Abstract: An electro-optical interface with a package base having an electrical connection configuration suitable for connecting to a source of electrical signals. A semiconductor optical signal source is provided mounted to the base and having a second or higher order grating in the cavity. The signal source is operatively connected to the package base whereby the electronic signals may be converted into optical signals. A waveguide is positioned adjacent to the signal source to couple the optical signal to the waveguide. The cavity is sized, shaped and positioned so that a radiation field for the cavity is not a mode discrimination mechanism wherein any back reflections into the cavity will affect a coupling coefficient to the radiation field without significantly adversely affecting the output signal quality.

Abstract: A surface emitting semiconductor laser is shown having a semiconductor lasing structure having an active layer, opposed cladding layers contiguous to said active layer, a substrate, and electrodes by which current can be injected into the semiconductor lasing structure. Also included is a distributed diffraction grating having periodically alternating elements, each of the elements being characterized as being either a high gain element or a low gain element. Each of the elements has a length, the length of the high gain element and the length of the low gain element together defining a grating period, where the grating period is in the range required to produce an optical signal in the optical telecommunications signal band. A phase shifting structure is provided in the center of the grating to cause a peak intensity to occur over the center of the cavity by altering a mode profile of the output signal, while spatial hole burning arising from said altered mode profile is ameliorated.

Abstract: A gate for an optical signal having a waveguide which can be coupled to a source of optical signals, where the waveguide comprises a cladding surrounding a core. A gate material is provided which is sized, shaped and positioned outside of the core such that an optical signal passing along the core interacts with said gate material. A source of power stimulates the gate material and the power source is switchable between on and off. The optical signal is attenuated by interacting with said gate material when the power is off and amplified by interacting with said gate material when the power is on. In one embodiment the gate is packaged into a planar light circuit having a multiplexer/demultiplexer at either end and a gate region including a plurality of gates. A method of forming such a device is also shown.