IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,235,526
Granted Patent B2
US 12,235,526 · App. 17/904,787 · Granted Feb 25, 2025

Phase-change metasurface for programmable waveguide mode conversion

Inventors: Mo Li (Seattle, WA); Changming Wu (Seattle, WA)
Assignee: University of Washington
G02F1/035
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,235,526
App. No.
17/904,787
Granted
Feb 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Phase-change metasurface waveguide mode converters and photonic computing systems including a phase-change metasurface waveguide mode converter are described. In an embodiment, the phase-change metasurface waveguide mode converter include a plurality of phase-change antennas comprising a phase-change material and protruding from a surface, wherein each phase-change antenna of the plurality of phase-change antennas is configured to scatter an optical waveguide mode and cause a phase shift of light travelling through an optical waveguide optically coupled thereto. In an embodiment, the phase-change metasurface waveguide mode converter includes the plurality of phase-change antennas configured to alternate between a crystalline phase and an amorphous phase.

Claims (25)

1. A photonic computing system comprising:

a phase-change metasurface waveguide mode converter comprising a plurality of phase-change antennas comprising a phase-change material and protruding from a surface, wherein each phase-change antenna of the plurality of phase-change antennas is configured to scatter an optical waveguide mode and cause a phase shift of light travelling through an optical waveguide optically coupled thereto, and wherein the plurality of phase-change antennas defines a longitudinal axis, and wherein widths of the plurality of phase-change antennas change along the longitudinal axis;

an optical waveguide optically coupled to the plurality of phase-change antennas;

an input light source configured to emit signal light into a first end of a first portion of the optical waveguide;

a variable optical attenuator disposed between the input light source and the first end of the first portion; and

a signal photodetector configured to receive the signal light from a second end of the first portion of the optical waveguide and generate a modulated signal based upon the received signal light,

wherein the optical waveguide supports a first transverse optical mode and a second transverse optical mode, and wherein a wavevector difference between the first transverse optical mode and the second transverse optical mode is equal to a wavevector produced by the plurality of phase-change antennas in a crystalline phase.

2. The photonic computing system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to convert light in the first transverse optical mode to the second transverse optical mode upon passing through the phase-change metasurface waveguide mode converter.

3. The photonic computing system of claim 1 , wherein a wavevector produced by the plurality of phase-change antennas is not equal to the wavevector difference between the first transverse optical mode to the second transverse optical mode when the plurality of phase-change antennas is in an amorphous phase.

4. The photonic computing system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller operatively coupled to the signal photodetector and configured to receive the modulated signal.

5. The photonic computing system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a control light source configured to emit control light into a first end of a second portion of the optical waveguide; and

a control photodetector configured to receive control light from a second end of the second portion of the optical waveguide and configured to generate a control signal based upon the received control light.

6. The photonic computing system of claim 5 , wherein the control light emitted from the control light source is configured to transition the plurality of phase-change antennas from a first phase state to a second phase state.

7. The photonic computing system of claim 1 , wherein the phase-change metasurface waveguide mode converter is one of an array of phase-change metasurface waveguide mode converters optically coupled to an array of optical waveguides.

8. The photonic computing system of claim 1 , further comprising an antenna phase control module configured to modulate a phase state of the plurality of phase-change antennas between a first phase state to a second phase state different from the first phase state.

9. The photonic computing system of claim 8 , wherein the antenna phase control module is configured to modulate the phase state of the plurality of phase-change antennas electrically or optically.

10. The photonic computing system of claim 1 , wherein a periodicity of phase-change antennas of the plurality of phase-change antennas is less than a wavelength of the signal light.

11. A photonic computing system comprising:

a phase-change metasurface waveguide mode converter comprising a plurality of phase-change antennas comprising a phase-change material and protruding from a surface, wherein each phase-change antenna of the plurality of phase-change antennas is configured to scatter an optical waveguide mode and cause a phase shift of light travelling through an optical waveguide optically coupled thereto, and wherein the plurality of phase-change antennas defines a longitudinal axis, and wherein widths of the plurality of phase-change antennas change along the longitudinal axis;

an optical waveguide optically coupled to the plurality of phase-change antennas;

an input light source configured to emit signal light into a first end of a first portion of the optical waveguide;

a variable optical attenuator disposed between the input light source and the first end of the first portion; and

a signal photodetector configured to receive the signal light from a second end of the first portion of the optical waveguide and generate a modulated signal based upon the received signal light,

wherein a periodicity of phase-change antennas of the plurality of phase-change antennas is less than a wavelength of the signal light.

Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63013478 · Apr 21, 2020
Related Publication 20230051113A1 · Feb 16, 2023
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