Abstract: A laser diode includes a semiconductor structure having an n-type layer, an active region, and a p-type layer. One of the n-type and p-type layers includes a lasing aperture thereon having an optical axis oriented perpendicular to a surface of the active region between the n-type and p-type layers. First and second contacts are electrically connected to the n-type and p-type layers, respectively. The first and/or second contacts are smaller than the lasing aperture in at least one dimension. Related arrays and methods of fabrication are also discussed.

Abstract: An optical signal generating apparatus is provided. A plurality of optical waveguides is disposed in different dielectric layers. A first light splitting pattern and a second light splitting pattern are disposed in the optical waveguides. The first light splitting pattern includes a first heterogeneous layer portion intersected with the second light splitting pattern in different dielectric layers to form at least one first intersection, the first heterogeneous layer portion and the second light splitting pattern are disposed in different optical waveguides, and a light beam with a specific wavelength, transmitted by the first light splitting pattern, is subject to a layer-to-layer transition before reaching the first intersection, so as to enter different optical waveguides.

Abstract: An electro absorption modulating apparatus is provided. A plurality of electro absorption modulators are disposed on a light transmission path. A controller controls a selection driving circuit to select one of the plurality of electro absorption modulators to perform light modulation on a light beam transmitted by the light transmission path, so as to generate a light modulation signal.

Abstract: A system is provided for measuring distance or displacement, comprising: first and second laser sources configured to provide first and second laser outputs; a beam combiner configured to receive and combine at least part of the first and second laser outputs into a combined laser output; a signal calibrator configured to receive at least part of the first laser output, the second laser output, or the combined laser output, and output a calibration signal; a plurality of optical paths, including a first optical path, a second optical path, the plurality of optical paths being configured to direct at least part of the combined beam onto an optical detector to produce an interference signal; and a signal processor configured to receive the interference signal and determine a pathlength difference between the first and second optical paths.

Abstract: A multichannel optical coupler can include an output optical coupler array and a plurality of optical fibers. At least two of the plurality of optical fibers can be connected together at an end opposite the output optical coupler array.

Abstract: A light emitting device includes a wavelength conversion layer, at least one light emitting unit and a reflective protecting element. The wavelength conversion layer has an upper surface and a lower surface opposite to each other. The light emitting unit has two electrode pads located on the same side of the light emitting unit. The light emitting unit is disposed on the upper surface of the wavelength conversion layer and exposes the two electrode pads. The reflective protecting element encapsulates at least a portion of the light emitting unit and a portion of the wavelength conversion layer, and exposes the two electrode pads of the light emitting unit.

Abstract: Described is a free space optical (FSO) node capable of communicating with a remote FSO node. The FSO node includes a Tx/Rx subassembly that is capable of simultaneously receiving and transmitting light carrying data, detecting the position/orientation of the received light signals, and aligning the Tx/Rx subassembly to account for misalignments with remote node. The Tx/Rx subassembly includes a central fiber for transmitting and receiving the optical signals so that the signal data can be processed. The Tx/Rx subassembly also includes a bundle of fibers that circumscribe the central fiber and receive a portion of received light signals to detect the position/orientation of the received light signals and align the FSO node with a remote FSO node.

Abstract: A silicon photonic integrated system in a switch includes a multi-wavelength laser module, a first multiplexer, an optical channel, and a light signal generating element. The multi-wavelength laser module is configured to emit n laser beams with different peak wavelengths, and n is an integer greater than 2. The first multiplexer is optically coupled to the multi-wavelength laser module and configured to receive the laser beams and combine them into a combined beam. The optical channel is configured to receive a combined beam. The light signal generating element receives the combined beam through the optical channel and modulates the combined beam to emit a plurality of light output signals.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel structure of photovoltaic devices (e.g. photovoltaic cells also called as solar cells) are provided. The cells are based on the micro or nano scaled structures which could not only increase the surface area but also have the capability of reducing the reflection and increasing the absorption of incident light. More specifically, the structures are based on 3D structure which are made of electric materials covering semiconductors, insulators, dielectric, polymer, and metallic type materials. By using such structures reflection loss of the light from the cell is significantly reduced, increasing the absorption, which results in increasing the conversion efficiency of the solar cell, and reducing the usage of material while increasing the flexibility of the solar cell. The structures can be also used in other optical devices wherein the reflection loss and absorption are required to enhance significantly improve the device performances.

Abstract: Length metrology apparatuses and methods are disclosed for measuring both specular and non-specular surfaces with high accuracy and precision, and with suppressed phase induced distance errors. In one embodiment, a system includes a laser source exhibiting a first and second laser outputs with optical frequencies that are modulated linearly over large frequency ranges. The system further includes calibration and signal processing portions configured to determine a calibrated distance to at least one sample.

Abstract: A light emitting device including a light emitting unit and a phosphor resin layer is provided. The light emitting unit has a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to each other. Each of the light emitting units includes two electrodes. The two electrodes are disposed on the bottom surface. The phosphor resin layer is disposed on the top surface of the light emitting unit. One side of the phosphor resin layer has a mark. One of the two electrodes is closer to the mark with respect to the other one of the two electrodes.

