Abstract: An interferometer is integrated on an optical chip. The optical chip is formed on a layer of silicon separated from a substrate by a layer of insulating material. The optical chip includes an integrated fiber connector for connecting the optical chip to one or more optical fibers. The fiber connector includes a groove formed in the substrate for receiving an optical fiber and a waveguide for transmitting light to or from the fiber connector. The waveguide includes rib waveguides formed in the layer of silicon and at least one phase modulator for altering the phase of light traveling along one of the rib waveguides. This arrangement forms an interferometer in which light transmitted along different optical paths can be combined and the effective path length of at least one of the optical paths can be altered by the phase modulator.

Abstract: An optical system comprises two optical paths P1, P2, and an optical path changer for changing the optical length of the two optical paths. The optical path changer includes two phase modulators M1, M2 one coupled to each of the paths. A driving system is configured to apply power to the phase modulators to drive them in the same direction and to change the power applied to the phase modulators in opposite directions so as to change the length of each optical path in a different direction. As a result, the relationship between the changes in the power applied to the phase modulators and the resulting changes in the phase of light beams passing through the optical system becomes substantially linear.

Abstract: An MQW is fabricated such that at a particular level of purely mechanical ress/strain the optical properties of the MQW are altered by breaking the heavy and light hole degeneracy (splitting of the heavy and light holes in the valence band) of the MQW in the E-k domain. In a preferred embodiment of the invention ring electrical contacts are disposed on the MQW and the entire MQW structure, including electrical contacts is mounted on a piezoelectric substrate, with the proper crystallographic orientation and strain induced orientation, via an epoxy.In operation, a bias is applied to the MQW structure and the piezoelectric substrate. The bias causes quantum decoupling of the heavy and light holes; however, the bias also will cause the piezoelectric material to move, which will induce a strain on the MQW structure.

Abstract: A piezoelectric resonator for use with microwave monolithic integrated ciit (MMIC) devices which are fabricated on (100) GaAs (gallium arsenide) material is provided. This resonator has a central resonator flat portion composed of (100) GaAs material and has a distributed reflector on each side of the flat portion with each reflector having an alternating series of layers, including a first layer having doped regions and an uppermost layer composed of the (100) GaAs material.

Abstract: A crystal resonator including at least three, typically four linear electe segments, formed on one of the major faces of piezoelectric resonator blank and providing at least two gaps which are selectively excited by RF voltages of predetermined magnitude and phase for generating a resultant lateral-field oriented at an arbitrary angle .PSI. with respect to the coordinate axes of the crystal plate for varying the lateral-field piezoelectric coupling k which is a parameter indicative of the degree to which an electrical energy is converted to mechanical energy in the resonator. By adjusting the magnitude and phases of the excitation voltages, applied to the electrode segments, the lateral-field direction becomes steerable so as to alter the electrical characteristics of the resonator including the lateral-field excitation antiresonance frequency.

Abstract: The present invention is a spatial light modulator which uses an uniaxially trained multiple quantum well (MQW) structure with an anisotropic absorption to rotate the polarization of light normal to the MQW structure. The anisotropy which produces this rotation is the result of a thermally induced in-plane anisotropic strain. The MQW light modulator based on this process has a high contrast ratio of 7000:1 and increased speed as compared to other similar modulators.