IP Library Granted Patent US 11,686,902
Granted Patent B2
US 11,686,902 · App. 17/843,939 · Granted Jun 27, 2023

Photonics stabilization circuitry

Inventors: Carlos Dorta-Quinones (Medford, MA); Carl Ramey (Westborough, MA); Omer Ozgur Yildirim (Wellesley, MA); Chithira Ravi (Somerville, MA); Shashank Gupta (Newton, MA); Nicholas C. Harris (Boston, MA)
Assignee: Lightmatter, Inc.
G02B6/29338G02B6/12033G02B6/29395G02B2006/12135G02B2006/12138G02F1/0118G02F2203/21
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,686,902
App. No.
17/843,939
Granted
Jun 27, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus for tuning a photonics-based component. An opto-electrical detector is configured to output an electrical signal based on a measurement of light intensity of the photonics-based component, the light intensity being proportional to an amount of detuning of the photonics-based component. Analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) circuitry is configured to output a digital signal based on the electrical signal output from the opto-electrical detector. Feedback control circuitry is configured to tune the photonics-based component based, at least in part, on the digital signal output from the ADC circuitry.

Claims (47)

1. A device, comprising:

an opto-electrical detector configured to output an electrical signal based on a measurement of light intensity of a photonics-based component, the light intensity being proportional to an amount of detuning of the photonics-based component;

analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) circuitry configured to output a digital signal based on the electrical signal output from the opto-electrical detector, wherein the ADC circuitry comprises an integrating capacitor configured to integrate at least a portion of the electrical signal output from the opto-electrical detector prior to conversion to a digital signal;

feedback control circuitry configured to tune the photonics-based component based, at least in part, on the digital signal output from the ADC circuitry; and

a digital controller configured to:

receive the digital signal output from the ADC circuitry;

generate a digital pulse sequence based, at least in part, on the received digital signal; and

provide the digital pulse sequence to the feedback control circuitry.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the photonics-based component is a ring resonator.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein:

the photonics-based component includes a viewport, and

the opto-electrical detector comprises a photodetector configured to detect a light intensity through the viewport.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the digital controller is further configured to set an integration time of the integrating capacitor.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the ADC circuitry further comprises multi-stage amplification circuitry configured to amplify a voltage stored by the integrating capacitor.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the ADC circuitry comprises a dual-slope integrating ADC.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the feedback control circuitry is configured to tune the photonics-based component by controlling a temperature of the photonics-based component.

8. A device, comprising:

an opto-electrical detector configured to output an electrical signal based on a measurement of light intensity of a photonics-based component, the light intensity being proportional to an amount of detuning of the photonics-based component;

analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) circuitry configured to output a digital signal based on the electrical signal output from the opto-electrical detector, wherein the ADC circuitry comprises a dual-slope integrating ADC;

feedback control circuitry configured to tune the photonics-based component based, at least in part, on the digital signal output from the ADC circuitry; and

a digital controller configured to:

receive the digital signal output from the ADC circuitry;

generate a digital pulse sequence based, at least in part, on the received digital signal; and

provide the digital pulse sequence to the feedback control circuitry.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the feedback control circuitry is configured to tune the photonics-based component by controlling a temperature of the photonics-based component.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the feedback control circuitry is configured to control the temperature of the photonics-based component by introducing a phase shift in the photonics-based component.

11. The device of claim 9 , wherein the feedback control circuitry includes a modulator that provides at least one of an electro-optic effect and a thermal phase shift in the photonics-based component.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the modulator includes at least one of a resistor, a p-n junction, and a p-i-n junction.

13. The device of claim 9 , wherein the photonics-based component is a ring resonator.

14. The device of claim 9 , wherein:

the photonics-based component includes a viewport, and

the opto-electrical detector comprises a photodetector configured to detect a light intensity through the viewport.

15. A device, comprising:

an opto-electrical detector configured to output an electrical signal based on a measurement of light intensity of a photonics-based component, the light intensity being proportional to an amount of detuning of the photonics-based component;

analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) circuitry configured to output a digital signal based on the electrical signal output from the opto-electrical detector;

feedback control circuitry configured to tune the photonics-based component based, at least in part, on the digital signal output from the ADC circuitry, wherein the feedback control circuitry comprises pulse width modulation (PWM) circuitry coupled to a digital-to-analog converter (DAC); and

a digital controller configured to:

receive the digital signal output from the ADC circuitry;

generate a digital pulse sequence based, at least in part, on the received digital signal; and

provide the digital pulse sequence to the feedback control circuitry.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the DAC has a resolution less than or equal to 8-bits.

17. The device of claim 15 , wherein the PWM circuitry is configured to perform code dithering.

18. The device of claim 15 , wherein the ADC circuitry comprises a dual-slope integrating ADC.

19. The device of claim 15 , wherein the feedback control circuitry is configured to tune the photonics-based component by controlling a temperature of the photonics-based component.

20. The device of claim 15 , wherein:

the photonics-based component includes a viewport, and

the opto-electrical detector comprises a photodetector configured to detect a light intensity through the viewport.

Assignments (4)
TERMINATION OF IP SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 5, 2024
From: EASTWARD FUND MANAGEMENT, LLC
To: LIGHTMATTER, INC.
Reel/Frame 069304/0700 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 31, 2023
From: EASTWARD FUND MANAGEMENT, LLC
To: LIGHTMATTER, INC.
Reel/Frame 063209/0966 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2022
From: LIGHTMATTER, INC.
To: EASTWARD FUND MANAGEMENT, LLC
Reel/Frame 062230/0361 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 5, 2022
From: DORTA-QUINONES, CARLOS; RAMEY, CARL; YILDIRIM, OMER OZGUR; RAVI, CHITHIRA; GUPTA, SHASHANK; HARRIS, NICHOLAS C
To: LIGHTMATTER, INC.
Reel/Frame 060735/0071 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16918196 · Jul 1, 2020
Provisional Application 62869690 · Jul 2, 2019
Related Publication 20220317378A1 · Oct 6, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,355,492