Abstract: A semiconductor waveguide optical device and a method of manufacturing of a semiconductor optical device are disclosed. The semiconductor waveguide optical device may include a gradient index waveguide for mode conversion and/or vertical translation of optical modes of step-index waveguides, which may be disposed on or over a same substrate as the gradient index waveguide. The gradient index waveguide may be epitaxially grown.

Abstract: A semiconductor waveguide optical device and a method of manufacturing of a semiconductor optical device are disclosed. The semiconductor waveguide optical device may include a gradient index waveguide for mode conversion and/or vertical translation of optical modes of step-index waveguides, which may be disposed on or over a same substrate as the gradient index waveguide. The gradient index waveguide may be epitaxially grown.

Abstract: A semiconductor waveguide optical device and a method of manufacturing of a semiconductor optical device are disclosed. The semiconductor waveguide optical device may include a gradient index waveguide for mode conversion and/or vertical translation of optical modes of step-index waveguides, which may be disposed on or over a same substrate as the gradient index waveguide. The gradient index waveguide may be epitaxially grown.

Abstract: A semiconductor waveguide optical device and a method of manufacturing of a semiconductor optical device are disclosed. The semiconductor waveguide optical device may include a gradient index waveguide for mode conversion and/or vertical translation of optical modes of step-index waveguides, which may be disposed on or over a same substrate as the gradient index waveguide. The gradient index waveguide may be epitaxially grown.

Abstract: An optical device exhibiting a color shift upon rotation is disclosed. The optical device has a textured surface having a relief structure finer than a human eye resolution but large enough not to exhibit diffraction effects. The textured surface is coated with an interference thin film that exhibits a color shift with tilt. A uniform color seen at one angle of rotation changes to another uniform color when the optical device is rotated in its own plane. A method of manufacturing of such an optical device, as well as the use of the optical device as an optical security and authentication element, is also disclosed.

Abstract: A tunable optical filter is disclosed having an input port, a beam translator for translating input and output optical beams, an element having optical power for collimating the translated beam, a reflective wavelength dispersive element, and an output port. The beam translator can include a tiltable MEMS mirror coupled to an angle-to-offset optical element. An output port can be extended into a plurality of egress ports, each receiving a fraction of the scanned optical spectrum. A multi-path scanning optical spectrometer can be used as an optical channel monitor for monitoring performance of a wavelength selective switch, or for other tasks.

Abstract: An optical device exhibiting a color shift upon rotation is disclosed. The optical device has a textured surface having a relief structure finer than a human eye resolution but large enough not to exhibit diffraction effects. The textured surface is coated with an interference thin film that exhibits a color shift with tilt. A uniform color seen at one angle of rotation changes to another uniform color when the optical device is rotated in its own plane. A method of manufacturing of such an optical device, as well as the use of the optical device as an optical security and authentication element, is also disclosed.

Abstract: An optical device exhibiting a color shift upon rotation is disclosed. The optical device has a textured surface having a relief structure finer than a human eye resolution but large enough not to exhibit diffraction effects. The textured surface is coated with an interference thin film that exhibits a color shift with tilt. A uniform color seen at one angle of rotation changes to another uniform color when the optical device is rotated in its own plane. A method of manufacturing of such an optical device, as well as the use of the optical device as an optical security and authentication element, is also disclosed.

Abstract: A tunable optical filter is disclosed having an input port, a beam translator for translating input and output optical beams, an element having optical power for collimating the translated beam, a reflective wavelength dispersive element, and an output port. The beam translator can include a tiltable MEMS mirror coupled to an angle-to-offset optical element. An output port can be extended into a plurality of egress ports, each receiving a fraction of the scanned optical spectrum. A multi-path scanning optical spectrometer can be used as an optical channel monitor for monitoring performance of a wavelength selective switch, or for other tasks.

Abstract: A laser head generating ultrashort pulses is integrated with an active beam steering device in the head. Direct linkage with an application system by means of an adequate interface protocol enables the active device to be controlled directly by the application system.

Abstract: A laser head generating ultrashort pulses is integrated with an active beam steering device in the head. Direct linkage with an application system by means of an adequate interface protocol enables the active device to be controlled directly by the application system.

Abstract: A laser head generating ultrashort pulses is integrated with an active beam steering device in the head. Direct linkage with an application system by means of an adequate interface protocol enables the active device to be controlled directly by the application system.

