Abstract: Optical ring resonator devices are disclosed that can be used for optical filtering, modulation or switching, or for use as photodetectors or sensors. These devices can be formed as microdisk ring resonators, or as open-ring resonators with an optical waveguide having a width that varies adiabatically. Electrical and mechanical connections to the open-ring resonators are made near a maximum width of the optical waveguide to minimize losses and thereby provide a high resonator Q. The ring resonators can be tuned using an integral electrical heater, or an integral semiconductor junction.

Abstract: Optical waveguide devices are disclosed which utilize an optical waveguide having a waveguide bend therein with a width that varies adiabatically between a minimum value and a maximum value of the width. One or more connecting members can be attached to the waveguide bend near the maximum value of the width thereof to support the waveguide bend or to supply electrical power to an impurity-doped region located within the waveguide bend near the maximum value of the width. The impurity-doped region can form an electrical heater or a semiconductor junction which can be activated with a voltage to provide a variable optical path length in the optical waveguide. The optical waveguide devices can be used to form a tunable interferometer (e.g. a Mach-Zehnder interferometer) which can be used for optical modulation or switching. The optical waveguide devices can also be used to form an optical delay line.

Abstract: A thermal microphotonic sensor is fabricated on a silicon substrate by etching an opening and a trench into the substrate, and then filling in the opening and trench with silicon oxide which can be deposited or formed by thermally oxidizing a portion of the silicon substrate surrounding the opening and trench. The silicon oxide forms a support post for an optical resonator which is subsequently formed from a layer of silicon nitride, and also forms a base for an optical waveguide formed from the silicon nitride layer. Part of the silicon substrate can be selectively etched away to elevate the waveguide and resonator. The thermal microphotonic sensor, which is useful to detect infrared radiation via a change in the evanescent coupling of light between the waveguide and resonator, can be formed as a single device or as an array.

Abstract: A hitless tunable filter may include a ring resonator, a Mach-Zehnder coupler, and first and second phase shifters. The Mach-Zehnder coupler may include a switching arm that is coupled to the ring resonator at first and second coupling points. The first phase shifter may be used to introduce a first phase shift to light propagating through the ring resonator, while the second phase shifter may be used to introduce a second phase shift to light propagating through the Mach-Zehnder coupler. The Mach-Zehnder coupler may have a free spectral range substantially equal to a free spectral range of the ring resonator divided by a non-negative integer.

Abstract: A thermal microphotonic sensor is disclosed for detecting infrared radiation using heat generated by the infrared radiation to shift the resonant frequency of an optical resonator (e.g. a ring resonator) to which the heat is coupled. The shift in the resonant frequency can be determined from light in an optical waveguide which is evanescently coupled to the optical resonator. An infrared absorber can be provided on the optical waveguide either as a coating or as a plate to aid in absorption of the infrared radiation. In some cases, a vertical resonant cavity can be formed about the infrared absorber to further increase the absorption of the infrared radiation. The sensor can be formed as a single device, or as an array for imaging the infrared radiation.

Abstract: Optical ring resonator devices are disclosed that can be used for optical filtering, modulation or switching, or for use as photodetectors or sensors. These devices can be formed as microdisk ring resonators, or as open-ring resonators with an optical waveguide having a width that varies adiabatically. Electrical and mechanical connections to the open-ring resonators are made near a maximum width of the optical waveguide to minimize losses and thereby provide a high resonator Q. The ring resonators can be tuned using an integral electrical heater, or an integral semiconductor junction.

Abstract: A coupled resonator includes a plurality of resonators such that at least one of the resonators is modified so as to adjust the resonant frequency associated with the coupled resonator.

Abstract: An optical device includes a first and a second splitting device. Each of the first and second splitting devices have respective first and second input ports, respective first and second output ports, and a respective transfer matrix. A first optical waveguide is optically coupled to the first output port of the first splitting device and the first input port of the second splitting device. A second optical waveguide is optically coupled to the second output port of the first splitting device and the second input port of the second splitting device. The first and second optical waveguides are configured to introduce a phase shift of ? radians to the optical radiation propagating through the first optical waveguide with respect to the optical radiation propagating through the second optical waveguide.

Abstract: A coupled resonator includes a plurality of resonators such that at least one of the resonators is modified so as to adjust the resonant frequency associated with the coupled resonator.

Abstract: An integrated optic polarization converter includes a plurality of core layers used to approximate a gradually twisted waveguide and therein adiabatically transform a propagating mode from an initial polarization state to a different final polarization state.

Abstract: The present invention provides a micro-resonator including a plurality of waveguides forming optic junctions therebetween, with adjacent waveguides having different core permittivities and different cladding permittivities. Adjacent waveguides are mode-matched through adjustments of the core permittivities and the cladding permittivities of the waveguides to reduce or eliminate junction radiation, thereby providing high performance.

Abstract: An integrated optic polarization splitter includes a pair of waveguide elements with a first waveguide element having a horizontal orientation and a second waveguide element having a vertical orientation formed from a plurality of waveguide core layers. The first and second waveguide elements are intersected or nearly intersected at one end of the structure and separated at the other end of the structure and the transition there between is made to be adiabatic. The waveguide elements receive an optical signal having both a TE component and a TM component. The TE component propagates along the horizontally oriented waveguide element and the TM component propagates along the vertically oriented waveguide element.

Abstract: An integrated optic polarization splitter, includes a pair of waveguide elements with a first waveguide element having horizontal orientation and a second waveguide element having a vertical orientation formed from a plurality of waveguide core layers. The first and second waveguide elements are intersected or nearly intersected at one end of the structure and separated at the other end of the structure and the transition there between is made to be adiabatic. The waveguide elements receive an optical signal having both a TE component and a TM component. The TE component propagates along the horizontally oriented waveguide element and the TM component propagates along the vertically oriented waveguide element.

Abstract: The present invention provides a micro-resonator including a plurality of waveguides forming optic junctions therebetween, with adjacent waveguides having different core permittivities and different cladding permittivities. Adjacent waveguides are mode-matched through adjustments of the core permittivities and the cladding permittivities of the waveguides to reduce or eliminate junction radiation, thereby providing high performance.