Method and system for a light source assembly supporting direct coupling to an integrated circuit
View Patent ↗Methods and systems for a light source assembly supporting direct coupling to a photonically enabled complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) chip are disclosed. The assembly may include a laser, a microlens, a turning mirror, reciprocal and/or non-reciprocal polarization rotators, and an optical bench. The laser may generate an optical signal that may be focused utilizing the microlens. The optical signal may be reflected at an angle defined by the turning mirror, and may be transmitted out of the light source assembly to one or more grating couplers in the chip. The laser may include a feedback insensitive laser. The light source assembly may include two electro-thermal interfaces between the optical bench, the laser, and a lid affixed to the optical bench. The turning mirror may be integrated in a lid affixed to the optical bench or may be integrated in the optical bench.
1. A system for processing signals, the system comprising:
a light source assembly affixed to a photonically enabled complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) chip, said light source assembly comprising a laser, a microlens, a reciprocal polarization rotator, a non-reciprocal polarization rotator, a turning mirror, and an optical bench, said light source assembly being operable to:
generate an optical signal utilizing said laser;
focus said optical signal utilizing said microlens;
rotate a polarization of said optical signal utilizing said reciprocal polarization rotator;
reflect said optical signal at an angle defined by said turning mirror;
transmit said reflected optical signal out of said light source assembly to one or more grating couplers in said photonically enabled CMOS chip; and
reduce optical feedback to said laser from an optical signal returned from said photonically enabled CMOS chip utilizing said non-reciprocal polarization rotator.
2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said non-reciprocal polarization rotator comprises a faraday rotator.
3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said non-reciprocal polarization rotator comprises a latching faraday rotator.
4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said reciprocal polarization rotator comprises a half-wave plate.
5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein said half-wave plate comprises a dielectric stack comprising one or more birefringent materials affixed to said optical bench.
6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said turning mirror is integrated in said optical bench.
7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said turning mirror is integrated in a lid affixed to said optical bench.
8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said light source assembly comprises two electro-thermal interfaces between said optical bench, said laser, and a lid affixed to said optical bench.
9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said microlens comprises a ball lens.
10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said laser comprises a semiconductor laser diode.
11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said laser comprises an edge emitting laser diode.
12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said optical bench functions as a mechanical support structure for one or more optical components of said light source assembly and said reflected optical signal passes through said optical bench.
13. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said optical bench comprises silicon.
14. The system according to claim 1 , wherein one or more interposers are applied between said light source assembly and said CMOS chip.
15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein said one or more interposers comprise metal pads integrated into said CMOS chip.
16. The system according to claim 14 , wherein said one or more interposers comprise one or more polymer pads deposited on said CMOS chip.
17. A system for processing signals, the system comprising:
a light source assembly affixed to a photonically enabled complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) chip, said light source assembly comprising a laser, a microlens, a non-reciprocal polarization rotator, a turning mirror, and an optical bench, said light source assembly being operable to:
generate an optical signal utilizing said laser;
focus said generated optical signal utilizing said microlens;
reflect said optical signal at an angle defined by said turning mirror; and
transmit said reflected optical signal out of said light source assembly to one or more grating couplers in said photonically enabled CMOS chip; and
reduce optical feedback to said laser from an optical signal returned from said photonically enabled CMOS chip utilizing said non-reciprocal polarization rotator.
18. The system according to claim 17 , wherein said non-reciprocal polarization rotator comprises a faraday rotator.
19. The system according to claim 17 , wherein said non-reciprocal polarization rotator comprises a latching faraday rotator.
20. The system according to claim 17 , wherein said light source assembly comprises two electro-thermal interfaces between said optical bench, said laser, and a lid affixed to said optical bench.
21. The system according to claim 17 , wherein said turning mirror is integrated in said optical bench.
22. The system according to claim 17 , wherein said turning mirror is integrated in a lid affixed to said optical bench.
23. The system according to claim 17 , wherein said microlens comprises a ball lens.
24. The system according to claim 17 , wherein said laser comprises a semiconductor laser diode.
25. The system according to claim 17 , wherein said laser comprises an edge emitting laser diode.
26. The system according to claim 17 , wherein said optical bench functions as a mechanical support structure for one or more optical components of said light source assembly and said reflected optical signal passes through said optical bench.
