Lateral Electrical Contacts for Photonic Crystal Waveguides
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing photonic crystal devices face challenges in integrating electronic control with high refractive index and high confinement systems without distorting the optical field and inducing unwanted absorption, as electrical contacts need to be both close to and far from the optical mode for optimal control and minimal distortion.
Innovation Solution
A photonic crystal structure with a substrate and waveguide formed by apertures, featuring spaced-apart lateral electrical contact pairs that facilitate local manipulation of the refractive index, allowing for dynamic control of optical signals without significant absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If electrical contacts are placed close to the optical mode, then electronic control is optimized, but optical absorption and distortion increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from vertical contact placement (top/bottom of waveguide) to lateral contact placement (sides of waveguide), utilizing a different spatial dimension. This dimensional change allows electrical contacts to be positioned close to the optical mode for effective control while avoiding direct overlap that causes absorption and distortion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements localized refractive index modulation by placing electrical contacts at specific lateral positions along the waveguide. This creates localized control regions that can manipulate the optical field without requiring contacts throughout the entire waveguide structure, thereby reducing overall absorption while maintaining control effectiveness.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If electrical contacts are spaced far from the optical mode, then absorption is minimized, but electronic control effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By moving to lateral positioning along the waveguide length, the patent achieves a configuration where contacts are neither too close nor too far from the optical mode. The lateral dimension provides an optimal intermediate distance that balances control effectiveness with minimal absorption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic refractive index modulation through time-varying electrical signals applied to the lateral contacts. This dynamic control allows the system to achieve effective optical manipulation without requiring permanent close proximity of contacts to the mode, as the modulation effect is activated only when needed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables dynamic manipulation and dispersion of optical signals by minimizing absorption losses while allowing for close proximity of electrical contacts to the waveguide, maintaining minimal distortion and effective control over the photonic crystal device.
Implementation Method 1
Mechanisms to induce an optical change from an electronic input include changing the refractive index by application of an electric field
Implementation Method 2
The ability of photonic crystals to confine light down to scales on the order of a wavelength
Implementation Method 3
Another notable attribute of photonic crystals is their unique tunable dispersion, which may be exploited to 'slow' the velocity of light for interference-based devices
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is a method and an apparatus for dynamic manipulation and dispersion in photonic crystal devices. In one embodiment, a photonic crystal structure comprises a substrate having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough, a waveguide formed by “removing” a row of apertures, and a plurality of pairs of lateral electrical contacts, the lateral electrical contact pairs extending along the length of the waveguide in a spaced-apart manner. The lateral electrical contact pairs facilitate local manipulation of the photonic crystal structure's refractive index. Thus, optical signals of different wavelengths that propagate through the photonic crystal structure can be dynamically manipulated.