Integrated Optical Circuit Reconfiguration via Photonic Wire Bonding

The patent segments the integrated optical circuit into modular nanophotonic devices with discrete input and output waveguides. These modules can be independently manufactured and then connected through photonic wire bonding, allowing reconfiguration without requiring high voltages or power inputs. The segmentation enables flexible assembly of functional circuits from pre-manufactured components.

The patent introduces photonic wire bonding as an intermediary connection method between nanophotonic devices. This intermediary technique uses polymer waveguides with three-dimensional free-form geometries to bridge gaps between devices, enabling reconfiguration through physical connection rather than refractive index modification, thus avoiding high voltage requirements.

The patent divides the manufacturing process into two segments: (1) standard fabrication of nanophotonic device modules using conventional techniques, and (2) post-fabrication connection using photonic wire bonding. This segmentation allows end users to define circuit functionality through connection design rather than requiring sophisticated nanofabrication capabilities.

The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-manufacturing nanophotonic device modules with standardized interfaces and waveguide structures. This preliminary preparation enables end users to focus only on the connection design phase, significantly reducing the complexity barrier for creating user-defined optical circuits.

The patent segments the manufacturing process into high-precision module fabrication (performed once using standard facilities) and low-barrier connection assembly (accessible to end users). This segmentation maintains manufacturing precision through standardized module production while improving ease of manufacture through user-friendly photonic wire bonding.

The patent creates multiple copies of standardized nanophotonic device modules that can be interchangeably connected. This copying approach allows end users to assemble different circuit configurations from identical pre-manufactured modules, maintaining precision without requiring advanced fabrication skills.

The patent uses polymer waveguides as intermediary elements that naturally accommodate three-dimensional free-form geometries. These intermediary connectors bridge the complexity gap, enabling flexible chip-to-chip bonding without requiring the nanophotonic devices themselves to have complex three-dimensional structures.

The patent changes the material parameter of the connection medium to polymer, which allows for three-dimensional free-form geometries and flexible routing. This parameter change enables adaptability in chip-to-chip connections while keeping the nanophotonic device structures relatively simple and manufacturable.