20240077686.Compact Optical Coupler simplified abstract (apple inc.)

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Compact Optical Coupler

Organization Name

apple inc.

Inventor(s)

Jason Pelc of Sunnyvale CA (US)

Jin-Hyoung Lee of Yorba Linda CA (US)

Andrea Trita of Pasadena CA (US)

Compact Optical Coupler - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20240077686 titled 'Compact Optical Coupler

Simplified Explanation

The patent application describes configurations for an optical coupler with waveguides that provide asymmetric mode confinement. The coupler may include first and second rib waveguides, with the width of the shoulder of at least one rib waveguide tapering to achieve the asymmetric mode confinement. In some cases, the shoulders of one or both rib waveguides may have different heights in a central region of the optical coupler.

  • First and second rib waveguides are used in the optical coupler.
  • The width of the shoulder of at least one rib waveguide tapers to provide asymmetric mode confinement.
  • The shoulders of one or both rib waveguides may have different heights in a central region of the optical coupler.

Potential Applications

The technology described in the patent application could be applied in:

  • Optical communication systems
  • Fiber optic networks
  • Photonic integrated circuits

Problems Solved

The technology addresses the following issues:

  • Achieving asymmetric mode confinement in optical couplers
  • Enhancing the performance of waveguides in optical systems

Benefits

The benefits of this technology include:

  • Improved efficiency in optical signal transmission
  • Enhanced control over light propagation in waveguides
  • Increased reliability and stability of optical couplers

Potential Commercial Applications

This technology could be utilized in various commercial applications such as:

  • Telecommunications industry
  • Data centers
  • Medical imaging devices

Possible Prior Art

One possible prior art could be the use of tapered waveguides in optical systems to control light propagation. Another could be the implementation of rib waveguides with different heights to achieve specific optical properties.

Unanswered Questions

How does this technology compare to existing asymmetric mode confinement methods in optical couplers?

The article does not provide a direct comparison with existing methods for achieving asymmetric mode confinement in optical couplers. Further research or a comparative analysis would be needed to address this question.

What are the potential challenges in implementing this technology in practical optical systems?

The article does not discuss the potential challenges in implementing this technology in practical optical systems. Factors such as manufacturing complexity, cost-effectiveness, and compatibility with existing systems could be important considerations that need to be explored further.


Original Abstract Submitted

configurations for an optical coupler that includes waveguides that provide asymmetric mode confinement. the optical coupler may include first and second rib waveguides, and the width of the shoulder of at least one rib waveguide may taper to provide the asymmetric mode confinement. in some instances the shoulders of one or both rib waveguides may have different heights in a central region of the optical coupler.