel waveguide, said waveguide portion and said cladding portion of said polymer structure being substantially identical to each other in chemical composition, said waveguide and cladding portions of said polymer structure being differentially poled with respect to each other, said channel waveguide being formed in said polymer structure by the process of: (a) maintaining an electric field as a poling field in a portion of said polymer structure that is to become said waveguide portion, said poling field being patterned to define the configuration for said electro-optic channel waveguide; (b) maintaining said polymer structure in a temperature range above glass-transition temperature for said polymer while said poling field is being maintained in said portion of said polymer structure that is to become said waveguide portion, said polymer structure being maintained above glass-transition temperature for a time sufficient to cause dipolar moieties of said polymer in said portion of said polymer structure that is to become said waveguide portion to become sufficiently aligned by said poling field so as to produce a higher index of refraction in said portion that is to become said waveguide portion than in an adjacent portion of said polymer structure that is to become said cladding portion, said higher index of refraction being sufficient to support a guided mode of optical radiation of at least one polarization in said channel waveguide; and (c) cooling said polymer structure below glass-transition temperature while said poling field continues to be maintained in said portion of said polymer structure that is to become said waveguide portion, said poling field being maintained in said portion that is to become said waveguide portion for a sufficient time as said polymer structure is being cooled below glass-transition temperature so that the aligned dipolar moieties of said polymer in said portion of said polymer structure that is to become said waveguide portion can achieve thermal relaxation only after a time that is long relative to a useful lifetime of said polymer structure in an application utilizing said waveguide portion of said polymer structure as said electro-optic channel waveguide.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The polymer structure of claim 1 wherein the dipolar moieties of said polymer in said portion of said polymer structure that is to become said waveguide portion have positive anisotropy, so that the polarization of the guided mode of optical radiation supported in said channel waveguide is substantially parallel to said poling field.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
The polymer structure of claim 1 wherein the dipolar moieties of said polymer in said portion of said polymer structure that is to become said waveguide portion have negative anisotropy, so that the polarization of the guided mode of optical radiation supported in said channel waveguide is substantially perpendicular to said poling field.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
152 words
A polymer structure substantially consisting of a non-linear optical polymer, a portion of said polymer structure defining a channel waveguide, dipolar moieties of said polymer in said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide having a differential alignment in comparison with dipolar moieties in an adjacent portion of said polymer structure that provides a boundary for said channel waveguide, said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide and said adjacent portion of said polymer structure being substantially identical to each other in chemical composition, said differentially alignment producing a higher index of refraction in said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide than in said adjacent portion of said polymer structure, said higher index of refraction in said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide being sufficient to support a guided mode of optical radiation of at least one polarization in said channel waveguide.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
152 words
A polymer structure substantially consisting of a non-linear optical polymer, a portion of said polymer structure defining a channel waveguide, dipolar moieties of said polymer in said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide having a differential alignment in comparison with dipolar moieties in an adjacent portion of said polymer structure that provides a boundary for said channel waveguide, said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide and said adjacent portion of said polymer structure being substantially identical to each other in chemical composition, said differentially alignment producing a higher index of refraction in said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide than in said adjacent portion of said polymer structure, said higher index of refraction in said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide being sufficient to support a guided mode of optical radiation of at least one polarization in said channel waveguide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The polymer structure of claim 4 wherein the dipolar moieties of said polymer in said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide have positive anisotropy.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The polymer structure of claim 4 wherein the dipolar moieties of said polymer in said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide have negative anisotropy.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
204 words
An optical waveguide device comprising: (a) a polymer structure consisting of a substantially non-linear optical polymer, a portion of said polymer structure defining an electro-optic channel waveguide, dipolar moieties of said polymer in said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide having a differential alignment in comparison with dipolar moieties in an adjacent portion of said polymer structure that provides boundary for said channel waveguide, said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide and said adjacent portion of said polymer structure being substantially identical to each other in chemical composition, said differential alignment producing a higher index of refraction in said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide than in said adjacent portion of said polymer structure, said higher index of refraction in said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide being sufficient to support a guided mode of optical radiation of at least one polarization in said waveguide; and (b) means for applying a modulating electric field to a section of said channel waveguide to superimpose field-dependent changes upon the higher index of refraction of said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide, thereby producing modulation of optical radiation in said channel waveguide.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
204 words
An optical waveguide device comprising: (a) a polymer structure consisting of a substantially non-linear optical polymer, a portion of said polymer structure defining an electro-optic channel waveguide, dipolar moieties of said polymer in said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide having a differential alignment in comparison with dipolar moieties in an adjacent portion of said polymer structure that provides boundary for said channel waveguide, said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide and said adjacent portion of said polymer structure being substantially identical to each other in chemical composition, said differential alignment producing a higher index of refraction in said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide than in said adjacent portion of said polymer structure, said higher index of refraction in said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide being sufficient to support a guided mode of optical radiation of at least one polarization in said waveguide; and (b) means for applying a modulating electric field to a section of said channel waveguide to superimpose field-dependent changes upon the higher index of refraction of said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide, thereby producing modulation of optical radiation in said channel waveguide.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The optical waveguide device of claim 7 wherein said dipolar moieties of said polymer in said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide have positive anisotropy.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The optical waveguide device of claim 7 wherein said dipolar moieties of said polymer in said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide have negative anisotropy.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
