Continuously variable optical confinement for optical amplifiers
| DWPI Title: Semiconductor optical amplifier for providing high gain and high output power, has confinement tuning layer whose thickness in mid-gain region is continuously tapered from first to second confinement layer thickness |
| Abstract: A semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) with a variable optical confinement factor I′ along the length of the device is disclosed. At the input end of the SOA, the optical confinement is high as an optical core is adjacent an optical gain layer, resulting in a high-gain region that rapidly increases the optical signal power. In the central portion of the SOA, the optical confinement is continuously reduced as the optical core is tapered away from the optical gain layer, thereby lowering the gain, but increasing the output saturation power. Near the output end of the SOA, the optical confinement factor is held constant, providing a length of additional gain, thereby further increasing the output power. The SOA may optionally include a spot-size converter region to focus the output optical signal. |
| Use: Semiconductor optical amplifier. |
| Advantage: The semiconductor optical amplifier simultaneously provides both high gain and high output power by using a continuously variable optical confinement structure. At the input end of SOA, optical confinement is high, resulting in a high-gain region that rapidly increases optical signal power. In central portion of the optical amplifier, the confinement is reduced, thus lowering the gain, but increasing the output saturation power. The optical confinement factor is held constant, providing a length of additional gain near the output end of SOA. The net effect is that core of waveguide in SOA is moved away from optical gain layer of the device. The SOA may optionally include a spot-size converter region to focus output optical signal. |
| Novelty: The semiconductor optical amplifier comprises lower cladding layer, optical gain layer on lower cladding layer, optical gain layer adapted to provide optical gain to an optical signal; confinement tuning layer on optical gain layer; core on confinement tuning layer, core having a first core thickness; and upper cladding layer on core; where lower cladding layer, confinement tuning layer, core, and upper cladding layer are adapted to collectively guide the optical signal, where thickness of confinement tuning layer in high-gain region has first confinement layer thickness, confinement tuning layer in high-gain region adapted to produce first optical confinement factor; where thickness of the confinement tuning layer in mid-gain region adjacent the high-gain region is tapered from first confinement layer thickness to second confinement layer thickness, second confinement layer thickness greater than first confinement layer thickness; and where thickness of confinement tuning layer. |
| Filed: 4/25/2022 |
| Application Number: US17727929A |
| Tech ID: SD 15455.0 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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