Thermo-optic phase shifter arrays, interferometer arrays, and optical phased arrays

Abstract

The present invention provides a thermo-optic phase shifter array including at least one first waveguide and at least one second waveguide, wherein the first waveguide extends along a first direction, the second waveguide extends along a second direction, the first waveguide and the second waveguide are alternately arranged in a third direction, the first waveguide includes a first waveguide segment, the second waveguide includes a second waveguide segment, the first waveguide segment and the second waveguide segment are alternately arranged in the third direction, the first waveguide segment is integrated with a heater, and the thermo-optic coefficient of the second waveguide segment is smaller than the thermo-optic coefficient of the first waveguide segment. The thermo-optic phase shifter array provided by the present invention has lower thermal crosstalk and a compact structure, which is conducive to high-density integration. The present invention also provides an interferometer array and an optical phased array.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of phase shifters, and in particular to a thermo-optical phase shifter array, an interferometer array and an optical phased array. Background Art

[0002] Multiple waveguides are arranged in arrays for certain applications and are basic building blocks in photonic integrated circuits. When all or part of the waveguides are integrated with a heater, the structure can be used as an array of thermo-optical phase shifters. When one waveguide is heated, the thermal energy diffuses to nearby waveguides. This thermal crosstalk is undesirable. In the prior art, in order to ensure that the thermal crosstalk is at a low level, the method used is to keep the waveguides far enough away from each other, which makes the entire structure occupy a large space on the photonic chip, which is not conducive to high-density integration, chip miniaturization and chip cost reduction. Another method is to add side grooves or undercuts around each waveguide for thermal isolation, but this increases the complexity of the manufacturing process and also causes some potential reliability issues.

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a new type of thermo-optical phase shifter array, interferometer array and optical phased array to solve some of the above problems existing in the prior art. Summary of the invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a thermo-optical phase shifter array, an interferometer array and an optical phased array, which have low thermal crosstalk and a compact structure.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the thermo-optical phase shifter array of the present invention includes at least one first waveguide and at least one second waveguide, the first waveguide extends along a first direction, the second waveguide extends along a second direction, the first waveguide and the second waveguide are alternately arranged in a third direction, the first waveguide includes a first waveguide segment, the second waveguide includes a second waveguide segment, the first waveguide segment and the second waveguide segment are alternately arranged in the third direction, the first waveguide segment is integrated with a heater, and the thermo-optic coefficient of the second waveguide segment is smaller than the thermo-optic coefficient of the first waveguide segment.

[0006] The beneficial effects of the thermo-optical phase shifter array are that the first waveguide segment and the second waveguide segment are alternately arranged in the third direction, the first waveguide segment is integrated with a heater, the thermo-optic coefficient of the second waveguide segment is smaller than the thermo-optic coefficient of the first waveguide segment, and the second waveguide segment is less sensitive to temperature changes. Therefore, the second waveguide segment is less affected by the heat dissipation of the first waveguide segment, has lower thermal crosstalk, and does not need to keep the waveguides far enough from each other to reduce thermal crosstalk. It has a compact structure, is conducive to improving density integration, and realizes chip miniaturization and low cost.

[0007] Optionally, the first waveguide further includes a third waveguide segment, the second waveguide further includes a fourth waveguide segment, the first waveguide segment and the third waveguide segment are arranged side by side in the first direction, the second waveguide segment and the fourth waveguide segment are arranged side by side in the second direction, the third waveguide segment and the fourth waveguide segment are alternately arranged in the third direction, the fourth waveguide segment is integrated with a heater, and the thermo-optical coefficient of the third waveguide segment is smaller than the thermo-optical coefficient of the fourth waveguide segment.

[0008] The third waveguide segment is less sensitive to temperature changes, so that the third waveguide segment is less affected by the heat dissipation of the fourth waveguide segment. Therefore, when heaters are integrated on both the first waveguide and the fourth waveguide, the thermo-optical phase shifter array still has lower thermal crosstalk.

[0009] Optionally, the first direction is parallel to the second direction.

[0010] Optionally, the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0011] Optionally, the first waveguide further includes a first transition zone, which is disposed between the first waveguide segment and the third waveguide segment, and is used to connect the first waveguide segment and the third waveguide segment and reduce additional light loss at the connection.