The optical waveguide device of claim 7 wherein said means for applying said modulating electric field to said section of said channel waveguide comprises a pair of electrodes disposed adjacent said portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The optical waveguide device of claim 10 wherein said electrodes for applying said modulating electric field are disposed on opposite sides of said polymer structure.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The optical waveguide device of claim 10 wherein said electrodes for applying said modulating electric field are disposed adjacent each other on one side of said polymer structure.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The optical waveguide device of claim 10 wherein said electrodes for applying said modulating electric field are bonded to corresponding surface portions of said polymer structure.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
The optical waveguide device of claim 10 wherein said electrodes for applying said modulating electric field are spaced apart from said polymer structure to accommodate a buffer between said polymer structure and said electrodes.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
The optical waveguide device of claim 15 wherein said means for applying said modulating electric field to said section of said channel waveguide comprises means for guiding a radio-frequency electromagnetic wave through said section of said channel waveguide.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
62 words
The optical waveguide device of claim 7 configured as a directional coupler comprising a plurality of input waveguide channels that converge toward each other at a switching region, and a plurality of output waveguide channels that diverge from each other at said switching region, said means for applying said modulating electric field comprising a pair of electrodes disposed adjacent said switching region.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
79 words
The optical waveguide device of claim 16 wherein the channels of said plurality of input waveguide channels converge toward each other at a first switching region, and wherein the channels of said plurality of output waveguide channels diverge from each other at said first switching region and coverage toward each other at a second switching region, and wherein said means for applying said modulating electric field comprises corresponding pairs of electrodes disposed adjacent said first and second switching regions.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
351 words
A polymer structure consisting essentially of a polymer having dipolar moieties, said polymer structure comprising a waveguide portion and a cladding portion, said cladding portion abutting said waveguide portion so as to define a configuration for an optical waveguide, said waveguide and cladding portions of said polymer structure being substantially identical to each other in chemical composition, said waveguide and cladding portions of said polymer structure being differentially poled with respect to each other, said waveguide portion having been formed in said polymer structure by the process of: (a) maintaining an electric field as a poling field in a portion of said polymer structure that is to becomes said waveguide portion, said poling field being patterned to define the configuration for said optical waveguide; (b) causing the dipolar moieties of said polymer to assume a generally mobile condition while said poling field if being maintained in said portion of said polymer structure that is to become said waveguide portion, said dipolar moieties being maintained in said generally mobile condition for a time sufficient for said dipolar moieties to become sufficiently aligned by said poling field so as to produce a higher index of refraction in a least one direction in said portion of said polymer structure that is to become said waveguide portion than in an adjacent portion of said polymer structure that is to become said cladding portion, said higher index of refraction being sufficient to support a guided mode of optical radiation of at least one polarization in said optical waveguide; and (c) causing the dipolar moieties of said polymer to return to a generally immobile condition while said poling field continues to be maintained in said portion of said polymer structure that is to become said waveguide portion, said poling field being maintained for a sufficient time as the dipolar moieties of said polymer return to said generally immobile condition so that the aligned dipolar moieties can achieve thermal relaxation only after a time that is long relative to a useful lifetime of said polymer structure in an application utilizing said optical waveguide formed in said polymer structure.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
351 words
A polymer structure consisting essentially of a polymer having dipolar moieties, said polymer structure comprising a waveguide portion and a cladding portion, said cladding portion abutting said waveguide portion so as to define a configuration for an optical waveguide, said waveguide and cladding portions of said polymer structure being substantially identical to each other in chemical composition, said waveguide and cladding portions of said polymer structure being differentially poled with respect to each other, said waveguide portion having been formed in said polymer structure by the process of: (a) maintaining an electric field as a poling field in a portion of said polymer structure that is to becomes said waveguide portion, said poling field being patterned to define the configuration for said optical waveguide; (b) causing the dipolar moieties of said polymer to assume a generally mobile condition while said poling field if being maintained in said portion of said polymer structure that is to become said waveguide portion, said dipolar moieties being maintained in said generally mobile condition for a time sufficient for said dipolar moieties to become sufficiently aligned by said poling field so as to produce a higher index of refraction in a least one direction in said portion of said polymer structure that is to become said waveguide portion than in an adjacent portion of said polymer structure that is to become said cladding portion, said higher index of refraction being sufficient to support a guided mode of optical radiation of at least one polarization in said optical waveguide; and (c) causing the dipolar moieties of said polymer to return to a generally immobile condition while said poling field continues to be maintained in said portion of said polymer structure that is to become said waveguide portion, said poling field being maintained for a sufficient time as the dipolar moieties of said polymer return to said generally immobile condition so that the aligned dipolar moieties can achieve thermal relaxation only after a time that is long relative to a useful lifetime of said polymer structure in an application utilizing said optical waveguide formed in said polymer structure.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
118 words
A polymer structure consisting essentially of a non-linear optical polymer, a first portion of said polymer structure having a sharply defined border with a second portion of said polymer structure, said first portion of said polymer structure defining a channel waveguide for optical radiation, dipolar moieties of said polymer in one of said first and second portions of said polymer structure having sufficient alignment to produce a higher index of refraction therein than in the other of said first and second portions of said polymer structure, said higher index of refraction being sufficient to support a guided mode of optical radiation of at least one polarization in said first portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
118 words
A polymer structure consisting essentially of a non-linear optical polymer, a first portion of said polymer structure having a sharply defined border with a second portion of said polymer structure, said first portion of said polymer structure defining a channel waveguide for optical radiation, dipolar moieties of said polymer in one of said first and second portions of said polymer structure having sufficient alignment to produce a higher index of refraction therein than in the other of said first and second portions of said polymer structure, said higher index of refraction being sufficient to support a guided mode of optical radiation of at least one polarization in said first portion of said polymer structure defining said channel waveguide.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-04-15 | 1994-10-15 | 1995-04-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-04-15 | 1998-10-15 | 1999-04-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-04-15 | 2002-10-15 | 2003-04-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |