Patent ID: 7391948
Filing Date: 2008-06-24
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. A waveguide structure comprising: a. a core having a lateral dimension and a vertical dimension and adapted to propagate light along a path defined by the core; and b. a cladding material at least partially surrounding the core, the core and the cladding material each having a refractive index profile in a direction light propagates through the core, wherein at least one of (1) the lateral dimension of the core or (2) the refractive index profile of the core vary along a predefined portion of the core; the refractive index profile of the cladding includes a gradient along the predefined portion and the refractive index profile of the cladding material comprises a refractive index profile for cladding material vertically adjacent to the core; wherein the core comprises a channel waveguide coupled to a taper that laterally flares out from the channel waveguide; the refractive index profile of the core in the region of the channel waveguide is defined by a first refractive index value, n the refractive index profile of the cladding material vertically adjacent to the core is graded from a third refractive index value, n