Abstract: An acoustic sensor includes at least one optical waveguide configured to emit an optical beam, a substantially planar first substrate optically coupled to the at least one optical waveguide, and a substantially planar second substrate substantially parallel to the first substrate, affixed to the first substrate, and affixed to the at least one optical waveguide. The first substrate is configured to be illuminated by the optical beam and to reflect at least a portion of the optical beam to the at least one optical waveguide. The first substrate includes a first substrate portion configured to reflect a first portion of the optical beam back to the at least one optical waveguide and a diaphragm configured to reflect a second portion of the optical beam back to the at least one optical waveguide. The diaphragm is responsive to a perturbation by moving relative to the first substrate portion. The optical beam is centered on a region between the first substrate portion and the diaphragm.

Abstract: A sensor includes at least one optical waveguide and an optical reflector optically coupled to the at least one optical waveguide. The optical reflector includes a first substrate portion configured to reflect a first portion of a light beam back to the at least one optical waveguide and a diaphragm configured to reflect a second portion of the light beam back to the at least one optical waveguide. The diaphragm is responsive to a perturbation by moving relative to the first substrate portion. The light beam is centered on a region between the first substrate portion and the diaphragm.

Abstract: A sensor includes at least one optical waveguide and an optical reflector optically coupled to the at least one optical waveguide. The optical reflector includes a first substrate portion configured to reflect a first portion of a light beam back to the at least one optical waveguide and a diaphragm configured to reflect a second portion of the light beam back to the at least one optical waveguide. The diaphragm is responsive to a perturbation by moving relative to the first substrate portion. The light beam is centered on a region between the first substrate portion and the diaphragm.

Abstract: An optical system includes at least one laser source configured to generate first light having a first spectrum comprising a plurality of first peaks, a waveform generator configured to produce a noise waveform, and an electro-optic phase modulator in optical communication with the at least one laser source and in electrical communication with the waveform generator. The electro-optic phase modulator is configured to receive the first light, to receive the noise waveform, and to respond to the noise waveform by modulating the first light to produce second light having a second spectrum comprising a plurality of second peaks. The peak wavelengths of the second peaks are equal to the peak wavelengths of the first peaks and the linewidths of the second peaks are broader than the linewidths of the corresponding first peaks.

Abstract: A sensor includes at least one optical waveguide having a mode-field diameter greater than 11 ?m and an optical reflector optically coupled to the at least one optical waveguide. The optical reflector includes a first substrate portion configured to reflect a first portion of a light beam back to the at least one optical waveguide and a diaphragm configured to reflect a second portion of the light beam back to the at least one optical waveguide. The diaphragm is responsive to a perturbation by moving relative to the first substrate portion. The light beam is centered on a region between the first substrate portion and the diaphragm.

Abstract: A gyroscope includes a first optical resonator in optical communication with at least one optical waveguide and a second optical resonator in optical communication with the first optical resonator. One of the first optical resonator and the second optical resonator has a power loss rate L greater than zero and the other of the first optical resonator and the second optical resonator has a power gain rate G greater than zero. The at least one optical waveguide, the first optical resonator, and the second optical resonator are configured to be below lasing threshold. The gyroscope further includes at least one optical detector in optical communication with the at least one optical waveguide, and the at least one optical waveguide is configured to receive, from at least one light source, light having an input power Pin at a frequency ?p and to transmit at least a portion of the light having an output power Pout to the at least one optical detector.

Abstract: A gyroscope includes a first optical resonator in optical communication with at least one optical waveguide and a second optical resonator in optical communication with the first optical resonator. One of the first optical resonator and the second optical resonator has a power loss rate L greater than zero and the other of the first optical resonator and the second optical resonator has a power gain rate G greater than zero. The at least one optical waveguide, the first optical resonator, and the second optical resonator are configured to be below lasing threshold. The gyroscope further includes at least one optical detector in optical communication with the at least one optical waveguide, and the at least one optical waveguide is configured to receive, from at least one light source, light having an input power Pin at a frequency ?p and to transmit at least a portion of the light having an output power Pout to the at least one optical detector.

Abstract: A sensor is provided. The sensor includes at least one optical waveguide and an optical reflector. The optical reflector is optically coupled to the at least one optical waveguide and includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is configured to reflect a first portion of light back to the at least one optical waveguide. The second portion is configured to reflect a second portion of light back to the at least one optical waveguide. The reflected second portion of the light differs in phase from the reflected first portion of the light by a phase difference that is not substantially equal to an integer multiple of ? when the second portion of the optical reflector is in an equilibrium position in absence of the perturbation.

Abstract: A sensor includes at least one optical waveguide having a mode-field diameter greater than 11 ?m and an optical reflector optically coupled to the at least one optical waveguide. The optical reflector includes a first substrate portion configured to reflect a first portion of a light beam back to the at least one optical waveguide and a diaphragm configured to reflect a second portion of the light beam back to the at least one optical waveguide. The diaphragm is responsive to a perturbation by moving relative to the first substrate portion. The light beam is centered on a region between the first substrate portion and the diaphragm.