Abstract: An optical device exhibiting a color shift upon rotation is disclosed. The optical device has a textured surface having a relief structure finer than a human eye resolution but large enough not to exhibit diffraction effects. The textured surface is coated with an interference thin film that exhibits a color shift with tilt. A uniform color seen at one angle of rotation changes to another uniform color when the optical device is rotated in its own plane. A method of manufacturing of such an optical device, as well as the use of the optical device as an optical security and authentication element, is also disclosed.

Abstract: A photodiode with an improved electrostatic damage threshold is disclosed. A Zener or an avalanche diode is connected in parallel to a photodiode. Both diodes are integrated into the same photodiode housing. The diodes can be mounted on a common header or onto each other. An avalanche photodiode and an avalanche diode can be fabricated on a common semiconductor substrate. A regular p-n diode connected in series, cathode-to-cathode or anode-to-anode, to a Zener diode, forms a protection circuit which, when connected in parallel to a photodiode, provides a smaller electrical capacity increase as compared to a simpler circuit consisting just of a Zener or an avalanche diode.

Abstract: A laser head generating ultrashort pulses is integrated with an active beam steering device in the head. Direct linkage with an application system by means of an adequate interface protocol enables the active device to be controlled directly by the application system.

Abstract: An optical device for rerouting and modifying an optical signal that uses a double pass through a liquid crystal modulator is disclosed. The optical device includes a first polarizer for providing polarized light, a liquid crystal modulator for selectively modifying the polarized light, a second polarizer for analyzing the light passed through the liquid crystal modulator, and a reflector for reflecting the analyzed light back through the second polarizer, the liquid crystal modulator, and the first polarizer. This arrangement provides a double pass through the liquid crystal modulator, thus significantly improving the attainable extinction ratio.

Abstract: A modular optical platform for selective wavelength switching that can be adapted to perform various other functions, such as dynamic gain equalization (DGE) and add/drop multiplexing (ADM) provides the versatility and modularity that will be essential to the future of the fiber optics industry. The basic platform includes a first lens for directing an optical signal, a diffraction grating for dispersing an optical signal into its component wavelength channels, a second lens for directing the component wavelength channels, and a modifying device for conducting one or more of a variety of functions including switching, DGE and ADM. The first and second lens are preferably replaced by a single concave reflective mirror having optical power.

Abstract: The invention relates to a variable optical attenuator utilizing a variable polarization rotator, preferably in the form of a liquid crystal cell, positioned between two birefringent elements, preferably in the form of two similar birefringent crystals. The first birefringent element splits a beam light into orthogonally polarized sub-beams, which are passed through the liquid crystal cell, thereby undergoing a desired polarization rotation. The second birefringent element recombines only a portion of each of the first and second sub-beams providing the desired amount of light as an output beam. To minimize insertion loss, a first lens is positioned between the first birefringent element and the liquid crystal cell, and a second lens is positioned between the liquid crystal cell and the second birefringent crystal.

Abstract: The filtering of optical signals, and in particular the interleaving/de-interleaving of optical signals is becoming a necessary step in Dense-Wavelength Division Multiplexing (D-WDM), because of a requirement for smaller channel spacing due to higher levels of traffic. Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filters, including lattice and birefringent waveplate versions, are a particular type of optical filter used for interleavering/de-interleavering optical channels, which can be defined by their transfer function H(f). To ensure dispersion free filtering, the present invention provides a cascaded optical filter, comprising two optical filters, wherein the transfer function of the second filter is the complex conjugate of the first filter, i.e. H2(f)=H1*(f), or the complex conjugate of the first filter H1*(f) multiplied by the transfer function of a dispersion free optical filter G(f).

Abstract: The filtering of optical signals, and in particular the interleaving/de-interleaving of optical signals is becoming a necessary step in Dense-Wavelength Division Multiplexing (D-WDM), because of a requirement for smaller channel spacing due to higher levels of traffic. Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filters, including lattice and birefringent waveplate versions, are a particular type of optical filter used for interleavering/de-interleavering optical channels, which can be defined by their transfer function H(f). To ensure dispersion free filtering, the present invention provides a cascaded optical filter, comprising two optical filters, wherein the transfer function of the second filter is the complex conjugate of the first filter, i.e. H2(f)=H1*(f), or the complex conjugate of the first filter H1*(f) multiplied by the transfer function of a dispersion free optical filter G(f).