Granted Patent B2

US 12,546,940 · App. 18/361,751 · Granted Feb 10, 2026

Inventor: Jean-Luc J. Tambasco (Macungie, PA)

Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.

G02B6/125G02B2006/12119G02B2006/12147

Abstract

Claims (43)

1 . An optical circuit comprising:

a first layer;

a second layer;

a first waveguide positioned in the first layer; and

a second waveguide positioned in the second layer, wherein the second waveguide comprises a first section, a second section coupled to the first section at a first end of the second section, and a third section coupled to the second section at a second end of the second section, and wherein, when viewed along an axis normal to the first layer and the second layer:

the first section is positioned on a first side of the first waveguide;

the third section is positioned on a second side of the first waveguide opposite the first side;

the second section overlaps with the first waveguide, wherein a first rate of change of a first angle between the second section and the first waveguide varies across a length of the second section;

a second rate of change of a second angle between the first section and the first waveguide varies across a length of the first section moving towards the second section; and

the second rate of change is greater than first rate of change.

2 . The optical circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first layer is positioned on the second layer or the second layer is positioned on the first layer.

3 . The optical circuit of claim 1 , wherein:

the first end of the second section is positioned on the first side of the first waveguide and partially overlaps the first waveguide; and

the second end of the second section is positioned on the second side of the first waveguide and partially overlaps the first waveguide.

4 . The optical circuit of claim 1 , wherein a middle portion of the second section positioned between the first end and the second end is fully overlapped by the first waveguide.

5 . The optical circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first section bends such that a second angle between the first section and the first waveguide is greater than eighty degrees.

6 . The optical circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first angle remains less than thirty degrees across the length of the second section.

7 . The optical circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first layer and the second layer have different refractive indexes.

8 . The optical circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first waveguide extends parallel to a length of the first layer.

9 . The optical circuit of claim 1 , wherein the second section is parallel to the first waveguide at a midpoint of the first waveguide.

10 . A method comprising:

communicating a first optical signal through a first waveguide positioned in a first layer of an optical circuit;

communicating a second optical signal through a second waveguide positioned in a second layer of the optical circuit, wherein the second waveguide comprises a first section, a second section coupled to the first section at a first end of the second section, and a third section coupled to the second section at a second end of the second section, and wherein, when viewed along an axis normal to the first layer and the second layer:

the first section is positioned on a first side of the first waveguide;

the third section is positioned on a second side of the first waveguide opposite the first side;

the second section overlaps with the first waveguide, wherein a first rate of change of a first angle between the second section and the first waveguide varies across a length of the second section;

a second rate of change of a second angle between the first section and the first waveguide varies across a length of the first section moving towards the second section; and

the second rate of change is greater than first rate of change.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first layer is positioned on the second layer or the second layer is positioned on the first layer.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the first end of the second section is positioned on the first side of the first waveguide and partially overlaps the first waveguide; and

the second end of the second section is positioned on the second side of the first waveguide and partially overlaps the first waveguide.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein a middle portion of the second section positioned between the first end and the second end is fully overlapped by the first waveguide.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first section bends such that a second angle between the first section and the first waveguide is greater than eighty degrees.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first angle remains less than thirty degrees across the length of the second section.

16 . An optical circuit comprising:

a first waveguide; and

a second waveguide positioned beneath the first waveguide, wherein the second waveguide comprises a first section, a second section coupled to the first section at a first end of the second section, and a third section coupled to the second section at a second end of the second section, and wherein:

the first section is positioned on a first side of the first waveguide;

the third section is positioned on a second side of the first waveguide opposite the first side;

the second section overlaps with the first waveguide, wherein a first rate of change of a first angle between the second section and the first waveguide varies across a length of the second section;

a second rate of change of a second angle between the first section and the first waveguide varies across a length of the first section moving towards the second section; and

the second rate of change is greater than first rate of change.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (11)