Method and system for integrated power combiners

1. A system for processing optical signals, the system comprising:

a chip comprising an optical power combiner, said optical power combiner comprising input optical waveguides, optical couplers, and output optical waveguides, said chip being operable to:

receive optical signals in each of said input optical waveguides;

phase-modulate one or both received optical signals to configure a phase offset between signals received at a first optical coupler, wherein said first optical coupler generates output signals having substantially equal optical powers; and

phase-modulate one or both output signals of said first optical coupler to configure a phase offset between signals received at a second optical coupler, wherein said second optical coupler generates an output signal in a first of said output optical waveguides having an optical power of essentially zero and an output signal in a second of said output optical waveguides having a maximized optical power.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said optical couplers comprise grating couplers.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said optical couplers comprise multi-mode interference couplers.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said optical couplers comprise multi-stage cascaded directional couplers.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said chip comprises a CMOS chip.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said chip is operable to generate said optical signals received by said input optical waveguides utilizing a polarization-splitting grating coupler.

7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein said polarization splitting grating coupler enables polarization-insensitive combining of optical signals utilizing said optical power combiner.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said chip is operable to monitor optical power in waveguides coupling said optical couplers using optical detectors, wherein said monitoring of optical power is used to determine a desired phase offset between said signals received at said first optical coupler.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein said chip is operable to communicate optical signals to said optical detectors utilizing optical taps in said coupling waveguides.

10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said optical power combiner comprises a plurality of stages.

11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said optical power combiner is operable to receive an optical source signal in to said chip via optical fibers.

12. A method for processing signals, the method comprising:

in a chip comprising a polarization controller, said polarization controller comprising an input optical waveguide, optical couplers, and a polarization-splitting grating coupler:

generating two output signals from a first optical coupler that receives an input signal from said input optical waveguide;

phase modulating one or both of said two output signals to configure a phase offset between said two generated output signals before communicating signals with said phase offset to a second optical coupler;

phase modulating one or both optical signals generated by said second optical coupler to configure a phase offset between signals communicated to said polarization-splitting grating coupler; and

launching an optical signal of a desired polarization into an optical fiber via said polarization-splitting grating coupler by combining said signals communicated to said polarization-splitting grating coupler.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said optical couplers comprise one or more of grating couplers, multi-mode interference couplers, and multi-stage cascaded directional couplers.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said chip comprises a CMOS chip.

15. The method according to claim 12 , comprising generating said optical signals received by said input optical waveguides utilizing a polarization-splitting grating coupler.

16. The method according to claim 15 , comprising polarization-insensitive combining of optical signals utilizing said polarization splitting grating coupler.

17. The method according to claim 12 , comprising monitoring optical power in waveguides coupling said optical couplers using optical detectors, wherein said monitoring of optical power is used to determine a desired phase offset between said signals received at said first optical coupler.

18. The method according to claim 17 , comprising communicating optical signals to said optical detectors utilizing optical taps in said coupling waveguides.

19. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said optical power combiner comprises a plurality of stages.

20. The method according to claim 12 , comprising receiving an optical source signal in to said chip via optical fibers.

21. A system for processing signals, the system comprising:

a CMOS photonics chip comprising an optical power combiner, said optical power combiner comprising input optical waveguides, optical couplers, and output optical waveguides, said chip being operable to:

receive optical signals in each of said input optical waveguides;

phase-modulate one or both received optical signals to configure a phase offset between signals received at a first optical coupler, wherein said first optical coupler generates output signals having substantially equal optical powers; and

phase-modulate one or both output signals of said first optical coupler to configure a phase offset between signals received at a second optical coupler, wherein said second optical coupler generates an output signal in a first of said output optical waveguides having an optical power of essentially zero and an output signal in a second of said output optical waveguides having a maximized optical power.