Abstract: A sensor is provided. The sensor includes at least one optical waveguide and an optical reflector. The optical reflector is optically coupled to the at least one optical waveguide and includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is configured to reflect a first portion of light back to the at least one optical waveguide. The second portion is configured to reflect a second portion of light back to the at least one optical waveguide. The reflected second portion of the light differs in phase from the reflected first portion of the light by a phase difference that is not substantially equal to an integer multiple of ? when the second portion of the optical reflector is in an equilibrium position in absence of the perturbation.

Abstract: An optical system is provided having a laser configured to generate light having a first laser spectrum with a first linewidth, a waveform generator configured to produce a noise waveform, and an electro-optic phase modulator in optical communication with the laser and in electrical communication with the waveform generator. The electro-optic phase modulator is configured to receive the light having the first laser spectrum, to receive the noise waveform, and to respond to the noise waveform by modulating the light to produce light having a second laser spectrum with a second linewidth broader than the first linewidth.

Abstract: An optical system is provided having a laser configured to generate light having a first laser spectrum with a first linewidth, a waveform generator configured to produce a noise waveform, and an electro-optic phase modulator in optical communication with the laser and in electrical communication with the waveform generator. The electro-optic phase modulator is configured to receive the light having the first laser spectrum, to receive the noise waveform, and to respond to the noise waveform by modulating the light to produce light having a second laser spectrum with a second linewidth broader than the first linewidth.

Abstract: A sensor is provided, with the sensor including a reflective element and an optical fiber positioned relative to the reflective element such that light emitted from the optical fiber is reflected by the reflective element and propagates in an optical cavity between the optical fiber and the reflective element. A first material is within the optical cavity and has a coefficient of thermal expansion and a thickness that compensate a refractive index change with temperature of a second material within the optical cavity.

Abstract: A sensor and a method of fabrication are provided. The sensor includes at least one optical waveguide and an optical reflector. The optical reflector is optically coupled to the at least one optical waveguide and includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is configured to reflect a first portion of light back to the at least one optical waveguide. The second portion is configured to reflect a second portion of light back to the at least one optical waveguide. The reflected second portion of the light differs in phase from the reflected first portion of the light by a phase difference that is not substantially equal to an integer multiple of ? when the second portion of the optical reflector is in an equilibrium position in absence of the perturbation.

Abstract: An optical device and a method of using an optical filter are provided. The optical device includes an optical filter and a narrowband optical source. The optical filter has a refractive index that varies along a length of the optical filter. The narrowband optical source is in optical communication with the optical filter and is configured to generate light having a wavelength at or in the vicinity of at least one of a wavelength corresponding to a local transmission maximum and a wavelength corresponding to a maximum slop of the group index spectrum of the optical filter.

Abstract: An optical switch includes a microresonator comprising a silicon-rich silicon oxide layer and a plurality of silicon nanoparticles within the silicon-rich silicon oxide layer. The microresonator further includes an optical coupler optically coupled to the microresonator and configured to be optically coupled to a signal source. The microresonator is configured to receive signal light having a signal wavelength, and at least a portion of the microresonator is responsive to the signal light by undergoing a refractive index change at the signal wavelength. The optical switch further includes an optical coupler optically coupled to the microresonator and configured to be optically coupled to a signal source. The optical coupler transmits the signal light from the signal source to the microresonator.

Abstract: An optical device, a method of configuring an optical device, and a method of using a fiber Bragg grating is provided. The optical device includes a fiber Bragg grating, a narrowband optical source, and at least one optical detector. The fiber Bragg grating has a power transmission spectrum as a function of wavelength with one or more resonance peaks, each comprising a local maximum and two non-zero-slope regions with the local maximum therebetween. The light generated by the narrowband optical source has a wavelength at a non-zero-slope region of a resonance peak that is selected such that one or more of the following quantities, evaluated at the resonance peak, is at a maximum value: (a) the product of the group delay spectrum and the power transmission spectrum and (b) the product of the group delay spectrum and one minus the power reflection spectrum.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, an optical device and a method of use is provided. The optical device includes a fiber Bragg grating having a substantially periodic refractive index modulation along a length of the fiber Bragg grating. The fiber Bragg grating has a power transmission spectrum with a plurality of local transmission minima, wherein each pair of neighboring local transmission minima has a local transmission maximum therebetween. The local transmission maximum has a maximum power at a transmission peak wavelength. The optical device further includes a narrowband optical source in optical communication with a first optical path and a second optical path.

Abstract: Optical apparatus and methods utilizing sensors operating in the reflection mode are provided. The apparatus includes at least one optical bus. The at least one optical bus is configured to be optically coupled to at least one source of input optical signals, to at least one optical detector, and to a plurality of reflective sensing elements. The at least one optical bus transmits an input optical signal from the at least one source to the plurality of reflective sensing elements. At least one reflective sensing element of the plurality of reflective sensing elements receives a portion of the input optical signal and reflects at least a portion of the received portion. The at least one optical bus transmits the reflected portion to the at least one optical detector.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, an optical device and a method of use is provided. The optical device includes a fiber Bragg grating having a substantially periodic refractive index modulation along a length of the fiber Bragg grating. The fiber Bragg grating has a power transmission spectrum with a plurality of local transmission minima, wherein each pair of neighboring local transmission minima has a local transmission maximum therebetween. The local transmission maximum has a maximum power at a transmission peak wavelength. The optical device further includes a narrowband optical source in optical communication with a first optical path and a second optical path.