Optical waveguides and couplers for delivering light to an array of photonic elements

Abstract

Optical waveguides and couplers for delivering light to an array of photonic elements in a photonic integrated device. The photonic integrated device and related instruments and systems may be used to analyze samples in parallel. The photonic integrated device may include a grating coupler configured to receive light from an external light source and optically couple with multiple waveguides configured to optically couple with sample wells of the photonic integrated device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An integrated photonic device comprising:
 an array of sample wells arranged in rows; and   a plurality of waveguides including a first waveguide and a second waveguide both positioned in a first region, a second region, and a third region between the first region and the second region,   wherein the first waveguide is positioned to optically couple with a first group of sample wells in a row in the first region and the second waveguide is positioned to optically couple with a second group of sample wells in the row in the second region, wherein the first waveguide does not intersect with the second waveguide,   wherein a third group of sample wells in the row in the third region is configured to receive less optical power than a sample well of the first group and/or a sample well of the second group.   
     
     
         2 . The integrated photonic device of  claim 1 , wherein the third group of sample wells in the row is positioned between the first group and the second group. 
     
     
         3 . The integrated photonic device of  claim 2 , wherein the first waveguide is at a first distance from a sample well of the first group and is at a second distance from the sample well of the third group, the first distance being less than the second distance. 
     
     
         4 . The integrated photonic device of  claim 3 , wherein the second waveguide is at a third distance from a sample well of the second group and is at a fourth distance from the sample well of the third group, the third distance being less than the fourth distance. 
     
     
         5 . The integrated photonic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first waveguide is curved in a region between the first group of sample wells and the second group of sample wells. 
     
     
         6 . The integrated photonic device of  claim 5 , wherein the second waveguide is curved in the region. 
     
     
         7 . The integrated photonic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first waveguide is positioned to evanescently couple with each sample well of the first group and the second waveguide is positioned to evanescently couple with each sample well of the second group. 
     
     
         8 . The integrated photonic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first waveguide is tapered along a portion configured to evanescently couple with the first group of sample wells and the second waveguide is tapered along a portion configured to evanescently couple with the second group of sample wells. 
     
     
         9 . The integrated photonic device of  claim 1 , wherein the integrated photonic device further comprises a grating coupler configured to receive light from a surface of the integrated photonic device and optically couple with the plurality of waveguides. 
     
     
         10 . The integrated photonic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first waveguide is optically uncoupled from the second group of sample wells and the second waveguide is optically uncoupled from the first group of sample wells. 
     
     
         11 . The integrated photonic device of  claim 1 , wherein the sample wells of the first group are substantially aligned along an axis with the sample wells of the second group. 
     
     
         12 . The integrated photonic device of  claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the first waveguide is substantially parallel to the axis. 
     
     
         13 . The integrated photonic device of  claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the second waveguide is substantially parallel to the axis. 
     
     
         14 . The integrated photonic device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one photodetector configured to receive light emitted from a respective sample well of the first group.