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US5333219A
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US
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Asymmetric Y-branch optical device
Assignee: MEYERS JOANNE K
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Filing: 1992-12-17
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Granted: 1994-07-26
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Expires: 2012-12-17
Abstract
Abstract The present invention relates to a new tunable filter which, when used as an intracavity mode selecting filter in a semiconductor laser structure, provides a large tuning range. The disclosed filter is, in one embodiment, a two branch asymmetric Y-branch tunable filter where the ends of the two branches terminate at a common plane. In another embodiment, the invention is realized by using a cascade of two or more Y-branches to place several asymmetrical Y-branch filters in parallel.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark E. Kuznetsov
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 15:03
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q11/00; H04Q11/0001; H04Q11/0003; G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/10; G02B6/12; G02B6/122; G02B6/125; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/21; G02F1/225; G02F1/2257; G02F1/29; G02F1/31; G02F1/313; G02F1/3137; G02F1/3138; H01; H01S; H01S5/00; H01S5/06; H01S5/062; H01S5/0625; H01S5/06255; G02B2006/12133; G02B2006/12159; G02B2006/12166; G02B2006/12176; G02B2006/12178; G02B6/24; G02B6/26; G02B6/28; G02B6/293; G02B6/29346; G02B6/2935; G02B6/29352; G02B6/29358; G02F1/212; H01S5/10; H01S5/1003
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
An optical device comprising a first optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end, a second optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end, a third optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end and a path length that is greater than the path length of the second optical branch waveguide, an optical Y-junction element coupling the second end of the first optical branch waveguide to the first end of the second and the first end of the third optical branch waveguides, the second end of the second optical branch waveguide and the second end of the third optical branch waveguide terminating at a common plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the second and third optical branch waveguides, wherein the second ends of the second and third optical branch waveguides which terminate at a common plane each have a reflecting end surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
151 words
An optical device comprising a first optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end, a second optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end, a third optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end and a path length that is greater than the path length of the second optical branch waveguide, an optical Y-junction element coupling the second end of the first optical branch waveguide to the first end of the second and the first end of the third optical branch waveguides, the second end of the second optical branch waveguide and the second end of the third optical branch waveguide terminating at a common plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the second and third optical branch waveguides, wherein the second ends of the second and third optical branch waveguides which terminate at a common plane each have a reflecting end surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
114 words
The optical device of claim 1 comprising a fourth optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end, a fifth optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end, the second end of the fifth optical branch waveguide terminating at the common plane that is perpendicular to the second and third optical branch waveguides, the fifth optical branch waveguide having a path length that is longer than the path length of the third optical branch waveguide, and a second Y-function element coupling the second end of the fourth optical branch waveguide to the first end of the first optical branch waveguide and to the first end of the fifth optical branch waveguide,
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
The optical device of claim 2 wherein at least a part of one of said optical branch waveguides has an active portion, and the second ends of the second, third and fifth optical branch waveguides which terminate at a common plane each has a reflecting end surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The optical device of claim 3 wherein the first end of the fourth optical branch waveguide has a reflecting end surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
The optical device of claim 2 further comprising a first electrode coupled to the first optical branch waveguide, a second electrode coupled to the second optical branch waveguide, a third electrode coupled to the third optical branch waveguide, a fourth electrode coupled to the fourth optical branch waveguide, and a fifth electrode coupled to the fifth optical branch waveguide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
The optical device of claim 5 further comprising first means for changing the electrical signals to at least one of the first, second and fifth optical branch waveguides, and second means for changing the electrical signals to at least one of the second and third optical branch waveguides.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The optical device of claim 6 further comprising means for independently changing said first means and said second means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The optical device of claim 6 further comprising means for changing said first means and said second means simultaneously.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
166 words
An optical device comprising a first optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end, a second optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end, a third optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end and a path length that is greater than the path length of the second optical branch waveguide, an optical Y-junction element coupling the second end of the first optical branch waveguide to the first end of the second and the first end of the third optical branch waveguides, the second end of the second optical branch waveguide and the second end of the third optical branch waveguide terminating at a common plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the second and third optical branch waveguides, wherein the second ends of the second and third optical branch waveguides which terminate at a common plane each has a reflecting end surface and the first end of the first optical branch waveguide has a reflecting end surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
166 words
An optical device comprising a first optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end, a second optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end, a third optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end and a path length that is greater than the path length of the second optical branch waveguide, an optical Y-junction element coupling the second end of the first optical branch waveguide to the first end of the second and the first end of the third optical branch waveguides, the second end of the second optical branch waveguide and the second end of the third optical branch waveguide terminating at a common plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the second and third optical branch waveguides, wherein the second ends of the second and third optical branch waveguides which terminate at a common plane each has a reflecting end surface and the first end of the first optical branch waveguide has a reflecting end surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
158 words
An optical device comprising a first optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end, a second optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end, a third optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end and a path length that is greater than the path length of the second optical branch waveguide, an optical Y-junction element coupling the second end of the first optical branch waveguide to the first end of the second and the first end of the third optical branch waveguides, the second end of the second optical branch waveguide and the second end of the third optical branch waveguide terminating at a common plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the second and third optical branch waveguides, a first electrode coupled to the first optical branch waveguide, a second electrode coupled to the second optical branch waveguide, and a third electrode coupled to the third optical branch waveguide.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
158 words
An optical device comprising a first optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end, a second optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end, a third optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end and a path length that is greater than the path length of the second optical branch waveguide, an optical Y-junction element coupling the second end of the first optical branch waveguide to the first end of the second and the first end of the third optical branch waveguides, the second end of the second optical branch waveguide and the second end of the third optical branch waveguide terminating at a common plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the second and third optical branch waveguides, a first electrode coupled to the first optical branch waveguide, a second electrode coupled to the second optical branch waveguide, and a third electrode coupled to the third optical branch waveguide.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The optical device of claim 10 further comprising means for changing the electrical signals applied to one of said electrodes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
140 words
A laser cavity comprising a first optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end, at least a portion of the waveguide being active, a second optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end, a third optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end and a path length that is longer than the path length of the second optical branch waveguide, said first, second and third optical branch waveguides being located within a cavity, and an optical Y-junction element coupling the second end of said first optical branch waveguide to the first end of the second and the third optical branch waveguides, and the second end of the second and the third optical branch waveguide terminate at a common plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the second and third optical branch waveguides.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
140 words
A laser cavity comprising a first optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end, at least a portion of the waveguide being active, a second optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end, a third optical branch waveguide having a first and a second end and a path length that is longer than the path length of the second optical branch waveguide, said first, second and third optical branch waveguides being located within a cavity, and an optical Y-junction element coupling the second end of said first optical branch waveguide to the first end of the second and the third optical branch waveguides, and the second end of the second and the third optical branch waveguide terminate at a common plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the second and third optical branch waveguides.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
The laser cavity of claim 12 wherein the second end of the second optical branch waveguide and the second end of the third optical branch waveguide each has a reflecting surface, and the first end of the first optical branch waveguide has a reflecting surface.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
The laser cavity of claim 13 comprising a first electrode coupled to excite the active portion of the first optical branch waveguide, a second electrode coupled to the second optical branch waveguide, and a third electrode coupled to the third optical branch waveguide.
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