[0012] Optionally, the second waveguide further includes a second transition zone, which is disposed between the second waveguide segment and the fourth waveguide segment, and is used to connect the second waveguide segment and the fourth waveguide segment and reduce additional light loss at the connection.

[0013] Optionally, the first waveguide segment and the second waveguide segment use waveguide materials with different thermo-optic coefficients.

[0014] Optionally, the first waveguide segment and the second waveguide segment adopt waveguide structures with different thermo-optic coefficients.

[0015] The present invention also provides an interferometer array, comprising the thermo-optical phase shifter array.

[0016] The interferometer array has the beneficial effect that the first waveguide segment and the second waveguide segment are alternately arranged in the third direction, the first waveguide segment is integrated with a heater, the thermo-optic coefficient of the second waveguide segment is smaller than the thermo-optic coefficient of the first waveguide segment, so the second waveguide segment is less sensitive to temperature changes, so that the second waveguide segment is less affected by the heat dissipation of the first waveguide segment, so the interferometer array of the present invention has lower thermal crosstalk. The first waveguide segment and the second waveguide segment of adjacent interferometers are also adjacent, so there is also lower thermal crosstalk between adjacent arrays.

[0017] The present invention also provides an optical phased array, comprising the thermo-optical phase shifter array.

[0018] The beneficial effect of the optical phased array is that the first waveguide segment and the second waveguide segment are alternately arranged in the third direction, the first waveguide segment is integrated with a heater, the thermo-optic coefficient of the second waveguide segment is smaller than the thermo-optic coefficient of the first waveguide segment, so the second waveguide segment is less sensitive to temperature changes, so that the second waveguide segment is less affected by the heat dissipation of the first waveguide segment, and therefore the optical phased array of the present invention has lower thermal crosstalk. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 A top view of a thermo-optical phase shifter array in some embodiments;

[0020] Figure 2 A top view of a thermo-optical phase shifter array in some other embodiments;

[0021] Figure 3 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a first transition zone in some embodiments;

[0022] Figure 4 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the second transition zone in some embodiments;

[0023] Figure 5 A top view of the second transition zone in some other embodiments;

[0024] Figure 6 is a front view of the second transition zone in some other embodiments;

[0025] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of an interferometer array in some embodiments;

[0026] Figure 8 are schematic diagrams of interferometer arrays in other embodiments;

[0027] Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of an optical phased array in some embodiments;

[0028] Fig.10 Schematic diagram of optical phased array in some other embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Unless otherwise defined, the technical terms or scientific terms used herein should be understood by people with general skills in the field to which the present invention belongs. "Including" and similar words used in this article mean that the elements or objects appearing before the word include the elements or objects listed after the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects.

[0030] In response to the problems existing in the prior art, an embodiment of the present invention provides a thermo-optical phase shifter array, comprising at least one first waveguide and at least one second waveguide, wherein the first waveguide extends along a first direction, the second waveguide extends along a second direction, the first waveguide and the second waveguide are alternately arranged in a third direction, the first waveguide comprises a first waveguide segment, the second waveguide comprises a second waveguide segment, the first waveguide segment and the second waveguide segment are alternately arranged in the third direction, the first waveguide segment is integrated with a heater, and the thermo-optical coefficient of the second waveguide segment is smaller than the thermo-optical coefficient of the first waveguide segment.

[0031] Figure 1 FIG. 4 is a top view of a thermo-optical phase shifter array in some embodiments. Figure 1 The thermo-optic phase shifter array includes three first waveguides and three second waveguides, the first waveguides extend along a first direction a, the second waveguides extend along a second direction b, the first waveguides and the second waveguides are alternately arranged in a third direction c, the first waveguide includes a first waveguide segment 11, the second waveguide includes a second waveguide segment 21, the first waveguide segment 11 and the second waveguide segment 21 are alternately arranged in the third direction c, the first waveguide segment 11 is integrated with a heater 3, and the thermo-optic coefficient of the second waveguide segment 21 is smaller than the thermo-optic coefficient of the first waveguide segment 11.

