Systems with photonic integrated circuit and coupled resonator and related methods

EP4771435A1Pending Publication Date: 2026-07-08YALE UNIVERSITY

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office: EP · EP
Patent Type: Applications
Current Assignee / Owner: YALE UNIVERSITY
Filing Date: 2024-08-30
Publication Date: 2026-07-08

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Conventional photonic integrated circuits face challenges in integrating high-Q Fabry-Perot resonators due to back-reflection issues, which can damage on-chip lasers, and existing on-chip isolators or circulators are either power-consuming or CMOS incompatible.

Method used

The integration of a polarization-splitting grating coupler and a reflector in the photonic integrated circuit to achieve efficient coupling and suppress back-reflection, using a 'poor man's isolator' mechanism that reroutes reflective signals for detection, eliminating the need for on-chip circulators.

Benefits of technology

This approach provides efficient coupling with low insertion loss and high back-reflection suppression, enabling stable and cost-effective integration of Fabry-Perot resonators in photonic circuits, suitable for applications in quantum computing, communication, and advanced sensing.

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Abstract

Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) interfaced with micro-scale resonators such as micro Fabry-Perot cavities. The PICs provide high frequency stability and low noise, and may be used in precision metrology, quantum computing, communication, and advanced sensing technology applications. PICs may include a first waveguide coupled to a light source, such as an on-chip laser, and a second waveguide outputting an indication of the resonator's resonant frequency, with the waveguides coupled by a directional coupler. The PICs may protect the light source from back reflection using destructive interference. Some PICs described are coupled to the resonator by a polarization- splitting grating coupler at two arms, and produce spatial separation of incident and reflected waves so that electrical feedback can be generated for use in Pound-Drever-Hall locking. Some PICs described are coupled to the resonator by a lens and use a reflector to generate resonant peaks useable as optical feedback for self-injection locking.

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