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 method utilizes an optical image processing system. The method includes calculating a product of (i) a measured magnitude of a Fourier transform of a complex transmission function of an object or optical image and (ii) an estimated phase term of the Fourier transform of the complex transmission function. The method further includes calculating an inverse Fourier transform of the product, wherein the inverse Fourier transform is a spatial function. The method further includes calculating an estimated complex transmission function by applying at least one constraint to the inverse Fourier transform.

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: 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: An optical device includes a hollow-core photonic-bandgap fiber, wherein at least a portion of the hollow-core photonic-bandgap fiber is adjustably axially twisted.

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: A system and method for reducing coherent backscattering-induced errors in an optical gyroscope is provided. A first time-dependent phase modulation is applied to a first laser signal and a second phase modulation is applied to a second laser signal. The phase-modulated first laser signal propagates in a first direction through a waveguide coil and the phase-modulated second laser signal propagates in a second direction opposite the first direction through the waveguide coil. The first time-dependent phase modulation is applied to the phase-modulated second laser signal after the phase-modulated second laser signal propagates through the waveguide coil to produce a twice-phase-modulated second laser signal. The second time-dependent phase modulation is applied to the phase-modulated first laser signal after the phase-modulated first laser signal propagates through the waveguide coil to produce a twice-phase-modulated first laser signal.

Abstract: A method for fabricating 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. The method includes positioning an element within the optical cavity. The element has a coefficient of thermal expansion and a thickness that compensate a refractive index change with temperature of a medium within the optical cavity.

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: A gyroscope and a method of detecting rotation are provided. The gyroscope includes a structure configured to be driven to move about a drive axis. The structure is further configured to move about a sense axis in response to a Coriolis force generated by rotation of the structure about a rotational axis while moving about the drive axis. The structure further includes at least one first torsional spring extending generally along the drive axis and at least one second torsional spring extending generally along the sense axis. The gyroscope further includes an optical sensor system configured to optically measure movement of the structure about the sense axis.

Abstract: An apparatus and method process optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging data from a sample. The method includes using a magnitude spectrum and an estimated phase term of a complex spatial Fourier transform of a complex intermediate function to generate an estimated complex spatial Fourier transform. The method further includes calculating an inverse Fourier transform of the estimated complex spatial Fourier transform and calculating an estimated intermediate function by applying at least one constraint to the inverse Fourier transform. The apparatus includes a partially reflective element configured to reflect a first portion of light and to allow a second portion of light to propagate through the partially reflective element and to reflect from the sample. The apparatus further includes a detector that measures the OCT power spectrum in response to the first and second portions of light.

Abstract: An optical switch includes a microresonator comprising a plurality of silicon nanoparticles within a 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. A method of optical switching includes providing an optical switch comprising an optical coupler and a microresonator having a plurality of nanoparticles and receiving an optical pulse by the optical switch, wherein at least a portion of the optical pulse is absorbed by the nanoparticles such that at least a portion of the microresonator undergoes an elevation of temperature and a corresponding refractive index change when the optical pulse has an optical power greater than a predetermined threshold level.

Abstract: An optical switch includes a microresonator comprising a plurality of silicon nanoparticles within a 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. A method of optical switching includes providing an optical switch comprising an optical coupler and a microresonator having a plurality of nanoparticles and receiving an optical pulse by the optical switch, wherein at least a portion of the optical pulse is absorbed by the nanoparticles such that at least a portion of the microresonator undergoes an elevation of temperature and a corresponding refractive index change when the optical pulse has an optical power greater than a predetermined threshold level.

Abstract: An optical device includes at least one optical waveguide including a plurality of elongate portions. Light propagates sequentially and generally along the elongate portions. At least two elongate portions of the plurality of elongate portions are generally planar with one another and are adjacent and generally parallel to one another. The at least two elongate portions are optically coupled to one another such that the light is coupled between the at least two elongate portions in a direction generally perpendicular to the at least two elongate portions as the light propagates generally along the at least two elongate portions.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, an optical device and a method of use is provided. The optical device can include a fiber Bragg grating and a narrowband optical source. The narrowband optical source can be configured to generate light. A first portion of light can be transmitted along a first optical path extending along and through the length of the fiber Bragg grating at a group velocity. The light can have a wavelength at or in the vicinity of a wavelength at which one or more of the following quantities is at a maximum value: (a) the product of the group index spectrum and a square root of the power transmission spectrum, (b) the slope of a product of the group index spectrum and one minus the power transmission spectrum, and (c) the slope of a product of the group index spectrum and the power transmission spectrum.

Abstract: A gyroscope and a method of detecting rotation are provided. The gyroscope includes a structure configured to be driven to move about a drive axis. The structure is further configured to move about a sense axis in response to a Coriolis force generated by rotation of the structure about a rotational axis while moving about the drive axis. The structure further includes at least one first torsional spring extending generally along the drive axis and at least one second torsional spring extending generally along the sense axis. The gyroscope further includes an optical sensor system configured to optically measure movement of the structure about the sense axis.

Abstract: A gyroscope and a method of detecting rotation are provided. The gyroscope includes a structure configured to be driven to move about a drive axis. The structure is further configured to move about a sense axis in response to a Coriolis force generated by rotation of the structure about a rotational axis while moving about the drive axis. The structure further includes at least one first torsional spring extending generally along the drive axis and at least one second torsional spring extending generally along the sense axis. The gyroscope further includes an optical sensor system configured to optically measure movement of the structure about the sense axis.

Abstract: A method for detecting rotation includes providing a plurality of resonant waveguides generally adjacent to one another and optically coupled to one another. Each resonant waveguide of the plurality of resonant waveguides is configured to allow light to propagate along the resonant waveguide in a planar path. The method further includes propagating light along each path in a clockwise direction or along each path in a counterclockwise direction.

Abstract: A method for fabricating 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. The method includes positioning an element within the optical cavity. The element has a coefficient of thermal expansion and a thickness that compensate a refractive index change with temperature of a medium within the optical cavity.