Waveguide Device with Asymmetric Light Exit Areas

The patent introduces a third dimension by stacking multiple photonic chips vertically to form a three-dimensional photonic integrated circuit. This vertical stacking allows multiple optical transmission channels to be arranged in the vertical direction rather than only in the planar direction, thereby increasing data transmission capacity while maintaining planar chip dimensions and avoiding stress-induced deformation that causes misalignment.

The patent employs a nested structure where multiple photonic chips are stacked and interconnected through vertical coupling. Each chip layer contains optical transmission channels that are vertically aligned with corresponding channels in adjacent layers, creating a nested arrangement of optical paths. This nesting approach enables high-capacity data transmission through multiple layers while maintaining precise alignment through the vertical coupling structure.

Instead of enlarging chip size in the planar direction, the patent transitions to three-dimensional stacking, arranging optical transmission channels in the vertical dimension. This allows a large number of optical channels to be accommodated within compact chip footprints without increasing planar dimensions, thereby preventing warpage while maintaining high channel density.

The patent divides the optical transmission system into multiple separate chip layers, each containing a subset of optical channels. These segmented chip layers are vertically stacked and coupled, distributing the optical channels across multiple smaller units rather than concentrating them on a single large chip. This segmentation prevents stress-induced warpage while achieving high total channel count through vertical integration.