Novel mode converter and fusion splicing for low coupling loss for high power, near infrared applications

Photonect has created two innovations that enable the lowest coupling losses possible and higher power handling for photonic packaging, which can lead to higher performing photonic technologies. The innovations are a novel mode converter and a fusion splicing machine for fiber to chip attachment. The Navy is striving to advance quantum sensing technologies like atomic accelerometers and clocks for inertial navigation and timing systems and expects that they will need to transition from bulk optics to photonic integrated circuits (PICs) to meet size, weight, and power (SWaP) demands. Quantum sensing technologies are operated at near infrared (NIR) wavelengths, and with Ýhigh power through these devices. There are two major problems faced when translating these needs to PICs: 1) there are no existing technologies that make coupling efficient for NIR wavelengths, and thus the loss is high and 2) high power impacts the robustness of the fiber-to-chip connection.ÝÝPhotonectís technology overcomes both challenges by 1) making coupling more efficient with the mode converter and 2) providing a robust connection via fusion with the PIX Attach Machine. Photonectís technology is expected to enable quantum sensing technologies that operate with high performance and no sacrifices related to the lifetime of the device. In this Phase I proposal, Photonect looks to establish the feasibility for their solutions to provide coupling loss <1 dB for high power NIR technologies, specifically with single mode polarization maintaining fibers. Photonect proposes to simulate on-chip components under these use cases, compare two foundry typical design approaches, Ýdetermine areas that need further optimization and produce optimized test chip layout/designs before validating the technology and producing at least 5 sample chips fully tested for the Navy in Phase II.ÝÝ