Abstract: A method of manufacturing a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) in group III-V semiconductor compounds with improved optical and electrical characteristics is provided. A selected DBR structure is achieved by sequential exposure of a substrate to predetermined combinations of the elemental sources to produce a pair of DBR layers of compound alloys and a graded region including one or more discrete additional layers between the DBR layers of intermediate alloy composition. Exposure durations and combinations of the elemental sources in each exposure are predetermined by DBR design characteristics.

Abstract: A VCSEL waveguide grating coupler is provided such that a first and second mirror are positioned to define a resonant cavity between them. The waveguide grating coupler further includes a waveguide having a first grating formed as a part of the waveguide to couple light of a first polarization mode into the waveguide. A second grating is formed on the waveguide grating coupler and is orthogonal to the first grating. The second grating is operative to enhance the light coupled to the waveguide by creating a loss difference between light of the first polarization mode and light of a second polarization mode, so that light of the first polarization mode lases preferentially within the VCSEL.

Abstract: An optical coupler comprises first and second mirrors. The first mirror is positioned with respect to the second mirror so that a resonant cavity is defined between them. A waveguide structure is positioned in the resonant cavity and includes a photonic crystal coupler. A thickness of the resonant cavity is selected so that a phase matching condition is satisfied for resonance in the resonant cavity. At least one of the first and second mirrors may be formed from a structure in an optoelectronic device. Alternatively, at least one of the first and second mirrors is formed from a semiconductor layer. At least one of the first and second mirrors may be formed as a semiconductor distributed bragg reflector, or as a dielectric distributed bragg reflector. At least one of the first and second mirrors may be a mirror in a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) structure.

Abstract: A wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) module for transmitting and/or receiving multiple signals simultaneously includes an array of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) and/or photodetectors, respectively. In the transmitter case, different VCSELs are operated at different wavelengths that change depending on a value of a condition such as temperature and/or one or more other parameters. Multiple VCSELs are assigned to each channel of the WDM. The currently active VCSEL is switched to a different VCSEL assigned to a same channel and preferably having an operating wavelength that is closer to the signal wavelength at the current measured or estimated temperature and/or other parameter value. Multiple photodetectors are assigned to each channel of the WDM, and currently active detector is switched to the second detector within the same channel.

Abstract: A high-power coherent array of Vertical Cavity Surface Emitter Lasers is described in which a plurality of Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSELs) are provided along with a structure which optically couples each of the VCSELs the plurality of VCSELs to one another by a predetermined amount to cause a coherent mode locking condition to occur. The coupling structure can be a beam cube, a plurality of smaller bean cubes, or a waveguide/grating system, for example. A reference source, or controlled coupling among the VCSELs, is used to phase lock the VCSELs to one another.

Abstract: An optical coupler comprises first and second mirrors. The first mirror is positioned with respect to the second mirror so that a resonant cavity is defined between them. A waveguide structure is positioned in the resonant cavity and includes a surface-normal grating structure. A thickness of the resonant cavity is selected so that a phase matching condition is satisfied for resonance in the resonant cavity. At least one of the first and second mirrors may be formed from a structure in an optoelectronic device. Alternatively, at least one of the first and second mirrors is formed from a semiconductor layer. At least one of the first and second mirrors may be formed as a semiconductor distributed bragg reflector, or as a dielectric distributed bragg reflector. At least one of the first and second mirrors may be a mirror in a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) structure.

Abstract: A virtual distributed optical crossbar local area network configuration where the central switch or network controller has been eliminated. A virtual distributed optical crossbar allows a network to be fully scalable as the number of users increases. The virtual distributed optical crossbar is fully non-blocking and is reconfigurable. In addition the virtual distributed optical crossbar has zero latency across the network, employs vertical cavity surface emitting laser technology and smart pixel technology in conjunction with a resonant cavity enhanced (RCE) waveguide grating coupler (WGC). Optical signals are transmitted through fiber optic and/or waveguide or freespace interconnects implementing the switching functions. The waveguide technology provides the enabling mechanism to achieve a zero latency, fully non-blocking, performance. Address decoding functions between processors is divided, leaving only the true distance interconnect implemented by optical means.

Abstract: An architecture for an optical computing apparatus which utilizes global free space smart optical interconnects and is based on a digital logic family derived from augmenting semiconductor technology with optical logic. The apparatus comprises input means, control means, and detector means, where the detector means includes means for detecting an optical input signal, electronically amplifying and selectively negating the detected signal, and providing an optical output signal. The architecture is capable of providing outputs which are Boolean logical AND/OR operations on designated combinations of binary input bits, and in another embodiment is capable of forming the combinatorial functionals and summations into which an arbitrary user instruction may be decomposed by means of Shannon's theorem and DeMorgan's laws.

Abstract: An architecture for an optical computing apparatus which utilizes global free space smart optical interconnects and is based on a digital logic family derived from augmenting semiconductor technology with optical logic. The apparatus comprises input means, control means, and detector means, where the detector means includes means for detecting an optical input signal, electronically amplifying and selectively negating the detected signal, and providing an optical output signal. The architecture is capable of providing outputs which are Boolean logical AND/OR operations on designated combinations of binary input bits, and in another embodiment is capable of forming the combinatorial functionals and summations into which an arbitrary user instruction may be decomposed by means of Shannon's theorem and DeMorgan's laws.

Abstract: A general purpose optical computer in which bits of a control vectors are optically ANDed with bits of a data vector in a vector-vector operation, and in which the results of the optical AND operations are ORed by way of threshold detectors to form combinatorial functionals and combinatorial summations, where the combinatorial functionals and combinatorial summations generated implement a user designated instruction. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of detectors are provided, and a plurality of control words are input to the control operator means to form a control mask which operates upon the input bits provided to the light source means. Each control word interacts with the input bits and the result of such interaction is focused on a different detector. In this manner a substantial number of functionals and/or summations can be formed in parallel and operating upon very wide input words.

Abstract: A general purpose optical computer in which bits of a control vectors are optically ANDed with bits of a data vector in a vector-vector operation, and in which the results of the optical AND operations are ORed by way of threshold detectors to form combinatorial functionals and combinatorial summations, where the combinatorial functionals and combinatorial summations generated implement a user designated instruction. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of detectors are provided, and a plurality of control words are input to the control operator means for form a control mask which operates upon the input bits provided to the light source means. Each control word interacts with the input bits and the result of such interaction is focused on a different detector. In this manner a substantial number of functionals and/or summations can be formed in parallel and operating upon very wide input words.

Abstract: An optical computer apparatus and method in which binary operations are implemented by utilizing optical elements to perform AND-OR-INVERT operations of the binary operation and combinatorial logic elements perform the remaining operations. Preferably, a pair of acousto-optic cells are energized by binary data, which data are supplied by combinatorial logic, and which cells modulate light rays that are focused on detectors which determine the presence or absence of light. The particular combination of data supplied by the combinatorial logic is a function of the operations remaining in the desired binary operation once any AND-OR-INVERT functions have been implemented by way of optical structures. Further, the propagational time through the acousto-optic cells is utilized to implement systolic type implementations of binary functions.