INTEGRATED-OPTICAL NONRECIPROCAL ELEMENT ( VERSIONS ) Russian patent published in 1998 - IPC

FIELD: integrated optics. SUBSTANCE: invention refers to optical devices which realize function of transmission of optical radiation in one direction. Integrated-optical nonreciprocal element is used to connect sources of optical radiation to integrated- optical circuits and fibre-optical communication lines and to match two or more integrated-optical chips with the aid of fibrous light guides. This nonreciprocal element incorporates optical backing on which transmission line is fabricated in the form of N optical channel waveguides placed in series, one uniaxial to another, and separated by N-1 absorbers. N-1 regions of mating of optical channel waveguides are used in the capacity of absorbers. Effective refractive index (n_eff) of each optical channel waveguide diminishes monotonically from its input to output. Initial and finite values of effective refractory indices of all optical channel waveguides are same. Input of first optical channel waveguide is optical input of nonreciprocal element, output of N-th optical channel waveguide is optical output of nonreciprocal element. Optical channel waveguides may have cross-sections monotonically decreasing from input of optical channel waveguide to its output. Initial and finite values of cross-sections of optical channel waveguides are equal for each optical channel waveguide. Optical channel waveguides may have cross-sections monotonically decreasing from their inputs to their outputs and constant effective refractive index. EFFECT: simplified design and enhanced functional reliability of element. 3 cl, 2 dwg