Optoelectronic Waveguide With Segmented Refractive Index
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optoelectronic components with two-dimensional materials face challenges in guiding light waves efficiently and coupling with glass fibers, resulting in high coupling losses due to mismatched refractive indices and waveguide structures.
Innovation Solution
The optoelectronic component features an optical waveguide with a passive and active section, where the two-dimensional material layer is integrated into the waveguide core or adjacent to it, creating a greater refractive index difference between the core and cladding materials in the active section, enhancing light guidance and reducing coupling losses by optimizing wave propagation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the light wave is strongly guided in the waveguide to increase interaction intensity with the two-dimensional material, then the interaction efficiency improves, but the coupling losses to glass fibers increase due to mode diameter mismatch
Solution Approach 1:
The waveguide is divided into two distinct sections: an active section with high refractive index difference for strong light guidance and high interaction efficiency, and a passive section with low refractive index difference for weak guidance and optimal coupling to glass fibers. This segmentation allows each section to be optimized for its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
Different refractive index characteristics are applied to different spatial locations within the waveguide structure. The active section employs core and cladding materials with a large refractive index difference to confine and intensify the light wave, while the passive section uses materials with a small refractive index difference to expand the mode diameter for efficient coupling. This local differentiation of optical properties resolves the contradiction between strong guidance and low coupling losses.
2Illumination intensity
If the refractive index difference between core and cladding is increased to improve light guidance, then the light wave intensity in the waveguide center increases, but the mode diameter decreases leading to higher coupling losses
Solution Approach 1:
The waveguide structure is segmented into active and passive sections with different refractive index characteristics. The active section uses a large refractive index difference to achieve high light wave intensity for efficient interaction with the two-dimensional material, while the passive section uses a small refractive index difference to maintain a larger mode diameter for optimal coupling to glass fibers with standard mode fields.
Solution Approach 2:
The refractive index difference is locally optimized for different functional requirements within the waveguide. In the active section, a large refractive index difference (Δn > 0.1) concentrates the light wave to achieve high intensity at the waveguide center where the two-dimensional material is located. In the passive section, a small refractive index difference (Δn < 0.05) allows the mode to expand to a diameter that matches standard glass fiber mode fields, minimizing coupling losses.
3Reliability
If the waveguide core size is reduced to increase light intensity at the two-dimensional material layer, then the interaction efficiency improves, but the coupling to glass fibers becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The waveguide is segmented into an active section with a small core cross-section for high light intensity and efficient interaction with the two-dimensional material, and a passive section with a larger effective mode diameter for easy coupling to standard glass fibers. This segmentation allows the waveguide to achieve both high interaction efficiency and ease of coupling without compromise.
Solution Approach 2:
The waveguide structure implements local quality optimization by creating an active section with tightly confined modes for high intensity at the two-dimensional material location, while the passive section provides mode expansion for compatible coupling with glass fibers. This local differentiation of structural and optical properties resolves the contradiction between interaction efficiency and coupling ease.
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 design increases the intensity of the light wave at the two-dimensional material layer, improving interaction efficiency and reducing coupling losses between the component and glass fibers by tailoring the waveguide structure to match the refractive indices and wave propagation characteristics.
Implementation Method 1
the refractive index difference, based on the same wavelength, between a core material forming the waveguide core of the active section and a cladding material forming a waveguide cladding of the active section is greater than the refractive index difference between a core material forming a waveguide core of the passive section and a cladding material forming a waveguide cladding of the passive section
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to an optoelectronic component comprising an optical waveguide (11) having at least one passive section and at least one active section (111, 112), wherein the active section (112) comprises at least one layer (31, 32) made of a two-dimensional material, the layer (31, 32) made of the two-dimensional material is at least partially arranged in a core (1121) of the active section (112) of the waveguide or is at least partially adjacent to the core (1121) of the active section (112) of the waveguide. According to the invention, the difference between the index of refraction, relative to the same wavelength, of a core material that forms the core (1121) of the active section (112) of the waveguide and the index of refraction of a cladding material that forms a cladding (1122) of the active section (112) of the waveguide is greater than the difference between the index of refraction of a core material that forms a core (1111) of the passive section (111) of the waveguide and the index of refraction of a cladding material (1112) that forms a cladding (1112) of the passive section (111) of the waveguide. The invention also relates to a method for producing an optoelectronic component.