[0032] The first waveguide segment 11 and the second waveguide segment 21 are alternately arranged in the third direction c, the first waveguide segment 11 is integrated with a heater 3, the thermo-optic coefficient of the second waveguide segment 21 is smaller than the thermo-optic coefficient of the first waveguide segment 11, and the second waveguide segment 21 is less sensitive to temperature changes. Therefore, the second waveguide segment 21 is less affected by the heat dissipation of the first waveguide segment 11, so that the thermo-optic phase shifter array of the present invention has lower thermal crosstalk, and there is no need to keep the waveguides far enough from each other to reduce thermal crosstalk. It has a compact structure, is conducive to high-density integration, miniaturizes the chip, and reduces costs.

[0033] The thermo-optical phase shifter array provided by the present invention does not require side grooves or undercuts to isolate heat diffusion between nearby waveguides, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process, helping to reduce the cost of processing and manufacturing, and avoiding reliability problems caused by side grooves or undercuts.

[0034] In some embodiments, the first waveguide further includes a third waveguide segment, the second waveguide further includes a fourth waveguide segment, the first waveguide segment and the third waveguide segment are arranged side by side in the first direction, the second waveguide segment and the fourth waveguide segment are arranged side by side in the second direction, the third waveguide segment and the fourth waveguide segment are alternately arranged in the third direction, the fourth waveguide segment is integrated with a heater, and the thermo-optical coefficient of the third waveguide segment is smaller than the thermo-optical coefficient of the fourth waveguide segment.

[0035] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a top view of a thermo-optical phase shifter array in some other embodiments. Figure 2 , the first waveguide also includes a third waveguide segment 12, the second waveguide also includes a fourth waveguide segment 22, the first waveguide segment 11 and the third waveguide segment 12 are arranged side by side in the first direction a, and the extension directions of the first waveguide segment 11 and the third waveguide segment 12 are on the same straight line, the second waveguide segment 21 and the fourth waveguide segment 22 are arranged side by side in the second direction b, and the extension directions of the second waveguide segment 21 and the fourth waveguide segment 22 are on the same straight line, the third waveguide segment 12 and the fourth waveguide segment 22 are alternately arranged in the third direction c, the fourth waveguide segment 22 is integrated with a heater 3, and the thermo-optical coefficient of the third waveguide segment 12 is smaller than the thermo-optical coefficient of the fourth waveguide segment 22.

[0036] The first waveguide also includes a third waveguide segment 12, and the second waveguide also includes a fourth waveguide segment 22. The third waveguide segment 12 and the fourth waveguide segment 22 are alternately arranged in the third direction c, and the fourth waveguide segment 22 is integrated with a heater 3. The thermo-optic coefficient of the third waveguide segment 12 is smaller than the thermo-optic coefficient of the fourth waveguide segment 22. Therefore, the third waveguide segment 12 is less sensitive to temperature changes, so that the third waveguide segment 12 is less affected by the heat dissipation of the fourth waveguide segment 22. Therefore, when the heaters are integrated on both the first waveguide and the fourth waveguide, the thermo-optical phase shifter array still has lower thermal crosstalk.

[0037] In some embodiments, the second waveguide segment is the same as the third waveguide segment, and the first waveguide segment is the same as the fourth waveguide segment.

[0038] In some embodiments, reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the first direction a is parallel to the second direction b.

[0039] In some embodiments, reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the first direction a is parallel to the second direction b, and the third direction c is perpendicular to the first direction a.

[0040] In some embodiments, the first waveguide further includes a first transition zone, which is disposed between the first waveguide segment and the third waveguide segment, and is used to connect the first waveguide segment and the third waveguide segment and reduce additional optical loss at the connection.

[0041] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the first transition zone in some embodiments. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The first waveguide segment 11 and the third waveguide segment 12 are connected through the first transition zone 13. The third waveguide segment 12 is a slot waveguide. The top plane protruding at the right end of the first waveguide segment 11 is a triangle. The left side of the third waveguide segment 12 is recessed, so that the right end of the first waveguide segment 11 extends into the recessed area of ​​the third waveguide segment 12.

[0042] In some embodiments, the second waveguide further includes a second transition zone, which is disposed between the second waveguide segment and the fourth waveguide segment, and the second transition zone is used to connect the second waveguide segment and the fourth waveguide segment and reduce additional light loss at the connection.

