IP Library Granted Patent US 12,379,554
Granted Patent B2
US 12,379,554 · App. 18/173,451 · Granted Aug 5, 2025

Tap photodetector and optical fiber communication system

Inventors: Huiping Li (Shanghai, CN); Zhenghua Fu (Dongguan, CN); Yonghao Fei (Munich, DE)
Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
G02B6/4206
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,379,554
App. No.
18/173,451
Granted
Aug 5, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A tap photodetector includes at least one detection unit configured to detect an optical signal. Each detection unit may separately detect an optical signal. Each detection unit includes a transparent zone and a detection zone. The transparent zone is configured to transmit a part of an optical signal, and the detection zone is disposed on a periphery of the transparent zone and is configured to detect another part of the optical signal that does not pass through the transparent zone.

Claims (38)

1. A tap photodetector, comprising:

a detector configured to detect an optical signal and comprising:

a transparent zone configured to transmit a first part of the optical signal; and

a detection zone disposed on a periphery of the transparent zone and configured to absorb a second part of the optical signal to detect the optical signal,

wherein the first part of the optical signal is larger than the second part of the optical signal, and

wherein an inner diameter of the detection zone is greater than 2.5 times a waist spot radius of a flare that is of the optical signal and that is irradiated to the detector.

2. The tap photodetector of claim 1 , wherein on a plane on which a section of the detector is located, a first area of the transparent zone is greater than a second area of the detection zone, and wherein a transmission direction of the optical signal is perpendicular to the plane.

3. The tap photodetector of claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the flare is greater than the inner diameter of the detection zone.

4. The tap photodetector of claim 3 , wherein the diameter of the flare is further less than or equal to an outer diameter of the detection zone.

5. The tap photodetector of claim 1 , wherein the detection zone comprises:

an active layer comprising an in-light surface that absorbs the optical signal and a backlight surface that is disposed back to the in-light surface; and

two electrodes connected to the active layer and disposed on the backlight surface, wherein the two electrodes comprise a cathode and an anode.

6. The tap photodetector of claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of detectors sharing a same cathode.

7. The tap photodetector of claim 6 , wherein the detectors are arranged in an array manner.

8. The tap photodetector of claim 6 , wherein a center spacing between every two adjacent detectors is greater than or equal to a diameter of the flare.

9. The tap photodetector of claim 1 , wherein the transparent zone comprises a transparent medium layer or air.

10. A tap photodetector, comprising:

a detector configured to detect an optical signal and comprising:

a transparent zone comprising a grating structure configured to transmit a first part of the optical signal and diffract a second part of the optical signal; and

a detection zone configured to absorb the second part to detect the optical signal,

wherein the first part of the optical signal is larger than the second part of the optical signal, and

wherein an inner diameter of the detection zone is greater than 2.5 times a waist spot radius of a flare that is of the optical signal and that is irradiated to the detector.

11. The tap photodetector of claim 10 , wherein the transparent zone diffracts two symmetrical groups of diffracted optical signals, and wherein two detection zones receive the two symmetrical groups of diffracted optical signals in a one-to-one correspondence.

12. The tap photodetector of claim 11 , wherein the detector further comprises an absorption layer configured to absorb a group of diffracted optical signals.

13. The tap photodetector of claim 10 , wherein the transparent zone diffracts one group of diffracted optical signals, and wherein the detection zone is configured to receive the group of diffracted optical signals.

14. The tap photodetector of claim 10 , wherein the transparent zone diffracts two symmetrical groups of diffracted optical signals, and wherein the detection zone receives a first group of the diffracted optical signals.

15. The tap photodetector of claim 10 , wherein the transparent zone is circular, and wherein the detection zone is a ring nested outside the transparent zone.

16. An optical fiber communication system, comprising:

an input optical fiber; and

a tap photodetector configured to detect an optical signal in the input optical fiber, wherein the tap photodetector comprises a detector configured to detect the optical signal, and wherein the detector comprises:

a transparent zone configured to transmit a first part of the optical signal; and

a detection zone disposed on a periphery of the transparent zone and configured to absorb a second part of the optical signal to detect the optical signal,

wherein the first part of the optical signal is larger than the second part of the optical signal, and

wherein an inner diameter of the detection zone is greater than 2.5 times a waist spot radius of a flare that is of the optical signal and that is irradiated to the detector.

17. The optical fiber communication system of claim 16 , further comprising a collimation lens, wherein the tap photodetector is disposed between the collimation lens and the input optical fiber.

18. The optical fiber communication system of claim 16 , further comprising a collimation lens, wherein the tap photodetector is disposed on a side of the collimation lens that faces away from the input optical fiber.

19. The optical fiber communication system of claim 16 , wherein the transparent zone comprises a transparent medium layer or air.

20. The optical fiber communication system of claim 16 , wherein a diameter of a flare that is of the optical signal and that is irradiated to the detector is greater than an inner diameter of the detection zone.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 29, 2023
From: LI, HUIPING; FU, ZHENGHUA; FEI, YONGHAO
To: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 064116/0026 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 202010871859.5 · Aug 26, 2020 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTCN2021114470 · Aug 25, 2021
Related Publication 20230194803A1 · Jun 22, 2023
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