Abstract: The present invention includes a device and a method for fabricating a device that is an optical power mode transformer that accepts light in a mode transformation direction where the transformer is attached to or embedded in a semiconductor microchip and includes a first single or multimode optical input (SM) waveguide including a first core surrounded by a cladding, and, a second high contrast index grade (HC) waveguide including a second core having a tapered region and surrounded by said cladding, a portion of the tapered region of the core being embedded within the first optical input waveguide region with an embedded length sufficient for efficient light transfer from the first input waveguide to the said second waveguide wherein the embedded portion of the tapered region is fully surrounded by the first input waveguide along an axial and radial cross-section of the second waveguide in the mode transformation direction.

Abstract: A broadband optical via provides a low loss interconnection between waveguides in two vertically adjacent planar waveguiding layers. Two waveguides, one in each planar layer, evanescently interact over an interaction length, and substantially all of the power on one waveguide is transferred to the second waveguide. The relative detuning between waveguides is varied along the interaction region by tapering the width of one or both guides along the direction of propagation. The interaction strength is also varied by varying the physical separation between the two waveguides such that the interaction approaches zero near the two ends of the interaction length. The performance of the broadband optical via is fabrication tolerant, polarization tolerant, wavelength tolerant, and dimensionally tolerant.

Abstract: An integrated optical mode transformer provides a low loss interconnection between an optical fiber and an integrated optic waveguide having a spot size different from that of the fiber. The mode transformer is comprised of two waveguide layers, an upper layer and a lower layer, with the upper layer being contiguous to the lower layer. The lower layer is the integrated optic waveguide layer forming the optical circuit. The input dimensions of the composite two-waveguide structure supports a fundamental mode that accepts all of the light present on the optical fiber. The upper waveguide layer is tapered down from an input width to an output width and then terminates in such a way that at the termination substantially all of the input optical power resides in the lower waveguide layer. The two waveguide layer structure is fabricated by deposition and planarization techniques.

Abstract: Silicon-oxycarbide optical waveguides and thermooptic devices include a substrate and a first cladding layer having a first refractive index positioned over a substrate. A first core layer comprising silicon, oxygen, and carbon and having a core refractive index is formed on the first cladding layer by chemical vapor deposition using at least two precursors: one inorganic silicon precursor gas and at least one second precursor gas comprising carbon and oxygen. Alternatively, at least three precursors can be used: one inorganic silicon precursor gas, a second precursor comprising carbon, and a third precursor comprising oxygen. The core layer is lithographically patterned to define waveguide elements. A second cladding layer having a second cladding refractive index is formed to surround the optical core waveguiding element of the first core layer.

Abstract: A method for separating the orthogonal polarization components of an incident optical signal into two spatially separated output ports is described. The method comprises a Mach-Zehnder interferometer where one of the two branches has a section of waveguide that exhibits form-birefringence. This integrated optic Polarization Beam Splitter (PBS) is broadband, has high extinction ratio, and has characteristics that are tunable.

Abstract: The integrated optical circuit of the present invention includes a substrate with a first cladding layer. A first core layer having one or more waveguiding elements is formed on the first cladding layer. A second cladding layer surrounds the waveguiding elements of the first core layer; the refractive index of the first and second cladding layers are selected to be less than the refractive index of the waveguiding element(s). Through simultaneous cladding material deposition and cladding material removal, the second cladding layer as deposited is substantially self-planarized, enabling further layers to be positioned on the second cladding layer without necessitating intermediate planarization. Further, the present invention permits planar waveguide cores having submicron core spacings to be covered by a subsequently-deposited cladding layer without cladding gaps, seams or other deleterious cladding defects.

Abstract: The present invention provides a package for hermetically sealing optical fibers such that they optically communicate with other optical elements/devices. First and second substrates include one or more grooves formed in a surface for retaining individual optical fibers in opposing grooves. The substrate/fiber assembly is coated with at least one layer of material to assist in providing a substantially hermetic seal between substrate/fiber assembly and a housing bonding material. This material layer(s) is/are typically selected to minimize the material differences between the substrate/fiber assembly and the housing. The housing surrounds at least a portion of the fiber/substrate assembly and may contain one or more optical elements/devices for optically communicating with optical fibers positioned in the first and second substrate grooves.

Abstract: Devices and methods for the vapor deposition of amorphous, silicon-containing thin films using vapors comprised of deuterated species. Thin films grown on a substrate wafer by this method contain deuterium but little to no hydrogen. Optical devices comprised of optical waveguides formed using this method have significantly reduced optical absorption or loss in the near-infrared optical spectrum commonly used for optical communications, compared to the loss in waveguides formed in thin films grown using conventional vapor deposition techniques with hydrogen containing precursors. In one variation, the optical devices are formed on a silicon-oxide layer that is formed on a substrate, such as a silicon substrate. The optical devices of some variations are of the chemical species SiOxNy:D. Since the method of formation requires no annealing, the thin films can be grown on electronic and optical devices or portions thereof without damaging those devices.

Abstract: The integrated optical circuit of the present invention includes a substrate with a first cladding layer. A first core layer having one or more waveguiding elements is formed on the first cladding layer. A second cladding layer surrounds the waveguiding elements of the first core layer; the refractive index of the first and second cladding layers are selected to be less than the refractive index of the waveguiding element(s). Through simultaneous cladding material deposition and cladding material removal, the second cladding layer as deposited is substantially self-planarized, enabling further layers to be positioned on the second cladding layer without necessitating intermediate planarization. Further, the present invention permits planar waveguide cores having submicron core spacings to be covered by a subsequently-deposited cladding layer without cladding gaps, seams or other deleterious cladding defects.

Abstract: Devices and methods for the vapor deposition of amorphous, silicon-containing thin films using vapors comprised of deuterated species. Thin films grown on a substrate wafer by this method contain deuterium but little to no hydrogen. Optical devices comprised of optical waveguides formed using this method have significantly reduced optical absorption or loss in the near-infrared optical spectrum commonly used for optical communications, compared to the loss in waveguides formed in thin films grown using conventional vapor deposition techniques with hydrogen containing precursors. In one variation, the optical devices are formed on a silicon-oxide layer that is formed on a substrate, such as a silicon substrate. The optical devices of some variations are of the chemical species SiOxNy:D. Since the method of formation requires no annealing, the thin films can be grown on electronic and optical devices or portions thereof without damaging those devices.