[0043] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the second transition zone in some embodiments. Figure 2 and Figure 4 The second waveguide segment 21 and the fourth waveguide segment 22 are connected through the second transition zone 23, the second waveguide segment 21 is a slot waveguide, the top plane of the fourth waveguide segment 22 protruding on the left is a triangle, and the right side of the second waveguide segment 21 is recessed, so that the left end of the fourth waveguide segment 22 extends into the recessed area of ​​the second waveguide segment 21.

[0044] In some embodiments, types of the first transition region and the second transition region include interlayer transition and waveguide transition.

[0045] Figure 5 is a top view of the second transition zone in some other embodiments, Figure 6 FIG. 2 is a front view of the second transition zone in some other embodiments. Figure 5 and Figure 6 , the third waveguide segment 12 and the fourth waveguide segment 22 are arranged on layers at different heights in the fourth direction d.

[0046] In some other embodiments, the top view of the first transition zone may also be as follows: Figure 5As shown, the front view of the first transition zone can also be as shown Figure 6 shown.

[0047] In some embodiments, the first waveguide segment 11, the second waveguide segment 21, the third waveguide segment 12 and the fourth waveguide segment 22 are arranged on layers at the same height in the fourth direction d.

[0048] In some embodiments, the first waveguide segment and the second waveguide segment are made of waveguide materials with different thermo-optic coefficients. In some specific embodiments, the material of the first waveguide segment includes silicon, and the material of the second waveguide segment includes silicon nitride.

[0049] In some embodiments, the third waveguide segment and the fourth waveguide segment are made of waveguide materials with different thermo-optic coefficients. In some specific embodiments, the material of the third waveguide segment includes silicon nitride, and the material of the fourth waveguide segment includes silicon.

[0050] In some embodiments, the first waveguide segment and the second waveguide segment use waveguide structures with different thermo-optic coefficients.

[0051] In some embodiments, the third waveguide segment and the fourth waveguide segment employ waveguide structures with different thermo-optic coefficients.

[0052] The present invention also provides an interferometer array, comprising the thermo-optical phase shifter array.

[0053] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of an interferometer array in some embodiments. Figure 7 The interferometer array includes three interferometers, each of which includes two optical waveguide arms, an input optical waveguide segment 10 and an output optical waveguide segment 18. The input optical waveguide segment 10 is separated into a first optical waveguide arm and a second optical waveguide arm through a beam splitter 16. The first optical waveguide arm and the second optical waveguide arm are parallel. The first optical waveguide arm and the second optical waveguide arm are combined into the output optical waveguide segment 18 through an optical combiner 17. The first optical waveguide arm includes the first waveguide segment 11, the second optical waveguide arm includes the second waveguide segment 21 and two third transition regions 14, the two third transition regions 14 are in opposite directions in the second direction b, the first waveguide segment 11 and the second waveguide segment 21 are alternately arranged in the third direction c, the two third transition regions 14 are arranged at both ends of the second waveguide segment 21, the first waveguide segment 11 is integrated with a heater 3, and the thermo-optic coefficient of the second waveguide segment 21 is smaller than the thermo-optic coefficient of the first waveguide segment 11.

[0054] In some embodiments, the interferometer includes n optical waveguide arms, where n is an integer greater than 2.

[0055] In some embodiments, the n optical waveguide arms are parallel or non-parallel.

[0056] In some embodiments, the optical waveguide arm is in a straight, curved or spiral shape.

[0057] In some embodiments, the arm lengths of the optical waveguide arms can be modified to achieve the same optical path length or a specific optical path length difference.

[0058] In the interferometer array provided by the present invention, the first waveguide segment 11 and the second waveguide segment 21 are alternately arranged in the third direction c, the first waveguide segment 11 is integrated with a heater 3, and the thermo-optic coefficient of the second waveguide segment 21 is smaller than that of the first waveguide segment 11, so the second waveguide segment 21 is less sensitive to temperature changes, so that the second waveguide segment 21 is less affected by the heat dissipation of the first waveguide segment 11, so the interferometer array of the present invention has lower thermal crosstalk, and there is no need to keep the waveguides far enough from each other to reduce thermal crosstalk, and has a compact structure, which is conducive to high-density integration, miniaturization of chips, and cost reduction. The first waveguide segments and second waveguide segments of adjacent interferometers are also adjacent, so there is also lower thermal crosstalk between adjacent arrays.

