Philip R Keating

US Patent:

6453087, Sep 17, 2002

Filed:

Apr 18, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/837339

Inventors:

Michael B. Frish - Andover MA
Philip B. Keating - Salem MA
William J. Kessler - Groton MA
Steven J. Davis - Londonderry NH

Assignee:

Confluent Photonics Co. - Andover MA

International Classification:

G02B 628

US Classification:

385 24, 385 10, 385 33, 385 37, 359130, 359131

Abstract:

A miniature monolithic optical add-drop multiplexer that comprises a dispersive optical element, a wavelength filter array and a diverter. The miniature monolithic optical DWDM add-drop multiplexer can be fabricated using micro- and nano-scale techniques common to the semiconductor industry. The operating principles and some characteristics of the DWDM add-drop multiplexer are described. The device will be useful in the field of optical communication as a component within networks that perform all of the necessary switching, adding, dropping, and manipulating of optical signals entirely in the optical domain.

US Patent:

6496616, Dec 17, 2002

Filed:

Mar 13, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/805358

Inventors:

Michael B. Frish - Andover MA
Philip B. Keating - Salem MA
William J. Kessler - Groton MA
Steven J. Davis - Londonderry NH

Assignee:

Confluent Photonics, Inc. - Andover MA

International Classification:

G02B 628

US Classification:

385 24, 385 10, 385 36, 385 37, 359130, 359131

Abstract:

A miniature monolithic optical demultiplexer that comprises a dispersive optical element and a wavelength filter array. The miniature monolithic optical DWDM demultiplexer can be fabricated using micro- and nano-scale techniques common to the semiconductor industry. The operating principles and some characteristics of the DWDM demultiplexer are described. The device will be useful in the field of optical communication as a component within networks that perform all of the necessary switching, adding, dropping, and manipulating of optical signals entirely in the optical domain. With the inclusion of additional components, exemplary optical communication devices that can be built using the DWDM demultiplexer include optical add/drop multiplexers (OADM), Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) routers, tunable filters, optical cross connects, and the like.

US Patent:

20020191916, Dec 19, 2002

Filed:

Mar 15, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/099482

Inventors:

Michael Frish - Andover MA, US
Philip Keating - Salem MA, US
Eugene Fike - Amesbury MA, US
Stuart Jacobson - Lexington MA, US
Craig Keast - Groton MA, US
Carl Bozler - Waltham MA, US
Michael Fritze - Acton MA, US
Jeffery Knecht - Brookline NH, US
John Fijol - Shrewsbury MA, US

Assignee:

Confluent Photonics, Corporation - Andover MA

International Classification:

G02B006/26
G02B006/30

US Classification:

385/043000, 385/039000, 385/049000

Abstract:

An apparatus for optical coupling between optical fibers and semiconductor waveguides and method of use thereof. The optical coupler comprises a tapered semiconductor structure having a cross section defined in a plane substantially perpendicular to a direction of propagation of light, which cross section has a dimension accurate to approximately 50 nanometer tolerance. The coupler has an optical index of refraction. The coupler has adjacent thereto material having an optical index less than that of the semiconductor, the adjacent material confining light within the semiconductor structure. In an exemplary embodiment, an optical communication device has two optical couplers disposed one at each end of a semiconductor waveguide to convey an optical communication from a source at one end to receiver at the other. In a further exemplary embodiment, a plurality of optical communication devices are disposed on a single semiconductor substrate.