Abstract: An optical component fabricated from a semi-conductor wafer in which the epilayers are in the InCaAsP system comprises a pair of ridge waveguides. The ridge waveguides are proximate and parallel to each other in a first region, and diverge from each other in a second region. Each waveguide has a continuous electric contact over its upper surface to provide a first light amplification zone through or beneath at least a portion of both first and second light guiding paths and a second light amplification zone through or beneath at least a portion of both the first and a third light guiding path. The component can be used as a low loss 1.times.2 switch, or as a low loss 2.times.1 combiner.

Abstract: A housing for interconnecting an opto-electronic device with a ferrule includes a base and a cover cooperable with the base to define a chamber. The housing also includes an elastomeric board mount, with pylons supporting a substrate, disposed in a sealing relationship between the base and the cover when the same are conjoined and arranged to seal legs on the substrate that extend through the elastomeric board mount.

Abstract: An avalanche photodiode having a beryllium guard ring. The beryllium is implanted at a dosage of at least 5.times.10.sup.14 per cm.sup.2 and subsequently annealed to provide a guard ring profile with a p+core and a superlinearly graded tail. The doping profile of the guard ring immediately adjacent the core is superlogarithmic.

Abstract: A laser amplifier having an improved pump efficiency for a given pump power comprises a pump source (46) longitudinally coupled at a plurality of coupling points (47, 48, 49) to an optical fibre (41). By thus coupling the pump power into the fibre (41), a fraction of the pump power is applied to the fibre (41) at each of the coupling points (47, 48, 49). A significant improvement in pump efficiency may be achieved in this way.

Abstract: An optical device structure for use where an optical fiber requires to be accurately aligned in an optically coupled relationship with another optical component in a package 100 comprises an optical fiber 16 mounted in a feedthrough tube 9 which is aligned with a laser 6 through an aperture 18 in a wall 4 of the package 100. The alignment is held by a first alignment means 10, in this case a sleeve spool, which is secured to the wall 4 and to the feedthrough tube 9 relatively close to the wall 4, and by a second alignment means 11, in this case a tubular bushing, which is also fixed to the wall 4 and to the feedthrough tube 9 in a region remote from the wall 4. The use of the two alignment means 10, 11 fixed in this manner permits the desired optical coupling to be accurately fine-tuned in fabrication by a novel technique.

Abstract: An optical transmitter assembly (1) comprises an optical source (20) and an optical detector (20) arranged to receive light output from the source (10) indirectly via a reflector (30). The source (10), the detector (20), and the reflector (30) are mounted on a common support structure (40). A unitized light reflector assembly (70) having the reflector (30) and detector (20) on a ceramic plate (72) is also disclosed.