[0059] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of interferometer arrays in other embodiments. Figure 8 The first optical waveguide arm also includes the third waveguide segment 12, the second optical waveguide arm also includes the fourth waveguide segment 22, the first waveguide segment 11 and the third waveguide segment 12 are connected through the first transition zone 13, the second waveguide segment 21 and the fourth waveguide segment 22 are connected through the second transition zone 23, the third waveguide segment 12 and the fourth waveguide segment 22 are alternately arranged in the third direction c, and the thermo-optic coefficient of the third waveguide segment 12 is smaller than the thermo-optic coefficient of the fourth waveguide segment 22.

[0060] In the interferometer array provided by the present invention, the third waveguide segment 12 and the fourth waveguide segment 22 are alternately arranged in the third direction c, the fourth waveguide segment 22 is integrated with a heater 3, and the thermo-optic coefficient of the third waveguide segment 12 is smaller than the thermo-optic coefficient of the fourth waveguide segment 22, so the third waveguide segment 12 is less sensitive to temperature changes, so that the third waveguide segment 12 is less affected by the heat dissipation of the fourth waveguide segment 22, so the interferometer array of the present invention has lower thermal crosstalk, and there is no need to keep the waveguides far enough from each other to reduce thermal crosstalk, and has a compact structure, which is conducive to high-density integration, miniaturization of chips, and cost reduction. The third waveguide segments and fourth waveguide segments of adjacent interferometers are also adjacent, so there is also lower thermal crosstalk between adjacent arrays.

[0061] The present invention also provides an optical phased array, comprising the thermo-optical phase shifter array.

[0062] Fig. 9 Schematic diagram of an optical phased array in some embodiments. Fig. 9 The first input optical waveguide segment 10 is split into two input optical waveguide segments through the optical splitter 16, and each of the input optical waveguide segments is split into two groups of waveguides after two splittings by the optical splitter 16, and the optical phased array includes four groups of waveguides, each group of waveguides includes a first waveguide and a second waveguide, and the first waveguide and the second waveguide are parallel. The first waveguide includes the first waveguide segment 11, and the second waveguide includes the second waveguide segment 21. The first waveguide segment 11 and the second waveguide segment 21 are alternately arranged in the third direction c, and a heater 3 is integrated on the first waveguide segment 11, and the thermo-optic coefficient of the second waveguide segment 21 is smaller than the thermo-optic coefficient of the first waveguide segment 11.

[0063] Fig.10 Schematic diagram of optical phased array in some other embodiments. Fig.10 The first input optical waveguide segment 10 is split into two input optical waveguide segments through the optical splitter 16, and each of the input optical waveguide segments is split twice by the optical splitter 16 to separate into two groups of waveguides. The optical phased array includes four groups of waveguides, each group of waveguides includes a first waveguide and a second waveguide, and the first waveguide and the second waveguide are parallel. The first waveguide includes the first waveguide segment 11 and the third waveguide segment 12, which are connected by the first transition zone 13. The second waveguide includes the second waveguide segment 21 and the fourth waveguide segment 22, which are connected by the second transition zone 23. The first waveguide segment 11 and the second waveguide segment 21 are alternately arranged in the third direction c, and the third waveguide segment 12 and the fourth waveguide segment 22 are alternately arranged in the third direction c. The first waveguide segment 11 and the fourth waveguide segment 22 are integrated with a heater 3. The thermo-optic coefficient of the second waveguide segment 21 is smaller than that of the first waveguide segment 11, and the thermo-optic coefficient of the third waveguide segment 12 is smaller than that of the fourth waveguide segment 22.

[0064] In the optical phased array provided by the present invention, the first waveguide segment 11 and the second waveguide segment 21 are alternately arranged in the third direction c, the third waveguide segment 12 and the fourth waveguide segment 22 are alternately arranged in the third direction c, the first waveguide segment 11 and the fourth waveguide segment 22 are integrated with a heater 3, the thermo-optic coefficient of the second waveguide segment 21 is smaller than that of the first waveguide segment 11, and the thermo-optic coefficient of the third waveguide segment 12 is smaller than that of the fourth waveguide segment 22, so the second waveguide segment 21 is less sensitive to temperature changes, so that the second waveguide segment 21 is less affected by the heat dissipation of the first waveguide segment 11, and the third waveguide segment 12 is less sensitive to temperature changes, so that the second waveguide segment 12 is less affected by the heat dissipation of the fourth waveguide segment 22, so the optical phased array of the present invention has lower thermal crosstalk, and there is no need to keep the waveguides far enough from each other to reduce thermal crosstalk, has a compact structure, is conducive to high-density integration, miniaturizes chips, and reduces costs.

