OPTICAL REFLECTOR BASED ON A DIRECTIONAL COUPLER AND A COUPLED OPTICAL LOOP

摘要

An optical device includes an optical reflector based on a coupled-loopback optical waveguide. In particular, an input port, an output port and an optical loop in arms of the optical reflector are optically coupled to a directional coupler. The directional coupler evanescently couples an optical signal between the arms. For example, the directional coupler may include: a multimode interference coupler and/or a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI). Moreover, destructive interference during the evanescent coupling determines the reflection and transmission power coefficients of the optical reflector.

主权项

1. A hybrid optical source, comprising:
an optical amplifier configured to provide an optical signal having a range of wavelengths; a semiconductor reflector, mechanically and optically coupled to the optical amplifier, configured to reflect the optical signal over the range of wavelengths to change a direction of propagation of the optical signal; and a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) chip optically coupled to the optical amplifier, wherein the SOI chip includes:
a substrate;an oxide layer disposed on the substrate; anda semiconductor layer disposed on the oxide layer and having a surface facing the optical amplifier, wherein the semiconductor layer includes:
an optical waveguide configured to convey the optical signal; andan optical reflector configured to at least partially reflect a wavelength in the optical signal, wherein the optical amplifier, the semiconductor reflector, the optical coupler, the optical waveguide and the optical reflector define an optical cavity in the hybrid optical source; andwherein the optical reflector includes:
an input port optically coupled to a first arm of the optical reflector;an output port optically coupled to a second arm of the optical reflector;a directional coupler optically coupled to the first arm and the second arm, wherein the directional coupler is configured to evanescently couple the optical signal between the first arm and the second arm; andan optical loop optically coupled to the directional coupler, wherein the optical loop includes a third arm and a fourth arm;wherein a reflection power coefficient at the input port and a transmission power coefficient at the output port are determined based on coupling power coefficients of the third and the fourth arms.