Optical Communication Element With Stacked Waveguides
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical communication elements face challenges in miniaturization due to increasing horizontal width dimensions and processing burdens associated with a large number of input ports and phase shifters, limiting the integration of ports and increasing the mounting area and control complexity.
Innovation Solution
The optical communication element employs a configuration with multiple slabs and waveguides, each equipped with phase shifters, allowing for equal interval port arrangements and multi-mode waveguides that distribute light intensity across the lateral direction, reducing the horizontal width dimension and number of phase shifters, thereby minimizing the element's size and control load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional optical communication elements use multiple phase shifters for each waveguide to control light intensity distribution, then the light intensity distribution flexibility is improved, but the device complexity and horizontal width dimension increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple phase shifters into a shared phase shifter that controls multiple waveguides simultaneously. Instead of having individual phase shifters for each waveguide, a single phase shifter modulates the phase of optical signals across multiple waveguides, reducing the total number of phase shifters while maintaining the ability to control light intensity distribution through coordinated phase modulation
Solution Approach 2:
The shared phase shifter performs multiple functions by controlling phase modulation across different waveguides. A single phase shifter structure serves multiple waveguides, enabling universal phase control that replaces the need for dedicated phase shifters in each waveguide path, thereby reducing device complexity while preserving adaptability
2Productivity
If conventional optical communication elements increase the number of input ports to handle more data, then the productivity is improved, but the horizontal width dimension and mounting area increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a planar two-dimensional layout to a three-dimensional stacked configuration. Multiple waveguide layers are stacked vertically, allowing input ports and waveguides to be arranged in multiple layers. This vertical dimensionality change enables increased data handling capacity through more waveguides and ports without proportionally increasing the horizontal mounting area, as the expansion occurs primarily in the vertical direction
3Reliability
If conventional optical communication elements use fixed couplers and separate waveguides for each port, then the reliability of signal transmission is improved, but the device complexity and horizontal width dimension increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a three-dimensional stacked waveguide configuration where waveguides are arranged in multiple vertical layers. This vertical stacking allows signal transmission paths to be established through the stacked layers, reducing the horizontal width required for the same number of signal paths. The reliability of signal transmission is maintained through proper coupling between stacked waveguides, while the horizontal footprint is minimized by utilizing the vertical dimension
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
This configuration significantly reduces the horizontal width dimension and the number of phase shifters, enabling the miniaturization of the optical communication element while maintaining high light intensity distribution flexibility, thus enhancing the degree of freedom for unitary transformations and reducing control processing burdens.
Implementation Method 1
each of the third waveguides are configured with a dimension that allows light intensity to be distributed at all traveling positions located in the lateral direction
Implementation Method 2
a phase shifter that is provided for each one waveguide 212A, which is one of the pair of waveguides 212, and adjusts the phase amount of an optical signal that passes through one of the waveguides 212
Implementation Method 3
The MZ interference device 203 includes two 2×2 fixed couplers 211, a pair of waveguides 212 that connect the fixed couplers 211 to each other
Data Source
AI summary
An optical communication element includes a plurality of slabs, an input port group, an output port group, a first waveguide group, and a second waveguide group. The plurality of slabs includes third waveguide. Each of the plurality of slabs include a predetermined number of first ports being arranged at an inlet the third waveguide at equal intervals in a lateral direction perpendicular to a light traveling direction, and input the optical signals, and a predetermined number of second ports being arranged at an outlet of the third waveguide at the equal intervals in the lateral direction so as to face the first ports, and output the optical signals. Each of the third waveguides are configured with a dimension that allows light intensity to be distributed at all traveling positions located in the lateral direction.