Abstract: The optical fiber coupler array can be capable of providing a low-loss, high-coupling coefficient interface with high accuracy and easy alignment between a plurality of optical fibers (or other optical devices) with a first channel-to-channel spacing, and an optical device having a plurality of closely-spaced waveguide interfaces with a second channel-to-channel spacing, where each end of the optical fiber coupler array can be configurable to have different channel-to-channel spacing, each matched to a corresponding one of the first and second channel-to-channel spacing. Advantageously, the refractive indices and sizes of both inner and outer core, and/or other characteristics of vanishing core waveguides in the optical coupler array can be configured to reduce the back reflection for light propagating from the plurality of the optical fibers at the coupler first end to the optical device at the coupler second end, and/or vice versa.

Abstract: A luminaire for providing configurable static lighting or dynamically-adjustable lighting. The luminaire uses an array of focusing elements that act on light provided via a corresponding array of sources or via an edge-lit lightguide. Designs are provided for adjusting the number of distinct beams produced by the luminaire, as well as the angular width, angular profile, and pointing angle of the beams. Designs are also provided for systems utilizing the adjustable luminaires in various applications.

Abstract: This invention relates to a sensor and sensor platform, for an autonomous system. The sensor and its platform sense, perform signal or data processing, and make the decision locally at the point of sensing. More specifically, the sensor along with its platform simulates the human-like or human capacity to make decisions by combing the data from several sensors that detect different data sets, and combine them in a series of data processes that allows autonomous decisions to be made. Additionally, the sensor platform combines multiple sensors in one metasensor with the functionality of multiple sensors placed on a common carrier or platform.

Abstract: A red light emitting diode including an epitaxial stacked layer, a first and a second electrodes and a first and a second electrode pads is provided. The epitaxial stacked layer includes a first-type and a second-type semiconductor layers and a light emitting layer. A main light emitting wavelength of the light emitting layer falls in a red light range. The epitaxial stacked layer has a first side adjacent to the first semiconductor layer and a second side adjacent to the second semiconductor layer. The first and the second electrodes are respectively electrically connected to the first-type and the second-type semiconductor layers, and respectively located to the first and the second sides. The first and a second electrode pads are respectively disposed on the first and the second electrodes and respectively electrically connected to the first and the second electrodes. The first and the second electrode pads are located at the first side of the epitaxial stacked layer.

Abstract: An intraoperative probe and a system for optically imaging a surgically significant volume of tissue or other scattering medium. An illumination source generates an illuminating beam that is conveyed to the vicinity of the tissue and a beam splitter, that may be no more than an optical phase reference, splits the illuminating beam into a sample beam along a sample beam path and a reference beam along a reference beam path. A scanning mechanism scans a portion of the sample beam across a section of the scattering medium, while a detector detects return beams from both the reference beam path and the sample beam path and generates an interference signal. A processor computationally moves an effective focus of the sample beam without physical variation of focus of the sample beam. The probe may have a sterilizable fairing that may be detachable.

Abstract: A light-emitting device including at least one light-emitting unit, a wavelength conversion adhesive layer, and a reflective protecting element is provided. The light-emitting unit has an upper surface and a lower surface opposite to each other. The light-emitting unit includes two electrode pads, and the two electrode pads are located on the lower surface. The wavelength conversion adhesive layer is disposed on the upper surface. The wavelength conversion adhesive layer includes a low-concentration fluorescent layer and a high-concentration fluorescent layer. The high-concentration fluorescent layer is located between the low-concentration fluorescent layer and the light-emitting unit. The width of the high-concentration fluorescent layer is WH. The width of the low-concentration fluorescent layer is WL. The width of the light-emitting unit is WE. The light-emitting device further satisfies the following inequalities: WE<WL, WH<WL and 0.8<WH/WE?1.2.

Abstract: A steerable illumination fixtures include an emitting source and a refractive optical system that steers an emitted beam by relative translation of the emitting source against the optical system. The light emitting source may be placed along an optical axis of one or more lenses to produce an output beam along that axis, or translated in-plane (orthogonal to the optical axis) relative to the lenses to produce a steered beam. The optical system may include refractive lenses and in some embodiments mixing channels and/or one or more baffles with apertures. The design is typically optimized to produce a round, uniform beam that retains approximately the same power level and beam width as it is steered. It is beneficial, but not required, that a second lens have a diameter equal to or larger than a first lens. The lenses may be configured so that the effective focal plane of the two lenses together is located approximately at the plane of the light emitting source.

Abstract: Advantageously, at least one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a polarization maintaining PROFA (“PM-PROFA”) coupler in which the polarization axes of the individual vanishing core waveguides thereof are oriented or aligned without the need to adjust the orientation of each individual VC waveguide.

Abstract: A light emitting diode and manufacturing method thereof are provided. The light emitting diode includes a first-type semiconductor layer, a light emitting layer, a second-type semiconductor layer, a first metal layer, a first current conducting layer, a first bonding layer and a second current conducting layer. The light emitting layer is located between the first-type semiconductor layer and the second-type semiconductor layer. The first metal layer is located on and electrically connected to the first-type semiconductor layer. The first metal layer is located between the first current conducting layer and the first-type semiconductor layer. The first current conducting layer is located between the first bonding layer and the first metal layer. The first current conducting layer is connected to the first-type semiconductor layer by the first current conducting layer and the first metal layer. The first bonding layer has through holes overlapped with the first metal layer.