US5675691A — Diffraction gratings in optical waveguide compone…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 58 words

A process for producing a diffraction grating structure for coupling light into and/or out of at least one dopant-free high refractive index dielectric layer on a dopant-free carrier substrate, consisting of the step of irradiating at least one of the high refractive index dielectric layer and carrier substrate with UV laser light with simultaneous spatially periodic intensity modulation.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 58 words

A process for producing a diffraction grating structure for coupling light into and/or out of at least one dopant-free high refractive index dielectric layer on a dopant-free carrier substrate, consisting of the step of irradiating at least one of the high refractive index dielectric layer and carrier substrate with UV laser light with simultaneous spatially periodic intensity modulation.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 21 words

The process according to claim 1, wherein the intensity modulation is generated by at least two mutually interfering UV laser beams.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 14 words

The process according to claim 1, wherein the intensity modulation is mask structure generated.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 19 words

The process according to claim 1, wherein the UV laser light is generated by at least one excimer laser.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 16 words

The process according to claim 1, wherein the UV laser light is pulsed at least once.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 20 words

The process according to claim 5, wherein a duration of the at least one pulse is less than 1 μs.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 19 words

The process according to claim 5, wherein a duration of the at least one pulse is approximately 20 ns.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 35 words

The process according to claim 1, wherein the refractive index of at least one of the high refractive index layer and a surface region of the carrier substrate is spatially modulated by the laser light.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 23 words

The process according to claim 1, wherein the layer thickness of the high refractive index layer is ablation modulated by the laser light.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 26 words

The process according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the substrate is ablation modulated by the laser light before applying the high refractive index layer.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 66 words

The process according to claim 1, wherein materials used at least as one component of the high refractive index dielectric layer are selected from the group essentially consisting of Tio 2 , Ta 2 O 5 , HfO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , Nb 2 O 5 , Y 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 and the nitrides and oxynitrides of Al, Si, Hf.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 29 words

The process according to claim 1, further comprising the step of mixing a low refractive index material into a high refractive index material of the high refractive index layer.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 16 words

The process according to claim 12, wherein the low refractive index material is SiO 2 .

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 50 words

The process according to claim 1, further comprising the step of applying a layer of low refractive index material, with a thickness of no greater than 20 nm between at least one of the high refractive index layer and the substrate and the high refractive index layer and the environment.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 16 words

The process according to claim 13, wherein the low refractive index material is SiO 2 .

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 26 words

The process according to claim 1, wherein the grating structure is produced on a generally flat substrate for coupling light of 490 nm ≦ λ1200 nm.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 28 words

The process according to claim 1, wherein a carrier substrate material is selected from the group consisting essentially of a glass, a ceramic, and a predominantly organic material.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 49 words

The process according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of applying a sacrificial layer of predetermined layer thickness with an ablation threshold lower than an ablation threshold of the carrier substrate to the carrier substrate, and ablating the sacrificial layer by the light irradiated to the carrier substrate.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 55 words

The process according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of applying a sacrificial layer of predetermined layer thickness with an ablation threshold lower than an ablation threshold of the high refractive index layer to the high refractive index layer, and ablating the sacrificial layer by the light irradiated to the high refractive index layer.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 19 words

The process according to claim 1, wherein the grating is produced with variable periods or as a curved grating.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 23 words

The process according to claim 1, wherein the grating surface is determined by at least one aperture in the UV laser beam path.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 90 words

A waveguide arrangement comprising a waveguide section and at least one light input/output area, said waveguide section and said area comprising a carrier substrate of a first material and thereon at least one dielectric high refractive index waveguide layer of a second material, said first and second materials being selected exclusively according to predetermined requirements for said waveguide section so as to be dopant-free, said input/output area comprising a diffraction grating structure formed by periodic modulation of a refractive index of at least one of said first and second materials.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 90 words

A waveguide arrangement comprising a waveguide section and at least one light input/output area, said waveguide section and said area comprising a carrier substrate of a first material and thereon at least one dielectric high refractive index waveguide layer of a second material, said first and second materials being selected exclusively according to predetermined requirements for said waveguide section so as to be dopant-free, said input/output area comprising a diffraction grating structure formed by periodic modulation of a refractive index of at least one of said first and second materials.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 46 words

A waveguide component comprising a dopant-free carrier substrate coated with at least one dopant-free dielectric high refractive index waveguide layer; and a diffraction grating structure formed by periodic modulation of the refractive index of at least one of the waveguide layer and of the carrier substrate.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 46 words

A waveguide component comprising a dopant-free carrier substrate coated with at least one dopant-free dielectric high refractive index waveguide layer; and a diffraction grating structure formed by periodic modulation of the refractive index of at least one of the waveguide layer and of the carrier substrate.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 14 words

The waveguide component according to claim 23, wherein material of the substrate is non-photosensitive.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 36 words

The waveguide component according to claim 24, wherein a period of the diffraction grating is sized for coupling at least into and out of the waveguide layer light with a wave length of 400 nm≦λ≦1200 nm.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 36 words

The waveguide component according to claim 23, wherein a period of the diffraction grating is sized for coupling at least into and out of the waveguide layer light with a wave length of 400 nm≦λ≦1200 nm.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 23 words

The waveguide component according to claim 23, wherein the high refractive index layer has a refractive index of N≧1.65 for 633 nm light.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 63 words

The waveguide component according to claim 23, wherein material of the high refractive index layer comprises TiO 2 , Ta 2 O 5 , HfO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , Nb 2 O 5 , Y 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , the nitrides and oxynitrides of Al, Si, Hf and mixtures of one or more of the foregoing compounds.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 38 words

The waveguide component according to claim 23, wherein a low refractive index layer is arranged at least one of between the high refractive index layer and the carrier substrate, and the high refractive index layer and the environment.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 26 words

The waveguide component according to claim 29, wherein the low refractive index layer is SiO 2 and has a thickness of no greater than 20 nm.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 22 words

The waveguide component according to claim 23, wherein the carrier substrate consists of one of a glass, a ceramic and a plastic.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 92 words

A process for producing a waveguide arrangement with a waveguide section and at least one light input/output area, comprising the steps of: providing a carrier of a first undoped material for said section and for said area; applying a layer of undoped high-refractive-index, dielectric second material on said carrier and along said section and said area; selecting said first and said second undoped materials exclusively according to predetermined requirements for said waveguide section; and generating a diffraction grating structure by applying simultaneously and spatially periodic intensity modulated UV-laser light to said area.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 92 words

A process for producing a waveguide arrangement with a waveguide section and at least one light input/output area, comprising the steps of: providing a carrier of a first undoped material for said section and for said area; applying a layer of undoped high-refractive-index, dielectric second material on said carrier and along said section and said area; selecting said first and said second undoped materials exclusively according to predetermined requirements for said waveguide section; and generating a diffraction grating structure by applying simultaneously and spatially periodic intensity modulated UV-laser light to said area.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-10-06	2001-04-07	2001-10-07	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-10-06	2005-04-07	2005-10-07	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-10-06	2009-04-07	2009-10-07	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Diffraction gratings in optical waveguide components and production method thereof

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