Optical Transposer Assembly for SiPh PIC Loss Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Silicon photonics (SiPh) PICs face excessive optical loss due to their intrinsic properties, limiting their application in replacing electrical switches in data centers, and current integration methods for optical gain elements, such as heterogeneous and hybrid integration, are costly, complex, and incompatible with CMOS technology.
Innovation Solution
An optical transposer is introduced, optically coupling a fibre array unit to a photonic integrated circuit, incorporating an optical gain element, such as a semiconductor optical amplifier, to provide optical gain and mitigate losses, with the transposer fabricated from materials like glass or silica-on-silicon, allowing for flexible waveguide configurations and improved thermal management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If optical gain elements are integrated into SiPh PICs using heterogeneous or hybrid integration, then optical gain is provided to offset losses, but manufacturing cost increases and CMOS compatibility is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the optical gain element from the SiPh PIC structure and places it in a separate housing that interfaces with the PIC via an optical interface. This separation allows the SiPh PIC to be manufactured using standard CMOS processes while the optical gain element can be independently optimized and replaced, resolving the contradiction between providing optical gain and maintaining CMOS compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an optical interface (such as an optical fiber or waveguide) as an intermediary between the SiPh PIC and the optical gain element. This intermediary enables optical signal transmission between the two components without requiring direct integration, thus maintaining CMOS compatibility while still providing the necessary optical gain to offset losses.
2Loss of energy
If optical gain elements are integrated into SiPh PICs, then optical gain is provided, but device complexity and integration difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the optical amplification function from the SiPh PIC circuitry by placing the optical gain element in a separate housing. This segmentation simplifies the SiPh PIC design and manufacturing while allowing the optical gain function to be independently optimized, thereby reducing overall device complexity despite maintaining optical gain capability.
3Loss of energy
If optical gain elements are integrated into SiPh PICs, then optical gain is provided, but thermal management becomes difficult due to high-temperature operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the high-temperature optical gain element from the SiPh PIC structure and places it in a separate housing with independent thermal management. This allows the SiPh PIC to operate at its optimal temperature while the optical gain element can be separately cooled or thermally managed, resolving the thermal management contradiction.
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
The solution reduces optical coupling loss, enhances thermal management, and lowers manufacturing costs, enabling more efficient and stable operation of SiPh PICs by decoupling high-temperature optical gain elements from the PIC, thus improving alignment tolerances and integration density.
Implementation Method 1
The optical gain element is optically coupled to at least one of the waveguides and is configured to provide optical gain to offset optical coupling loss into the at least one waveguide
Implementation Method 2
The fibre array unit is optically coupled to a plurality of optical fibres and the optical transposer includes waveguides optically coupling the fibre array unit and a photonic integrated circuit
Implementation Method 3
the optical transposer is configured to convey light between fibres having a first spacing and optical outputs or inputs having a second spacing, e.g. a narrower spacing
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly with optical gain assisted optical transposer is provided. The optical transposer which optically couples a fibre array unit and a photonic integrated circuit. The optical transposer includes one or more optical gain elements which are configured to provide optical compensation, for example optical gain to mitigate optical losses associated with multistage photonic integrated devices. According to some embodiments, the optical gain element is a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA). According to some embodiments the photonic integrated circuit is a SiPh PIC.