Patents
US 12769177 B2: Integrated dual-waveguide acousto-optic modulator
- Granted
- 2026-10-20
- Filed
- 2022-04-15 application 18570953
- Type
- Utility · 16 claims
- Elsewhere
- Google Patents ↗ · USPTO patent document ↗ · USPTO Patent Center record ↗
Abstract
An integrated acousto-optic modulator operates with an extremely high extinction ratio (e.g.,>50 dB) thanks to two widely separated two-dimensional (2D) waveguides. These 2D waveguides are formed on or adjacent to a one-dimensional (ID) wave-guide far enough apart (e.g., 10-100 pm apart) to prevent evanescent coupling between them. An acoustic transducer formed on the surface of the ID waveguide switches light from one 2D waveguide to the other 2D waveguide via the ID waveguide. The acoustic wave emitted by the acoustic transducer forms a traveling grating that overlaps with one 2D waveguide. diffracting light from that 2D waveguide into the ID waveguide, which guides the light to the other 2D waveguide. A lateral grating coupler diffracts this light from the ID waveguide into a mode guided by the other 2D waveguide. This acoustic modulator acts as a switch suitable for use in quantum and atomic systems.
Source: PTBLXML, file of 2026-10-20 (ipgb20261020.xml).
Assignees
| Assignee | Type | Place | Also on furp.org | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology 5,106 patents | US company or organization | Cambridge, MA | Massachusetts Institute of Technology College or university EXACT high confidence: identical full name and state MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Nonprofit EXACT high confidence: identical full name and state | PTBLXML, file of 2026-10-20 |
Inventors
| Inventor | Place | Patents | Person page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gavin West | Everett, MA | PTBLXML, file of 2026-10-20 | ||
| Rajeev J. Ram | Arlington, MA | 5 | PTBLXML, file of 2026-10-20 |
CPC categories
| Subclass | Category | First group | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| G02F | Optical devices or arrangements for the control of light by modification of the optical properties of the media of the elements involved therein; non-linear optics; frequency-changing of light; optical logic elements; optical analogue/digital converters | G02F1/335 | PTBLXML, file of 2026-10-20 |
Cooperative Patent Classification, as currently assigned (one row per subclass).
Assignments and security interests
No recorded assignments or security interests on file for this patent.
USPTO bulk data: PatentsView granted patents, disambiguated (PVGPATDIS) for patents, assignees, inventors, places and CPC categories; the USPTO Patent Assignment Dataset (ECORSEXC) for assignments and security interests. Patents filed in the last 20 years. No claims or full text. Links to other records are by name (and state): EXACT means the identical full name and state; FUZZY means a looser name match, with the confidence shown.