Granted Patent B2

US 7,565,038 · App. 11/700,534 · Granted Jul 21, 2009

Abstract

Claims (36)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a waveguide segment having a cladding that surrounds an optically-transmissive core and extending along a path;

two heaters, each heater being in thermal communication with a different portion of the waveguide segment along the path, the heaters being separated by a gap at a location along the path;

a thermally-conductive substrate;

a thermally-conductive base in fixed alignment with the waveguide segment and with the thermally-conductive substrate, the thermally-conductive base being discontinuously on the waveguide segment along the path; and

a rib in fixed alignment with the waveguide segment and with the thermally-conductive substrate, the rib transversely extending in a direction away from a point along the path.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a part of the rib is interposed between the gap and the thermally-conductive substrate.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a part of the thermally-conductive base is on the waveguide segment at the location of the gap along the path.

4. A process for generating a phase shift in light, comprising:

providing an apparatus including:

a first waveguide segment having a cladding that surrounds an optically-transmissive core and extending along a first path, two heaters respectively being in thermal communication with first and second portions of the first waveguide segment that are separated by a gap on the first waveguide segment at a location along the first path;

a second waveguide segment having a cladding that surrounds an optically-transmissive core and extending along a second path spaced apart from the first path;

an output waveguide in optical communication with the first and second waveguide segments;

a thermally-conductive substrate;

a thermally-conductive base in fixed alignment with the first and second waveguide segments and with the thermally-conductive substrate, the thermally-conductive base being discontinuously on the first and second waveguide segments along the first and second paths; and

at least one rib in fixed alignment with the first and second waveguide segments and with the thermally-conductive substrate, the at least one rib transversely extending away from a first point along the first path and away from a second point along the second path;

passing light through the first and second waveguide segments, and heating the first and second portions of the first waveguide segment to a higher temperature than a temperature of the first waveguide segment at the location;

combining light from the first and second waveguide segments at the output waveguide; and

allowing heat to be dissipated from the first waveguide segment through the thermally-conductive base into the thermally-conductive substrate.

5. The process of claim 4 , including:

providing a part of the thermally-conductive base on the at least one rib at the first and second points; and

allowing heat to be dissipated through the at least one rib into the thermally-conductive substrate.

6. The process of claim 4 , including:

providing a part of the at least one rib interposed between the gap and the thermally-conductive substrate; and

heating the first and second portions of the first waveguide segment to a higher temperature than a temperature of the part of the at least one rib interposed between the gap and the thermally-conductive substrate.

7. The process of claim 4 , including:

providing a part of the thermally-conductive base on the first waveguide segment at the location of the gap along the path; and

heating the first and second portions of the first waveguide segment to a higher temperature than a temperature of the part of the thermally-conductive base on the first waveguide segment at the location of the gap along the first path.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the rib extends for a distance transversely away from the path, and wherein a part of the thermally-conductive base is interposed between the rib and the thermally-conductive substrate and is discontinuously on the rib over the distance.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the thermally-conductive base includes a post that is on the waveguide segment and is on the thermally-conductive substrate.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the waveguide segment is a first waveguide segment, and the path is a first path, the apparatus including:

a second waveguide segment having a cladding that surrounds an optically-transmissive core and extending along a second path different than the first path;

two heaters, each heater being in thermal communication with a different portion of the second waveguide segment along the second path, the heaters being separated by a gap at a location along the second path;

the thermally-conductive base being in fixed alignment with the second waveguide segment and with the thermally-conductive substrate, the thermally-conductive base being discontinuously on the second waveguide segment along the second path; and

a rib in fixed alignment with the second waveguide segment and with the thermally-conductive substrate, the rib transversely extending in a second direction away from a second point along the second path.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein a part of the thermally-conductive base is on the thermally-conductive substrate, on the first waveguide segment at the first point along the first path, and on the second waveguide segment at the second point along the second path.

Assignments (8)