Patent ID: 6470104
Filing Date: 2002-10-22
Classification: G02B,G02F

Abstract:
An apparatus, comprising:a first optical path through a semiconductor substrate, a first portion of an optical beam directed through the first optical path; a second optical path through the semiconductor substrate, a second portion of the optical beam directed through the second optical path; an optical switching device disposed in the semiconductor substrate along the first optical path so as to selectively adjust a phase difference between the first and second portions of the optical beam in response to a signal; an optical confinement region disposed between the first and second optical paths so as to optically isolate the first and second optical paths; and first and second optical confinement layers disposed proximate to the semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate disposed between the first and second optical confinement layers, the first and second optical confinement layers to confine the optical beam to remain within the semiconductor substrate prior to merging the first and second optical paths.