Abstract: The glass-based ferrules include a glass substrate and two spaced-apart guide tubes, which can also be made of glass. The guide tubes include bores sized to receive guide pins from another ferrule. The ferrule can be used to form an optical interconnection device in the form of a waveguide connector that includes a planar lightwave circuit that supports multiple waveguides. The ferrule can also be used to form an optical interconnection device in the form of a fiber connector that includes a support substrate and an array of optical fibers supported thereby. The waveguide connector and fiber connector when mated form an integrated photonic device. Methods of forming the ferrule components, the ferrules and the optical interconnection devices are also disclosed.

Abstract: The optical interconnection apparatus includes a laminated structure having an inner glass sheet, an adhesive layer, and an outer glass sheet. The laminated structure has a first bend section with bend angle and front and back opposite ends. An optical fiber is operably supported by the laminated structure so that it has a second bend section that follows the first bend section. The front end of the optical fiber resides proximate to the front end of the laminated structure and the back end of the optical fiber resides proximate to the back end of the laminated structure. The first bend section is formed by bending the laminated structure and then curing the adhesive. A protective coating can be deposited over the optical fiber and a portion of the laminated structure.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for making a bonded refractory material, the methods comprising preparing a slurry comprising glass precursor particles having an average particle size ranging from about 1 nm to about 200 nm; combining zirconia particles with the slurry to form a batch composition comprising at least about 80% by weight of zirconia; forming a green body from the batch composition; and sintering the green body to form a sintered refractory material. Sintered high-zirconia refractory materials can comprise at least about 80% by weight of zirconia having an average grain size of 100 microns or less, wherein the zirconia is interspersed in a glassy phase, and wherein the sintered refractory materials comprise about 15% or less by weight of the glassy phase. Melting vessels having at least one interior surface comprising such sintered zirconia refractory materials are further disclosed herein.

Abstract: Assemblies, optical connectors, and methods for bonding optical fibers to a substrate using a laser beam are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of bonding an optical fiber to a substrate includes directing a laser beam into the optical fiber disposed on a surface of the substrate, wherein the optical fiber has a curved surface and the curved surface of the optical fiber focuses the laser beam to a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the laser beam as it enters the optical fiber. The method further includes melting, using the laser beam, a material of the substrate at a bond area between the optical fiber and the surface of the substrate such that the optical fiber is bonded to the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: An optical coupler that provides evanescent optical coupling includes an optical fiber and a waveguide. The optical fiber has a glass core, a glass inner cladding surrounding the glass core, and a polymeric outer cladding surrounding the glass inner cladding. The glass core and glass inner cladding define for the fiber a glass portion, which can be exposed at one end of the fiber by removing a portion of the polymeric outer cladding. The glass portion has a glass-portion surface. The waveguide has a waveguide core and a surface, and can be part of a photonic device. The glass portion of the fiber is interfaced with the waveguide to establish evanescent coupling between the fiber and the waveguide. Alignment features are used to facilitate aligning the fiber core to the waveguide core during the interfacing process to ensure suitable efficiency of the evanescent coupling.

Abstract: The liquid-assisted micromachining methods include methods of processing a substrate made of a transparent dielectric material. A working surface of the substrate is placed in contact with a liquid-assist medium that comprises fluorine. A focused pulsed laser beam is directed through a first substrate surface and through the opposite working surface to form a focus spot in the liquid-assist medium. The focus spot is then moved over a motion path from its initial position in the liquid-assist medium through the substrate body in the general direction from the working surface to the first surface to create a modification of the transparent dielectric material that defines in the body a core portion. The core portion is removed to form the substrate feature, which can be a through or closed fiber hole that supports one or more optical fibers. Optical components formed using the processed substrate are also disclosed.

Abstract: The glass-based ferrules include a glass substrate and two spaced-apart guide tubes, which can also be made of glass. The guide tubes include bores sized to receive guide pins from another ferrule. The ferrule can be used to form an optical interconnection device in the form of a waveguide connector that includes a planar lightwave circuit that supports multiple waveguides. The ferrule can also be used to form an optical interconnection device in the form of a fiber connector that includes a support substrate and an array of optical fibers supported thereby. The waveguide connector and fiber connector when mated form an integrated photonic device. Methods of forming the ferrule components, the ferrules and the optical interconnection devices are also disclosed.

