US6690025B2 — Devices for etch loading planar lightwave circuits

Claim 1

Independent Claim 154 words

A planar light-wave circuit for manipulating an optical signal, said planar light-wave circuit comprising: a cladding layer having a cladding surface area; a plurality of optical waveguides on said cladding layer and forming a pattern of optical waveguides, said pattern of optical waveguides adapted to define at least one optical path, wherein each said optical path routes the optical signal; a total surface area of said pattern of optical waveguides defining an optical waveguide coverage area; a plurality of load structures on said cladding layer and forming a pattern of etch loading, wherein each of said load structures is separated from each said optical waveguide by at least a proximity correction distance; a total surface area of said pattern of etch loading defining an etch load coverage area; and wherein the sum of said optical waveguide coverage area and said etch load coverage area are at least approximately 25% of said substrate surface area.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 154 words

A planar light-wave circuit for manipulating an optical signal, said planar light-wave circuit comprising: a cladding layer having a cladding surface area; a plurality of optical waveguides on said cladding layer and forming a pattern of optical waveguides, said pattern of optical waveguides adapted to define at least one optical path, wherein each said optical path routes the optical signal; a total surface area of said pattern of optical waveguides defining an optical waveguide coverage area; a plurality of load structures on said cladding layer and forming a pattern of etch loading, wherein each of said load structures is separated from each said optical waveguide by at least a proximity correction distance; a total surface area of said pattern of etch loading defining an etch load coverage area; and wherein the sum of said optical waveguide coverage area and said etch load coverage area are at least approximately 25% of said substrate surface area.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 21 words

The planar light-wave circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a substrate, wherein said cladding layer is located on said substrate.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 27 words

The planar light-wave circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a top cladding which is located over said cladding layer, said optical waveguides, and said load structures.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 18 words

The planar light-wave circuit of claim 1 , wherein said proximity correction distance is at least 25 μm.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 62 words

The planar light-wave circuit of claim 1 , wherein said pattern of optical waveguides defines an optical device selected from the group consisting of an arrayed waveguide grating, a variable optical attenuator, an optical add/drop multiplexer, a dynamic dispersion compensator, a dynamic gain equalization filter, an optical power splitter, an optical coupler, an optical shutter, an optical switch, and an optical tap.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 28 words

The planar light-wave circuit of claim 3 , wherein said pattern of optical waveguides defines an arrayed waveguide grating and said proximity correction is at least 250 μm.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 28 words

The planar light-wave circuit of claim 3 , wherein said pattern of optical waveguides defines a variable optical attenuator and said proximity correction is at least 50 μm.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 52 words

The planar light-wave circuit of claim 1 , farther including a central axis which intersects each said optical path at a center of each said optical path, and wherein at least one of said plurality of load structures has a parallel orientation on the planar light-wave circuit relative to said central axis.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 51 words

The planar light-wave circuit of claim 1 , further including a central axis which intersects each said optical path at a center of each optical path, and wherein at least one of said plurality of load structures has a perpendicular orientation on the planar light-wave circuit relative to said central axis.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 62 words

The planar light-wave circuit of claim 1 , further including a central axis which intersects each said optical path at a center of each said optical path, and wherein at least one of said plurality of load structures forms an angle being in a plane parallel to said substrate, said angle being between 1 to 179 degrees relative to said central axis.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 29 words

The planar light-wave circuit of claim 1 , wherein said pattern of etch loading forms a pattern in which at least two of said load structures intersect one another.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 27 words

The planar light-wave circuit of claim 1 , wherein said pattern of etch loading has a profile similar to a profile of said pattern of optical waveguides.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 31 words

The planar light-wave circuit of claim 1 , wherein said pattern of etch loading waveguides forms a pitch of at least 14 μm between each of said plurality of load structure.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 153 words

An arrayed waveguide grating comprising: a cladding layer having a cladding surface area; a plurality of optical waveguides on said cladding layer and forming an optical waveguide pattern comprising, at least one proximal waveguide in optical communication with a proximal slab waveguide, a plurality of distal waveguides in optical communication with a distal slab waveguide, and a phased array comprising a plurality of waveguides and located between and in optical communication with said proximal and distal slab waveguides; a central axis which intersects a center of each of said waveguides of said phased array; and a plurality of load structures on said cladding layer and forming a pattern of etch loading where at least one of said load structures forms an angle between 1 to 179 degrees relative to said central axis, and wherein each of said load structures is separated from each said optical waveguide by at least a proximity correction distance.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 153 words

