Field-Programmable Optical Component

Stanford researchers have developed a method to make non-ideal beam-splitters operate as perfect beam-splitters, using a double Mach-Zehnder interferometer. Complex optical telecommunications circuits will only function properly if optical interferometer beams can be split equally among different legs of the device, but fabricating interferometers with ideal internal split ratios is extremely difficult. This invention structures the circuits so they can be corrected in the field using simple progressive algorithms. Devices with initial split ratios in the range 15:85 to 85:15 will to operate as ideal (50:50), without any physical changes to the circuit. In addition, optical circuits can be programmed after fabrication to perform a wide range of complex, precise, linear optical functions. Mass-fabrication of these universal field-programmable linear array (FPLA) optical elements may also produce higher yields with lower cost.

Stage of Research
Researchers have successfully built and tested prototypes in the lab.

Miller Lab silicon photonics technology available for licensing includes:
“Ge-Si quantum well structures” U.S. Patent No. 7,599,593.
“Integration of optoelectronics with waveguides using interposer layer” U.S. Patent 8,824,837.
“Selective area growth of germanium and silicon-germanium in silicon waveguides for on-chip optical interconnect applications." U.S. Patent No. 9,368,579.
"Self-aligned semiconductor ridges in metallic slits as a platform for planar tunable nanoscale resonant photodetectors." U.S. Patent No. 8,829,633.
"Universal Linear Components." U.S. Patent Application No. 14/092,565.
"Field-Programmable Optical Component." U.S. Patent Application No. 15/080,170.
“Phase shifting by mechanical movement “ U.S. Patent Application No. 15/380,062 (Stanford docket 15-472)