Patent ID: 9703046
Date: 2017-07-11
CPC Classifications: G02B,G02F

Claim:
1. An active optical coupling system for a photonic integrated circuit (PIC), the active optical coupling system comprising: a photonic die having a body with a photonic die surface and a PIC waveguide element disposed on the photonic die surface, the PIC waveguide element having an intermediate coupling element disposed on the PIC waveguide element; a first refractive element for at least partially collimating the light exiting from an external waveguide element; a liquid crystal refractive element (LCRE) being optically coupled to the PIC waveguide element of the photonic die via the intermediate coupling element, the LCRE having a second refractive element for at least partially focusing the light outputted from the LCRE, the focused light being directed to the intermediate coupling element of the photonic die for coupling into the PIC waveguide element; and a controller being electrically connected to the electrode system of the LCRE and being operable to actively control the propagation of the outputted light upon action of the electric field on the liquid crystal layer via the electrode system, said active control allowing coupling of the focused light into the PIC waveguide element.