Abstract: Assemblies, optical connectors, and methods for bonding optical fibers to a substrate using a laser beam are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of bonding an optical fiber to a substrate includes directing a laser beam into the optical fiber disposed on a surface of the substrate, wherein the optical fiber has a curved surface and the curved surface of the optical fiber focuses the laser beam to a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the laser beam as it enters the optical fiber. The method further includes melting, using the laser beam, a material of the substrate at a bond area between the optical fiber and the surface of the substrate such that the optical fiber is bonded to the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Methods of reshaping ferrules (20) used in optical fiber cables assemblies (170) are disclosed. The reshaping methods reduce a core-to-ferrule concentricity error (E), which improves coupling efficiency and optical transmission. The methods include measuring a distance (?) and angular direction (?) from a true center (30) of the ferrule to the core (46), wherein the true center (30) is based on an outer surface (26) of the ferrule. The methods also include reshaping at least a portion (26P) of the ferrule (20) to define a new true center (30?) of the ferrule (20) and reduce the distance (?). A variety of reshaping techniques are also disclosed.

Abstract: Optical waveguide connector elements for optical coupling optical components of an optical assembly, such as the edge coupling of optical printed circuit boards. In one embodiment, a waveguide connector element includes a first end face and a second end face, a pre-existing optical waveguide within or on a surface of the waveguide connector element, and a laser written optical waveguide optically coupled to an end of the pre-existing optical waveguide and extending toward one of the first end face and the second end face.

Abstract: Methods of forming a ferrule are disclosed where the ferrule includes an inner member and an outer member. An optical fiber is secured in an axial bore of the inner member, and then offset of a core of the optical fiber from a geometric center of the inner member is determined. The outer member is then formed over the inner member to “correct” for this offset so that the core of the optical fiber ends up closer to the geometric center of the resulting ferrule. Related ferrules and cable assemblies including the same are also disclosed.

Abstract: Optical assemblies, interconnection substrates and methods of forming optical links are disclosed. In one embodiment, an optical assembly includes a first waveguide substrate, a second waveguide substrate, and an interconnection substrate having a first end face, a second end face, and a laser written waveguide. The first waveguide substrate is coupled to the first end face of the interconnection substrate, and the first waveguide is optically coupled to the laser written waveguide. The laser written waveguide terminates at the second end face of the interconnection substrate. The second waveguide substrate is coupled to the second end face of the interconnection substrate such that the second waveguide is optically coupled to the laser written waveguide at the second end face.

Abstract: Detachable optical connectors including a connector support for optical chips and methods of their fabrication are disclosed. In one embodiment, an optical assembly includes an optical chip including a surface, an edge extending from the surface, and at least one chip waveguide proximate the surface and terminating at the edge. The optical assembly further includes a waveguide support having a chip coupling surface, and at least one waveguide disposed within the waveguide support and terminating at the chip coupling surface, wherein the chip coupling surface is coupled to the edge of the optical chip such that the at least one waveguide within the waveguide support is optically coupled to the at least one chip waveguide of the optical chip. The optical assembly further includes a connector support having a first portion coupled to the optical chip, and a second portion coupled to the waveguide support.

Abstract: The optical-electrical printed circuit board disclosed herein includes a waveguide link assembly and a printed circuit board assembly. The printed circuit board assembly has first and second PCB layers between which optical waveguides of the waveguide link assembly are disposed. The end faces the optical waveguides are accessible through an access aperture in the printed circuit board assembly. An optical interconnector can be used to optically connect the optical waveguides to waveguides of an optical-electrical integrated circuit operably disposed on the printed circuit board assembly to form a photonic device. A waveguide bending structure can be used to bend the optical waveguides to facilitate optical coupling to the optical interconnector or directly to the waveguides of the optical-electrical integrated circuit. Methods of forming an optical-electrical printed circuit board, a photonic assembly and a photonic device are also disclosed.

