IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,901,127
Granted Patent B2
US 10,901,127 · App. 16/371,692 · Granted Jan 26, 2021

Optical filter

Inventors: James Switzer, III (Santa Rosa, CA); Georg J. Ockenfuss (Santa Rosa, CA)
Assignee: VIAVI Solutions Inc.
G02B5/288G02B1/113G02B1/115G02B5/0816G02B5/0825G02B5/0833G02B5/281G02B6/02395G02B6/4483G02B6/03616G02F2001/0151
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,901,127
App. No.
16/371,692
Granted
Jan 26, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A bandpass filter may include a set of layers. The set of layers may include a first subset of layers. The first subset of layers may include hydrogenated germanium (Ge:H) with a first refractive index. The set of layers may include a second subset of layers. The second subset of layers may include a material with a second refractive index. The second refractive index may be less than the first refractive index.

Claims (60)

1. An optical filter comprising:

an optical filtering coating portion,

the optical filtering coating portion including:

a first set of layers, and

a second set of layers,

the first set of layers including a hydrogenated germanium based material, and

the second set of layers including at least one of:

a silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) material,

an aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ) material,

a titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) material,

a niobium pentoxide (Nb 2 O 5 ) material,

a tantalum pentoxide (Ta 2 O 5 ) material, or

a magnesium fluoride (MgF 2 ) material; and

a substrate.

2. The optical filter of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogenated germanium based material includes hydrogenated germanium or annealed hydrogenated germanium.

3. The optical filter of claim 1 ,

wherein the first set of layers is associated with a first refractive index,

wherein the second set of layers is associated with a second refractive index, and

wherein the second refractive index is different from the first refractive index.

4. The optical filter of claim 3 , wherein the second refractive index is less than the first refractive index.

5. The optical filter of claim 1 , wherein the first set of layers is associated with a refractive index that is greater than 2.0 over a spectral range.

6. The optical filter of claim 1 , wherein the first set of layers is associated with a refractive index that is approximately 4.2 at a wavelength of approximately 1550 nanometers (nm).

7. The optical filter of claim 1 , wherein the first set of layers is associated with an extinction coefficient of less than approximately 0.1.

8. The optical filter of claim 7 , wherein the first set of layers is associated with the extinction coefficient at approximately 1550 nanometers (nm).

9. The optical filter of claim 1 , wherein the second set of layers is associated with a refractive index of less than 3 over a spectral range.

10. The optical filter of claim 9 , wherein the spectral range is approximately 1100 nanometers (nm) to approximately 2000 nm.

11. An optical filter comprising:

a first set of layers including a hydrogenated germanium based material, and

a second set of layers including at least one of:

a silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) material,

an aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ) material,

a titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) material,

a niobium pentoxide (Nb 2 O 5 ) material,

a tantalum pentoxide (Ta 2 O 5 ) material, or

a magnesium fluoride (MgF 2 ) material.

12. The optical filter of claim 11 ,

where the first set of layers are high refractive index layers (H) and the second set of layers are low refractive index layers (L), and

wherein the first set of layers and the second set of layers are arranged in one of:

an (H-L) m order,

an (H-L) m -H order,

an (L-H) m order, or

an L-(H-L) m order,

where m is a quantity of alternating H and L layers.

13. The optical filter of claim 11 ,

where the first set of layers are high refractive index layers (H) and the second set of layers are low refractive index layers (L), and

wherein the first set of layers and the second set of layers include approximately 20 layers of alternating H layers and L layers.

14. The optical filter of claim 11 , wherein a layer, of the first set of layers, is associated with a thickness of between approximately 5 nanometers (nm) and approximately 2000 nm.

15. The optical filter of claim 11 ,

wherein the first set of layers is associated with a first thickness, and

wherein the second set of layers is associated with a second thickness.

16. The optical filter of claim 11 ,

wherein the first set of layers includes a first subset of layers and a second subset of layers,

wherein the first subset of layers is associated with a first thickness, and

wherein the second subset of layers is associated with a second thickness.

17. The optical filter of claim 11 , wherein the first set of layers and the second set of layers are fabricated using a pulsed-magnetron based sputtering procedure.

18. The optical filter of claim 11 , wherein the optical filter is annealed.

19. The optical filter of claim 11 , wherein the second set of layers includes the silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) material.

20. The optical filter of claim 11 ,

wherein the optical filter is associated with a thickness of approximately 5.6 μm, and

wherein the optical filter is associated with a bandpass centered at approximately 1550 nanometers (nm) for an angle of incidence of 0 degrees.

Assignments (4)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 73189/0873 Recorded May 28, 2026
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: INERTIAL LABS, INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS LICENSING LLC
Reel/Frame 075642/0381 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2025
From: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS LICENSING LLC; INERTIAL LABS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 073571/0137 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 21, 2025
From: INERTIAL LABS, INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS LICENSING LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 073189/0873 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 2, 2019
From: SWITZER III, JAMES; OCKENFUSS, GEORG J.
To: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.
Reel/Frame 048764/0556 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 15657515 · Jul 24, 2017
Related Publication 20190227210A1 · Jul 25, 2019