IP Library › Granted Patent US 12663586
Granted Patent B2
US 12663586 · App. 18/013,539 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Electromagnetic waveguides using cascaded mode conversion

Inventors: Vincent Ginis (Cambridge, MA); Marco Piccardo (Cambridge, MA); Michele Tamagnone (Cambridge, MA); Federico Capasso (Cambridge, MA)
Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
G02B6/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12663586
App. No.
18/013,539
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device includes a first mode converter and a second mode converter that define a region between the first mode converter and the second mode converter. The region can contain a plurality of optical modes including at least three modes. The first mode converter and the second mode converter can generate a near-field via a conversion between the plurality of optical modes. The first mode converter can receive an input wave of a first mode and the second mode converter can generate an output wave of a second mode different from the first mode. The first mode converter and the second mode converter can generate a confined near-field via a conversion between the plurality of optical modes.

Claims (37)

1 . A device, comprising:

a first mode converter and a second mode converter that define a region between the first mode converter and the second mode converter, the region configured to contain a plurality of optical modes comprising at least three modes,

wherein the first mode converter and the second mode converter are configured to generate a near-field via a conversion between the plurality of optical modes, and

wherein:

the first mode converter and the second mode converter are configured to generate a near-field with a first profile, responsive to the first mode converter receiving a first input wave; and

the first mode converter and the second mode converter are configured to generate a near-field with a second profile, responsive to the first mode converter receiving a second input wave; and

the first mode converter or the second mode converter comprises a tunable mode converter.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the tunable mode converter comprises an acousto-optic modulator or an electro-optic modulator.

3 . A device, comprising:

a first mode converter and a second mode converter that define a region between the first mode converter and the second mode converter, the region configured to contain a plurality of optical modes comprising at least three modes, wherein the first mode converter and the second mode converter are configured to generate a near-field via a conversion between the plurality of optical modes;

a first waveguide that includes the first mode converter and the second mode converter, the first waveguide configured to generate the near-field responsive to the first mode converter receiving an input wave; and

a second waveguide configured to generate an output wave according to a coupling of the near-field between the first waveguide and the second waveguide.

4 . The device of claim 3 , wherein:

the first waveguide comprises a first optical fiber and the second waveguide comprises a second optical fiber; or

the device is a silicon chip device.

5 . A device, comprising:

a first mode converter and a second mode converter that define a region between the first mode converter and the second mode converter, the region configured to contain a plurality of optical modes comprising at least three modes, wherein the first mode converter and the second mode converter are configured to generate a near-field via a conversion between the plurality of optical modes; and

a waveguide that includes the first mode converter and the second mode converter, the waveguide configured to control a spatial position of a particle relative to the waveguide according to an input wave received by the waveguide, or sense a molecule proximate to the waveguide and output an indication of the sensing of the molecule.

6 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first waveguide that includes the first mode converter and the second mode converter, the first waveguide configured to generate a first near-field responsive to the first mode converter receiving a first wave;

a second waveguide that includes a third mode converter and a fourth mode converter, the second waveguide configured to:

generate a second wave according to a coupling of the first near-field between the first waveguide and the second waveguide; and

generate a second near-field responsive to the third mode converter receiving the second wave; and

a third waveguide configured to generate a third wave according to a coupling of the second near-field between the second waveguide and the third waveguide.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first mode converter and the second mode converter comprise an optical medium with at least one of etchings, gratings, refractive index variations, corrugations, thickness variations, or impedance variations; or

the first mode converter and the second mode converter are configured to generate the near-field with a longitudinal near-field profile, responsive to the first mode converter receiving a first input wave; or

the first mode converter and the second mode converter are configured to generate the near-field with a transverse near-field profile, responsive to the first mode converter receiving a first input wave.

8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first mode converter and the second mode converter are configured to generate a near-field with a first profile, responsive to the first mode converter receiving a first input wave with a first polarization; and

the first mode converter and the second mode converter are configured to generate a near-field with a second profile, responsive to the first mode converter receiving a second input wave with a second polarization.

9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first mode converter and the second mode converter are configured to generate a near-field with a first profile, responsive to the first mode converter receiving a first input wave with a first frequency; and

the first mode converter and the second mode converter are configured to generate a near-field with a second profile, responsive to the first mode converter receiving a second input wave with a second frequency.

10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first mode converter and the second mode converter are configured to generate a near-field with a first profile, responsive to the first mode converter receiving a first input wave with a first mode number; and

the first mode converter and the second mode converter are configured to generate a near-field with a second profile, responsive to the first mode converter receiving a second input wave with a second mode number.