Patent ID: 6282345
Filing Date: 2001-08-28
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
An arrangement for coupling at least two optical waveguides to one another, each of said waveguides having one core layer for guiding an optical wave having a specific wavelength .lambda., said arrangement comprising the core layers of both waveguides being arranged essentially parallel to one another at a vertical distance from one another that is at least equal to half the wavelength .lambda. of the wave guided in the core layer, said core layers overlapping one another in an overlap region and being separated from one another in the overlap region by a cladding layer having a refractive index that is lower relative to the refractive index of the core layers, at least one of the waveguides having a ridge being fashioned on a flat surface of the core layer and having an end face in the overlap region, the longitudinal axis of said ridge determining a direction of an axis propagation of the optical waves guided in said core layer proceeding along a direction parallel to said core layer and the ridge having a cross-sectional constriction in the overlap region in a specific direction of the longitudinal axis of the ridge, said constriction of the ridge having a uniform thickness along the longitudinal axis and a width that tapers in the specific direction toward the end face, and the core layer of the waveguide with the ridge and core layer of the other waveguide each having a uniform thickness along the longitudinal axis of the ridge so that an optical wave guided in the core layer of a waveguide can be coupled over through the cladding layer into the core layer of the other waveguide in the overlap region.