Abstract: The invention relates to a method of storing images on a medium able to be etched on the basis of a writing procedure using a laser beam, in which a substrate, preferably flexible, comprises a multiplicity of expanses of lateral dimensions less than 10 millimetres, each reserved for an image, and an expanse reserved for an image comprises as many elementary zones as there are image pixels to be stored, the image stored in an expanse being able to be read by optical magnification means. Each elementary zone comprises an engraved pattern whose diameter represents one respective grey level out of n possible levels.

Abstract: An optical system with an optical beam propagation extension, having an input and an output for the optical beam. The system includes at least two optical reflection elements for reflection of the beam, arranged to extend the propagation of the beam by reflection on the reflection elements, and at least one optical beam transmission element arranged to be traversed at least twice by the optical beam in different directions during propagation of the optical beam in the optical system. The optical transmission element ensures an optical transformation of the optical beam each time the optical beam passes through so as to correct the divergence thereof.

Abstract: Method for producing optical fibers elements disposed in defined positions, comprising the following steps, among others: placing the optical fibers in the grooves formed in a plate, injecting a hardenable material between the grooved plate and the support plate, solidification of the hardenable material to freeze the fibers in the position set by the grooves, removing at least the grooved plate forming the mould.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention provides a device for storing data on a holographic storage medium, comprising means for generating an object beam encoded by spatial modulation with the data to be stored, and means for generating a reference beam spatially modulated according to predetermined configurations to produce a multiplexing of the data, comprising an optical storage medium on which is implemented a succession of diffractive optical elements, each introducing a distinct modulation configuration of the reference beam. The invention further provides a device for reading the duly-stored data, using an optical storage medium of the same type for generating and spatially modulating a read beam, and a device for replicating a first holographic storage medium on a second holographic medium, comprising such a reading device coupled to such a storage device.

Abstract: A pit is formed from a stack comprising at least one first layer formed by a material able to change physical state and a second layer made of the same material as that forming the first layer, but in a different physical state. An area of the first layer is treated to make said area go from its initial physical state to the physical state corresponding to that of the second layer. A selective etching step is then performed to eliminate said area of the first layer and the area of the second layer initially covered by the treated area of the first layer. Advantageously, said material is a phase transition material.

Abstract: An optical switch to be mounted between first optical lines, each including one or more optical channels having a rank within their optical line, and second optical lines, each including one or more optical channels having a rank within their optical line. The switch includes a selection device with at least one selection element configured to select a single optical channel from a set of at least two optical channels of the first optical lines or the second optical lines, the optical channels of this set having the same rank, and a connection device configured to couple the selected optical channel to one of the channels of the second optical lines or the first optical lines respectively. Such a switch may find application to optical telecommunications.

Abstract: A device for optical processing of at least one main optical beam, including an optical transforming module contributing towards optical transformation of the main optical beam input in the processing device, formed of a plurality of discrete elements in one plane. An upstream spatial configuration module upstream of the optical transforming mode includes an optical pathway through which the main optical beam travels, this pathway includes one or more mobile optical deflection elements causing the main optical beam to take up potential spatial positions in the plane of the optical transforming module, these potential spatial positions coinciding with those of the discrete elements, the optical transforming module being static. Such a device may find application to telecommunications, chemistry, or biology.

Abstract: An optical deflection matrix including at least two optical deflection modules each for providing, from an incoming beam having a given direction of propagation, an output beam having a direction of propagation taken in a set of potential directions. The modules each include a single deflection element of the incoming beam capable of assuming plural potential positions in relation to the potential directions of the set and two fixed return elements, on either side of the deflection element, a main potential position of the deflection element leading to a principal direction of the set, this principal direction being colinear with the given direction of propagation of the incoming beam, the principal directions of the deflection modules being located in the same plane. The matrix may find particular application to routing of beams.

Abstract: An optical system with an optical beam propagation extension, having an input and an output for the optical beam. The system includes at least two optical reflection elements for reflection of the beam, arranged to extend the propagation of the beam by reflection on the reflection elements, and at least one optical beam transmission element arranged to be traversed at least twice by the optical beam in different directions during propagation of the optical beam in the optical system. The optical transmission element ensures an optical transformation of the optical beam each tim the optical beam passes through so as to correct the divergence thereof.

Abstract: This assembly of an object and a support is achieved by using solder bumps. At least two wettability areas are made respectively on object and on support. Each solder bump ensures electrical contact and mechanical fixing firstly to one of the wettability areas of object and secondly to one of the wettability areas of support. The melting temperature of solder bumps is lower than the melting temperature of each of the wettability areas. Each wettability area of object forms an angle of 70° to 110° with respect to each wettability area of support. Object and support are mutually distant.

Abstract: An optical deflection matrix including at least two optical deflection modules each for providing, from an incoming beam having a given direction of propagation, an output beam having a direction of propagation taken in a set of potential directions. The modules each include a single deflection element of the incoming beam capable of assuming plural potential positions in relation to the potential directions of the set and two fixed return elements, on either side of the deflection element, a main potential position of the deflection element leading to a principal direction of the set, this principal direction being colinear with the given direction of propagation of the incoming beam, the principal directions of the deflection modules being located in the same plane. The matrix may find particular application to routing of beams.

Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated optics coupling element that includes a substrate, an optical guide core, an optical cladding independent of the core and surrounding at least one portion of the core in a zone of the substrate called the zone of interaction. The cladding has at least in the zone of interaction a modulation of its structure so as to form a grating. The refractive index of the cladding is different from the refractive index of the substrate and lower than the refractive index of the core at least in the part of the cladding next to the core in the zone of interaction. Embodiments of the invention may be used to make gain flatteners for optical amplifiers or to make linear response filters whose wavelength is on a spectral band.

Abstract: The invention relates to a photonic integrated circuit including a substrate (1) comprising at least one optical circuit (4) and means for interconnecting (2, 3) the optical circuit with at least one opto-electronic component (6, 8, 9, 11, 12) added on to the substrate. The interconnection means are constituted by at least one zone of the substrate with the refractive index thereof being modified to provide said interconnection. This zone of the substrate includes at least one graded index lens.

Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated optics artificial cladding grating comprising in a substrate (20) an optical guide core (2), an optical cladding (3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) independent of the core and surrounding at least a portion of the core in a zone of the substrate called the zone of interaction (I1) comprising a grating (19) capable of coupling at least one guided mode of the core to at least one cladding mode or vice versa, the said zone of interaction comprising a coupling variation along the direction of propagation z of the modes, the refractive index of the cladding being different to the refractive index of the substrate and lower than the refractive index of the core in at least the part of the cladding next to the core in the interaction zone.

Abstract: This invention relates to an integrated optics component including at least one optical guide core (11) and at least one optical cladding (9) in a substrate (7), the core and the cladding being independent of each other in the substrate, at least one portion of said cladding surrounding at least one portion of said core so as to define at least one so-called interaction area (20) between the core and the cladding, the refraction index of the cladding is different from the refraction index of the substrate and is less than the refraction index of the core at least in the part of the cladding close to the core and at least in the interaction area, a light wave possibly being introduced into said area through the core and/or the cladding. The invention is used for applications particularly in the domain of optical telecommunications, for example to make a spectral or spatial filter or a Mach-Zehnder type interferometer, or a temperature sensor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sampling device comprising in a substrate (15), a wave guide core (17) capable of transporting a light wave E and an optical cladding (19), at least one portion of the cladding surrounding at least one portion of the core in a zone called the zone of interaction (I), the said zone comprising among others a grating (21) capable of coupling in the cladding, part of the light wave, the coupled part being called the coupled wave C, the refractive index of the cladding being different to the refractive index of the substrate and lower than the refractive index of the core at least in the part of the cladding next to the core in the zone of interaction. The cladding of the device is advantageously connected to a recovery and treatment element (33) for all or part of the coupled wave (C).

Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated optics filtering component comprising in a substrate (10) at least one filtering unit comprising an optical guide core (11), an optical cladding (13) independent of the core and at least two elementary zones of interaction in series (Z1, Z2, Z3), in which each elementary zone of interaction has at least one structural parameter that is different from that or those adjacent to it, where each elementary zone of interaction is defined by a zone of the substrate comprising an elementary grating (R1, R2, R3), at least one portion of the cladding called the elementary cladding (G1, G2, G3) surrounding at least one portion of the core, called the elementary core, where the refractive index of each elementary cladding is different from the refractive index of the substrate and lower than the refractive index of the core at least in the part of the elementary cladding next to the elementary core, and the different elementary gratings of a filtering unit forming a grating.

Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated optics coupling element characterised in that it comprises in a substrate (11) an optical guide core (12), an optical cladding (13) independent of the core and surrounding at least one portion of the core in a zone of the substrate called the zone of interaction, in which the cladding has at least in the zone of interaction a modulation of its structure so as to form a grating (R), in which the refractive index of the cladding is different from the refractive index of the substrate and lower than the refractive index of the core at least in the part of the cladding next to the core in the zone of interaction. The invention has applications in particular for the fabrication of gain flatteners for optical amplifiers or even for the fabrication of linear response filters whose wave length is on a spectral band.

Abstract: This invention relates to a multiplexer/demultiplexer in integrated optics including n guide cores (23, 25) in a substrate (18), where n is an integer greater than or equal to 2, and at least one optical cladding (20) surrounding at least one portion of each of the n cores so as to define at least n interaction areas (I1, I2), each interaction area also comprising a grating (R1, R2), this multiplexer/demultiplexer comprising at least n inputs/outputs (P1, P2, P3), formed by at least one end of each core. The invention is used for applications in all domains using wavelength multiplexers/demultiplexers, and particularly in the domain of optical telecommunications.

Abstract: A differential measurement system using pairs of Bragg gratings including at least one optical sensor having two Bragg gratings in two optical waveguides and having sensitivities adjusted so that respective spectra of the two gratings have a relative spectral shift dependent on a parameter or parameters to be measured. The system also includes an optical source to supply light to the two optical waveguides to interrogate them, a mechanism enabling light to pass successively through the two Bragg gratings of the same sensor, photodetectors to measure the power level of light having passed only through one of the two optical waveguides and the power level of light having passed successively through the two optical waveguides, and a processor to process the power levels and supply values of the parameter or parameters measured. The system is applicable in particular to measurements of temperatures, stresses, and pressures.