Chi Y Chu

US Patent:

6603893, Aug 5, 2003

Filed:

Mar 27, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/819160

Inventors:

Ansheng Liu - Cupertino CA
Mario J. Paniccia - Santa Clara CA
Dean A. Samara-Rubio - Pleasanton CA
Chi Chu - San Martin CA

Assignee:

Intel Corporation - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

G02B 626

US Classification:

385 15, 385 3, 385 17

Abstract:

An optical switching method and apparatus. In one aspect of the present invention, the disclosed apparatus includes first and second multi-mode interference (MMI) splitting devices in a semiconductor substrate. First and second outputs of the first MMI splitting device are optically coupled to first and second inputs, respectively, of the second MMI splitting device. First and second phase control devices are included in the semiconductor substrate. The first input of the second MMI splitting device is optically coupled to the first output of the first MMI splitting device through the first phase control device. The second input of the second MMI splitting device is optically coupled to the second output of the first MMI splitting device through the second phase control device. The first input of the first MMI splitting device is selectively optically coupled to the first and second outputs of the second MMI splitting device in response to the first and second phase control devices. The second input of the first MMI splitting device is selectively optically coupled to the first and second outputs of the second MMI splitting device in response to the first and second phase control devices.