Abstract: A glass planar waveguide structure, typically on a glass wafer or chip, has a core region, a contiguous narrow cladding region encompassing the core region, and an outer region practically extending over the rest of the wafer. The core region and the outer region are implanted with outside ions by ion diffusion, whereby the refractive index of the core and of the outer region are similar. The outer region forms an artificial waveguide to enhance the uniformity of physical properties of the wafer, e.g. stress, and reduce birefringence of the core.

Abstract: A glass planar waveguide structure, typically on a glass wafer or chip, has a core region, a contiguous narrow cladding region encompassing the core region, and an outer region practically extending over the rest of the wafer. The core region and the outer region are implanted with outside ions by ion diffusion, whereby the refractive index of the core and of the outer region are similar. The outer region forms an artificial waveguide to enhance the uniformity of physical properties of the wafer, e.g. stress, and reduce birefringence of the core.

Abstract: An optical system for coupling light from a monolithic waveguide chip from one optical path to another on different layers of the chip or into or out of the chip along an edge thereof by coupling a GRIN lens to the edge. Coupling a GRIN lens having a reflective end allows light to be launched out of and back into the waveguide chip. Alternatively a GRIN lens having a plurality of fibers coupled thereto can be used to couple signals carried by the fibers into the waveguide chip.

Abstract: A method of forming a grating in waveguide uses an ion exchange process to provide a waveguide region within and clad by a surrounding substrate and through an ion exchange process diffusing into the substrate an ion, such as such as Ag+, that is photosensitive and that provides a refractive index difference from adjacent non-diffused regions of the substrate. After the diffusion process, the step of exposing at least some of the waveguide region to light having a suitable intensity and duration to provide a permanent index change within regions of the waveguide region to form a grating is performed.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for making integrated optical components having strip waveguides (11 to 15; 21 to 2M) and a layer waveguide 53. A mask 4 having a lattice structure 3i functions to generate the layer waveguide 53 via ion exchange. The method of the invention is suitable for making couplers having free spaces with low attenuation and is especially suitable for arrayed waveguide grating multiplexers. The invention also is directed to an integrated optical component made pursuant to the method of the invention.

Abstract: An integrated optical Mach-Zehnder interferometer has two arms (11, 12) having different geometric path lengths. A first arm 11 includes arcuate segments (113, 114, 115, 116) and linear segments (111, 112) and the second arm 12 includes a mirror image arcuate segment (123, 124, 125, 126) for each arcuate segment of the first arm 11 and the total length of the straight segments (121) of the second arm 12 is less than the total length of the straight segments (111, 112) of the first arm 11. The integrated optical Mach-Zehnder interferometer is used as a demultiplexer with a 2.times.2 coupler at the output and as a multiplexer with a reversed beam path. The phase difference of both arms is directly proportional to the difference of the geometric path lengths.

Abstract: Integrated optical branching arrangement has a monomode waveguide 1 and a Y-branch waveguide 2. The waveguides conjointly define an abutting junction having a lateral offset (d). This is particularly advantageous when curved monomode waveguides are used. The offset is suitable for setting the power distribution ratio. The integrated optical branching arrangement can be applied to ion-exchanged devices in glass and to wavelength multiplexers.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an integrated (2.times.2) optical coupler including input waveguides (21, 22) approaching each other at an angle .PHI. and having different propagation constants and widths (w.sub.1, w.sub.2), minimum web widths S (approximately 4 .mu.m) and output waveguides (23, 24) of the same width w.sub.0. The output waveguides include circular arc segments which connect to the respective input waveguides with abrupt steps. Both directions are the same. Attenuation is avoided where the waveguides come close to each other in the interaction region and arcuate segments in the narrow waveguide 21 are avoided. The optical coupler according to the invention can be used in branching devices and especially in a 2.times.N branching device and in Mach-Zehnder duplexers.

Abstract: A sensor for detecting substances including hydrocarbons includes an integrated optical interferometer in the form of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer having a measuring arm and a comparison arm in a wave guide substrate. A polymer such as polysiloxane is applied as a superstrate to the wave guide in the region of the measuring arm. This superstrate can be penetrated by the substance to be detected. Swelling response, gas absorption, refractive index of the polymer and doping with chromophores or fluorophores, layer thickness and layer length are all parameters which can be adapted for a substance-selective performance. Other means of selection include various superstrates on a number of interferometers mounted parallel on a chip and polychrome measurements in combination with methods of pattern recognition constitute further means of selection.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for determining the refractive index (n) of a substance wherein monochromatic light is conducted to a single-mode wave guide integrated into a substrate. The wave guide is brought into contact with the substance to be measured along a segment of predetermined length. In this way, the effective refractive index in this segment of the wave guide is changed. This effect is utilized for measuring the refractive index of the measured substance. The change of the effective refractive index causes a phase displacement of the light travelling through this measuring segment. This phase displacement is measured as a phase difference to a light component not influenced by the measuring substance. This measurement is preferably made interferometrically.