Optical Waveguide Device with Dual Grooves for Radiation Loss Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical modulators with folded waveguides suffer from increased radiation loss due to manufacturing errors that cause deviations in the distance between the folded waveguide and the groove, leading to mismatched light modes and reduced optical quality.
Innovation Solution
An optical waveguide device with a dielectric substrate featuring a folded waveguide configuration, including a straight or curved first waveguide and a curved second waveguide, where outer and inner grooves are strategically formed to create ridge structures around coupling portions, enhancing light confinement and tolerance to manufacturing errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a folded waveguide with a single outer groove is used, then light confinement is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to sensitivity to groove position deviations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different groove structures at different locations: outer grooves at the outer peripheral side and inner grooves at the inner peripheral side near coupling portions. Each groove type provides localized light confinement tailored to the specific geometric requirements of that region, making the system less sensitive to manufacturing variations in any single location.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements beforehand cushioning by designing a dual-groove structure that inherently compensates for potential manufacturing errors. The presence of both outer and inner grooves creates a buffered configuration where deviations in one groove's position can be compensated by the other, reducing the overall impact of manufacturing imprecision on radiation loss.
2Volume of moving object
If the radius of curvature of the curved waveguide is reduced, then device compactness is improved, but radiation loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing enhanced light confinement through inner grooves specifically at the coupling portions where the straight and curved waveguides meet. This localized reinforcement allows the curved waveguide to have a smaller radius of curvature without proportionally increasing radiation loss, as the critical coupling regions are specially optimized.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses another dimension by adding grooves in the vertical dimension (etching into the substrate) to provide additional light confinement. This vertical dimension of confinement complements the horizontal waveguide geometry, enabling tighter bends with smaller radii of curvature while maintaining low radiation loss.
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 proposed configuration effectively reduces radiation loss and increases manufacturing tolerance, ensuring high-quality optical communication by aligning the optical axes and maintaining light confinement even with deviations in the groove positions.
Implementation Method 1
an outer groove formed on the substrate along an outer peripheral of the folded waveguide, an input-side inner groove formed on the substrate near a first coupling portion and provided on an inner peripheral of the first waveguide
Implementation Method 2
an optical waveguide is formed on a dielectric substrate to perform optical modulation
Data Source
AI summary
An optical waveguide device including a dielectric substrate and a folded waveguide formed on the substrate, including a first waveguide and a second waveguide, one part of the first waveguide being connected to one end of the second waveguide at a first coupling portion, the other end of the second waveguide connected to another part of the first waveguide at a second coupling portion, the first waveguide being straight or curved with a radius of curvature larger than or equal to a first curvature radius, and the second waveguide being straight or curved with a radius of curvature smaller than the first curvature radius. An outer groove is formed on the substrate along an outer peripheral of the folded waveguide, an input-side inner groove is formed on the substrate near a first coupling portion, and an output-side inner groove is formed on the substrate near a second coupling portion.