An arrayed waveguide grating comprising: a cladding layer having a cladding surface area; a plurality of optical waveguides on said cladding layer and forming an optical waveguide pattern comprising, at least one proximal waveguide in optical communication with a proximal slab waveguide, a plurality of distal waveguides in optical communication with a distal slab waveguide, and a phased array comprising a plurality of waveguides and located between and in optical communication with said proximal and distal slab waveguides; a central axis which intersects a center of each of said waveguides of said phased array; and a plurality of load structures on said cladding layer and forming a pattern of etch loading where at least one of said load structures forms an angle between 1 to 179 degrees relative to said central axis, and wherein each of said load structures is separated from each said optical waveguide by at least a proximity correction distance.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 123 words

An arrayed waveguide grating comprising: a cladding layer having a cladding surface area; a plurality of optical waveguides on said cladding layer and forming an optical waveguide pattern comprising, at least one proximal waveguide in optical communication with a proximal slab waveguide, a plurality of distal waveguides in optical communication with a distal slab waveguide, and a phased array between and in optical communication with said proximal and distal slab waveguides; a plurality of load structures on said cladding layer and forming a pattern of etch loading which surrounds said optical waveguide pattern and follows a profile of said optical waveguide pattern; and wherein each of said load structures is separated from each said optical waveguide by at least a proximity correction distance.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 123 words

An arrayed waveguide grating comprising: a cladding layer having a cladding surface area; a plurality of optical waveguides on said cladding layer and forming an optical waveguide pattern comprising, at least one proximal waveguide in optical communication with a proximal slab waveguide, a plurality of distal waveguides in optical communication with a distal slab waveguide, and a phased array between and in optical communication with said proximal and distal slab waveguides; a plurality of load structures on said cladding layer and forming a pattern of etch loading which surrounds said optical waveguide pattern and follows a profile of said optical waveguide pattern; and wherein each of said load structures is separated from each said optical waveguide by at least a proximity correction distance.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 85 words

A variable optical attenuator for attenuating optical energy of an optical signal, said attenuator comprising: a cladding layer having a cladding surface area; at least one optical waveguide on said cladding layer; an attenuating region capable of extracting optical energy from at least one of said optical waveguides; a plurality of load structures on said cladding layer and forming a pattern of etch loading and wherein each of said load structures is separated from each said optical waveguide by at least a proximity correction distance.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 85 words

A variable optical attenuator for attenuating optical energy of an optical signal, said attenuator comprising: a cladding layer having a cladding surface area; at least one optical waveguide on said cladding layer; an attenuating region capable of extracting optical energy from at least one of said optical waveguides; a plurality of load structures on said cladding layer and forming a pattern of etch loading and wherein each of said load structures is separated from each said optical waveguide by at least a proximity correction distance.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 21 words

The variable optical attenuator of claim 16 , further comprising a substrate, wherein said cladding layer is located on said substrate.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 27 words

The planar light-wave circuit of claim 16 , further comprising a top cladding which is located over said cladding layer, said optical waveguides, and said load structures.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 35 words

The variable optical attenuator of claim 16 , wherein a total surface area of said optical waveguides and said load structures define an etch loading area being at least 25% of said substrate surface area.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 18 words

The variable optical attenuator of claim 16 , wherein said proximity correction distance is at least 50 μm.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 19 words

The variable optical attenuator of claim 16 , wherein at least two of said load structures intersect one another.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 43 words

The variable optical attenuator of claim 16 , further comprising a central axis which intersects a center of each of said waveguides, and wherein at least one of said load structures forms an angle of between 0 and 179 with said central axis.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 30 words

The variable optical attenuator of claim 16 , wherein said pattern of etch loading forms a pitch of at least 14 μm between each of said plurality of load structures.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2007-02-09	2007-08-11	2008-02-10	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2011-02-09	2011-08-11	2012-02-10	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2015-02-09	2015-08-11	2016-02-10	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Devices for etch loading planar lightwave circuits

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