Patent ID: 8244077
Filing Date: 2012-08-14
Classification: G02B,G02F

Abstract:
1. A method of constructing an optical signal processor comprising a plurality of programmable unit cells, said method comprising: (i) providing a plurality of unit cells, wherein each unit cell includes an optical microdisk including a circular path, an optical phase shifter, a first input/output optical waveguide, and a second input/output optical waveguide, wherein said microdisk and said phase shifter are optically connected by means of said first input/output optical waveguide, and wherein said second input/output optical waveguide is optically connected to said microdisk; (ii) interconnecting at least some of said plurality of unit cells with a plurality of optical waveguides, said plurality of optical waveguides being connected to said at least some of said plurality of unit cells by means of said first and second input/output optical waveguides in said unit cells; (iii) in each of said plurality of unit cells, providing a thin layer of semiconductor material, having an undoped region and a doped region, in optical connection with at least one of said input/output optical waveguides, to program each of said plurality of unit cells by electrically energizing said undoped and doped regions of said semiconductor material; and (iv) programming a first unit cell of said plurality of unit cells to accomplish a first function comprising an optical coupler including two inputs and two outputs, wherein said first unit cell includes two coupling regions, and wherein said two coupling regions are programmed to establish the relative amount of power coupled between each of said first and second input/output waveguides and said circular path in said first unit cell.