[0065] In some embodiments, the first waveguide and the second waveguide are straight, curved or spiral.

[0066] In some embodiments, the first waveguide and the second waveguide are non-parallel.

[0067] In some embodiments, the first waveguide segment, the second waveguide segment, the third waveguide segment or the fourth waveguide segment further comprises side grooves and undercuts to further improve thermal isolation.

[0068] In some embodiments, the material of the heater includes titanium nitride, doped silicon or tungsten.

[0069] In some embodiments, the integrated material platform of the thermo-optical phase shifter array includes bulk silicon, silicon on insulator, silicon on sapphire, silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, indium phosphide, lithium niobate, and polymer.

[0070] In some embodiments, the waveguide types of the thermo-optical phase shifter array include channel waveguides, ridge waveguides, slot waveguides, diffused waveguides, and photonic crystal waveguides.

[0071] In some embodiments, the operating wavelength range of the thermo-optical phase shifter array includes a visible light band, an O band, an E band, an S band, a C band, an L band, a U band, and a mid-infrared band.

[0072] In some embodiments, the application fields of the thermo-optical phase shifter array include optical sensing, beam control, optical radar, optical interconnection, and optical computing.

[0073] Although the embodiments of the present invention are described in detail above, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to these embodiments. However, it should be understood that such modifications and variations are within the scope and spirit of the present invention as described in the claims. Moreover, the present invention described herein may have other embodiments and may be implemented or realized in a variety of ways.

Claims

1. A thermo-optical phase shifter array, characterized in that: The invention comprises at least one first waveguide and at least one second waveguide, wherein the first waveguide extends along a first direction, the second waveguide extends along a second direction, the first waveguide and the second waveguide are alternately arranged in a third direction, the first waveguide comprises a first waveguide segment, the second waveguide comprises a second waveguide segment, the first waveguide segment and the second waveguide segment are alternately arranged in the third direction, the first waveguide segment is integrated with a heater, and the thermo-optic coefficient of the second waveguide segment is smaller than the thermo-optic coefficient of the first waveguide segment; the first waveguide also comprises a third waveguide segment, the first waveguide segment and the third waveguide segment are arranged in parallel in the first direction, the second waveguide segment is the same as the third waveguide segment, the first waveguide also comprises a first transition region, the first transition region is arranged between the first waveguide segment and the third waveguide segment, the first transition region is used to connect the first waveguide segment and the third waveguide segment and reduce the additional optical loss at the connection, the third waveguide segment is a slot waveguide, the top plane protruding at the right end of the first waveguide segment is a triangle, the left side of the third waveguide segment is recessed, so that the right end of the first waveguide segment extends into the recessed area of ​​the third waveguide segment.

2. The thermo-optical phase shifter array according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second waveguide also includes a fourth waveguide segment, the second waveguide segment and the fourth waveguide segment are arranged in parallel in the second direction, the third waveguide segment and the fourth waveguide segment are arranged alternately in the third direction, the fourth waveguide segment is integrated with a heater, and the thermo-optic coefficient of the third waveguide segment is smaller than the thermo-optic coefficient of the fourth waveguide segment.

3. The thermo-optical phase shifter array according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first direction is parallel to the second direction.

4. The thermo-optical phase shifter array according to claim 3, characterized in that: The third direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

5. The thermo-optical phase shifter array according to claim 2, characterized in that: The second waveguide further includes a second transition region, which is disposed between the second waveguide segment and the fourth waveguide segment, and is used to connect the second waveguide segment and the fourth waveguide segment and reduce additional light loss at the connection.

6. The thermo-optical phase shifter array according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first waveguide section and the second waveguide section use waveguide materials with different thermo-optic coefficients.

7. The thermo-optical phase shifter array according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first waveguide segment and the second waveguide segment adopt waveguide structures with different thermo-optic coefficients.

8. An interferometer array, characterized in that: A thermo-optical phase shifter array comprising any one of claims 1-7.

9. An optical phased array, characterized in that: A thermo-optical phase shifter array comprising any one of claims 1-7.

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