Abstract: The micro-optical systems disclosed herein employ a glass tube having a body, a front end, a back end, an outer surface, and a bore that runs through the body between the front and back ends and that has a bore axis. The outer surface has a maximum outer dimension between 0.1 mm and 20 mm and includes at least one flat side. At least one optical element is inserted into and operably disposed and secured within the bore. The micro-optical assemblies are formed by securing one or more micro-optical systems to a substrate at the flat side of the glass tube. The glass tube is formed by a drawing process that allows for the dimensions of the glass tube to be small and formed with relatively high precision. An example of a compact WDM micro-optical assembly that employs micro-collimators is disclosed.

Abstract: Optical coupling assemblies for silicon-based optical sources are disclosed. In one embodiment, an optical coupling assembly includes an optical coupling carrier frame and a jumper cable assembly. The optical coupling carrier frame includes a frame portion defining an integrated circuit opening operable to receive an integrated circuit assembly, and a connector portion extending from the frame portion. The connector portion includes a channel operable to receive an optical connector of an optical cable assembly. The jumper cable assembly is disposed within the connector portion. The jumper cable assembly includes a plurality of jumper optical fibers, a jumper ferrule coupled to a first end of the plurality of jumper optical fibers, and an optical turn assembly coupled to a second end of the plurality of jumper optical fibers. The optical turn assembly is operable to optically turn optical signals propagating within the optical turn assembly.

Abstract: An optical wire bond apparatus for optically connecting an optical-electrical integrated circuit (OE-IC) to an optical-electrical printed circuit board (OE-PCB) is formed by laser writing cores in a flexible glass support member to define an array of optical waveguides. The support member has a bend section and the waveguides reside close to either a top or bottom surface of the support member at the bend section. The cores have a front-end portion that can be laser written after the front end of the support member is coarse-aligned to optical waveguide structures in the OE-PCB to obtain fine alignment. The support members can be formed from flexible glass sheets or by drawing a glass preform. A photonic assembly that includes the OE-IC and the OE-PCB optically connected using the optical wire bond apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: The fiber array assemblies include an interdigitated signal-fiber array supported on a support substrate and formed by front-end sections of first signal fibers interdigitated with either front-end sections of second signal fibers or spacer fibers. The assemblies also include a fiber pusher device that may comprise glass and first and second ends. The fiber pusher device is disposed so that its first and second ends contact and push against first and second edges of the interdigitated signal-fiber array to remove gaps between adjacent signal fibers. A cover sheet is disposed atop the interdigitated signal-fiber array and covers at least a portion of the fiber pusher device to define a ferrule. A securing material is disposed within a ferrule interior to secure the cover sheet, the interdigitated signal-fiber array and the fiber pusher devices. The fiber array assemblies can be connectorized by adding an interconnect device or the like.

Abstract: The glass-based ferrules include a glass substrate and two spaced-apart guide tubes, which can also be made of glass. The guide tubes include bores sized to receive guide pins from another ferrule. The ferrule can be used to form an optical interconnection device in the form of a waveguide connector that includes a planar lightwave circuit that supports multiple waveguides. The ferrule can also be used to form an optical interconnection device in the form of a fiber connector that includes a support substrate and an array of optical fibers supported thereby. The waveguide connector and fiber connector when mated form an integrated photonic device. Methods of forming the ferrule components, the ferrules and the optical interconnection devices are also disclosed.

Abstract: A non-contact method of measuring an insertion loss of a DUT connector is disclosed. The DUT connector has a first ferrule with a first optical fiber and a first end face. The method utilizes a reference connector having a second ferrule with a second optical fiber and a second end face. The method includes: axially aligning the first and second ferrules so that the first and second end faces are confronting and spaced apart to define a gap with an axial gap distance d; measuring values of the insertion loss between the first and second optical fibers for different gap distances d>0; and estimating a value for the insertion loss for a gap distance of d=0 based on the measured values of the insertion loss when d>0.