27. The system according to claim 17 , wherein said optical bench comprises silicon.
28. The system according to claim 17 , wherein one or more interposers are integrated between said light source assembly and said CMOS chip.
29. The system according to claim 28 , wherein said one or more interposers comprise metal pads integrated into said CMOS chip.
30. The system according to claim 28 , wherein said one or more interposers comprise one or more polymer pads deposited on said CMOS chip.
31. A system for processing signals, the system comprising:
a light source assembly affixed to a photonically enabled complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) chip, said light source assembly comprising a laser, a microlens, a turning mirror, a reciprocal polarization rotator, and an optical bench, said light source assembly being operable to:
generate an optical signal utilizing said laser;
focus said generated optical signal utilizing said microlens;
rotate a polarization of said optical signal utilizing said reciprocal polarization rotator;
reflect said optical signal at an angle defined by said turning mirror;
transmit said reflected optical signal out of said light source assembly to one or more grating couplers in said photonically enabled CMOS chip.
32. The system according to claim 31 , wherein said laser comprises a semiconductor laser diode.
33. The system according to claim 31 , wherein said laser comprises an edge-emitting laser diode.
34. The system according to claim 31 , wherein said reciprocal polarization rotator comprises a half-wave plate.
35. The system according to claim 34 , wherein said half-wave plate comprises a dielectric stack comprising one or more birefringent materials affixed to said optical bench.
36. The system according to claim 31 , wherein said light source assembly comprises two electro-thermal interfaces between said optical bench, said laser, and a lid affixed to said optical bench.
37. The system according to claim 31 , wherein said turning mirror is integrated in a lid affixed to said optical bench.
38. The system according to claim 31 , wherein said turning mirror is integrated in said optical bench.
39. The system according to claim 31 , wherein said microlens comprises a ball lens.
40. The system according to claim 31 , wherein said optical bench functions as a mechanical support structure for one or more optical components of said light source assembly and said reflected optical signal passes through said optical bench.
41. The system according to claim 31 , wherein said optical bench comprises silicon.
42. The system according to claim 31 , wherein one or more interposers are integrated between said light source assembly and said CMOS chip.
43. The system according to claim 42 , wherein said one or more interposers comprise metal pads integrated into said CMOS chip.
44. The system according to claim 42 , wherein said one or more interposers comprise one or more polymer pads deposited on said CMOS chip.
45. A system for processing signals, the system comprising:
a light source assembly affixed to a photonically enabled complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) chip, said light source assembly comprising a laser, a microlens, a turning mirror, and an optical bench, said light source assembly being operable to:
generate an optical signal utilizing said laser;
focus said generated optical signal utilizing said microlens;
reflect said optical signal at an angle defined by said turning mirror; and
transmit said reflected optical signal out of said light source assembly to one or more grating couplers in said photonically enabled CMOS chip.
46. The system according to claim 45 , wherein said laser comprises semiconductor laser diode.
47. The system according to claim 45 , wherein said laser comprises an edge-emitting laser diode.
48. The system according to claim 45 , wherein said laser comprises a feedback insensitive laser diode.
49. The system according to claim 45 , wherein said light source assembly comprises two electro-thermal interfaces between said optical bench, said laser, and a lid affixed to said optical bench.
50. The system according to claim 45 , wherein said turning mirror is integrated in a lid affixed to said optical bench.
51. The system according to claim 45 , wherein said turning mirror is integrated in said optical bench.
52. The system according to claim 45 , wherein said microlens comprises a ball lens.
53. The system according to claim 45 , wherein said optical bench functions as a mechanical support structure for one or more optical components of said light source assembly and said reflected optical signal passes through said optical bench.
54. The system according to claim 45 , wherein said optical bench comprises silicon.
55. The system according to claim 45 , wherein one or more interposers are integrated between said light source assembly and said CMOS chip.
56. The system according to claim 55 , wherein said one or more interposers comprise metal pads integrated into said CMOS chip.
57. The system according to claim 55 , wherein said one or more interposers comprise one or more polymer pads deposited on said CMOS chip.