Abstract: A system to facilitate alignment of an optical connector to respective optical channels of one or more optical arrays. Optical planar arrays having multiple optical emitters and multiple optical detectors of a multi-channel optical link are aligned by employing supporting circuitry and software that controls the optical devices, enabling all receivers, turning on the transmitters sequentially, and recording the optimal transmitter/receiver pairs. Another feature of the invention is the aspect of redundancy, wherein the system establishes a record of spare emitters and spare detectors that are used when the selected transmitter receiver pair degrades or fails. The techniques of the present invention also provide a unique multiplexer/demultiplexer arrangement for a single wavelength channel of emitters and detectors.

Abstract: A high rate optical correlator is implemented on a substrate in which all of the optical devices are referenced to the flat surface of the substrate for optical alignment purposes by mounting the devices thereon. With the substrate surface as a reference point, alignment of the optical pieces is achieved to within a wavelength to eliminate the possibility of a “no correlation” result due to optical misalignment of the optical pieces. Additionally for the active elements, namely the laser, detector and spatial light modulators, interconnection of these devices and to drive sources is accomplished via direct coupling through the substrate so that the devices can communicate with each other through the silicon, thus to eliminate wire bonding and reduce pin count for the approximate 100,000 optical interconnects for a 256/256 array. Moreover, an epoxy frame which is milled at its top surface is used to mount an optical element over an active element for the alignment thereof.

Abstract: An electro-optical transceiver system with controlled lateral light leakage and a method of making such a system includes a plurality of emitter devices and detector devices including at least one of each, arranged in a planar array for transmitting and receiving, respectively, energy in a predetermined wavelength and a blocking medium disposed interstitially of the devices and being absorbing at the predetermined wavelength for blocking energy at the predetermined wavelength laterally leaking from an emitter device to one or more detector devices.

Abstract: An optical transmission device wherein each device has a single dedicated channel for receiving data and destination addressing is not required. The device is formed by constructing an array of transmitter/receiver pairs (transceivers) with a processing means and a gate controller. The network is configured such that transmission on any particular receiver reserved channel results in data being sent to a predetermined node having that particular receiver reserved channel. Data passes through other nodes without pausing to check the address information in the header when the data arrives at a node as is not in the dedicated receiver reserved channel.

Abstract: An electro-optical transceiver system with controlled lateral light leakage and a method of making such a system includes a plurality of emitter devices and detector devices including at least one of each, arranged in a planar array for transmitting and receiving, respectively, energy in a predetermined wavelength and a blocking medium disposed interstitially of the devices and being absorbing at the predetermined wavelength for blocking energy at the predetermined wavelength laterally leaking from an emitter device to one or more detector devices.

Abstract: An array of devices for electronically steering a laser beam. A plurality of quantum well absorption modulators steer a laser beam, either reflective or transmissive, without moving parts and operable at room temperature. The foregoing is accomplished using intraband, also termed intersubband, transitions in the quantum wells.

Abstract: An electro-optical transceiver system with controlled lateral light leakage and a method of making such a system includes a plurality of emitter devices and detector devices including at least one of each, arranged in a planar array for transmitting and receiving, respectively, energy in a predetermined wavelength and a blocking medium disposed interstitially of the devices and being absorbing at the predetermined wavelength for blocking energy at the predetermined wavelength laterally leaking from an emitter device to one or more detector devices.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable connector including a coupler body with a channel for receiving a connector plug therein; and a door spanning the channel, the door biased to cover the channel but displaceable with respect to the channel when the plug body is received in the channel to prevent light from escaping the channel when the plug body is removed from the channel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus utilizing a multiple quantum well modulator/emitter/detector pixel in a bilinear array permits reading or writing to an optical disc in parallel such that information may either be written to or read from an optical disc within one revolution of the optical disc. Thus while existing DVD and CDROM systems operate by sensing the contents of a spiral track, parallel readout afforded by the multiple quantum well modulator/emitter/detector provides as much as 1,000:1 advantage over single detector systems, with the biasing of the modulator/emitter/detector device determining whether the device is an emitter, detector or modulator. The co-location of the modulator/emitter/detector in a single device permits arranging devices in a linear array which is disposed over the optical disc for the parallel read/write functions.

Abstract: An optical array chip (60) is flip-chip bonded to ASIC substrate (50), and electrically connected to its supporting circuitry through compressively joined solder bump sets (57) and (67). Flowable epoxy hardener material (70) is applied to underfill between the surfaces of chip (60) and the ASIC surface, surrounding the bump contact sets and filling a standoff cavity system that had been etched in the electrical interface side of chip (60) to a depth greater than electrical layer (66) of chip (60) by the amount of the pre-determined standoff height, prior to application of its bump contacts. Standoff grid (72) and individual optical devices (69) are exposed after lapping and etching of the optical interface side of chip (60) down to the level of electrical layer (66). The grid structure may have other forms, such as a vertical perimeter standoff ridge surrounding chip (60) or penetrating electrical layer (66), or a distributed pattern of vertical posts or wall sections penetrating electrical layer (66).

Abstract: The invention in the simplest form is a low-profile optical waveguide assembly for interfacing a two-dimensional optoelectronic array to standard fiber bundles. The present invention serves both to bend light and fan out light-carrying guides and to transition from the optoelectronic array pitch to an industry standard pitch for connectorization. There are several embodiments considered herein, however the preferred embodiments are for an optical waveguide assembly that includes a waveguide housing supporting a plurality of waveguide sheets, each sheet includes an array of waveguides feeding a plurality of industry standard ferrules.

Abstract: A system for performing real time optical comparisons using an optical correlator permits comparing a sampled image to a wide variety of reference images through the utilization of a multiple quantum well spatial light modulator which is utilized to rapidly present a large number of reference images for correlation. The utilization of the multiple quantum well spatial light modulator as the spatial light modulator in a van der Lugt image correlator in combination with a spectrometer permits optical comparisons at 300,000 frames per second versus 10,000 frames per second, the best case for liquid crystal based spatial light modulators.

Abstract: A fiber optic connector including a molded alignment coupler including a base plate, an opening in the base plate, and at least one alignment channel in the base plate. A housing upstanding from base plate surrounds the opening and the one alignment channel; and an insert plate is placed in the housing, the insert plate including an opening etched therethrough corresponding to the opening in the base plate of the coupler, and at least one channel etched in the insert plate corresponding to the alignment channel of the coupler.

Abstract: An apparatus for efficiently transferring data on and off of an integrated circuit in a network node. In one embodiment, the chip has a silicon substrate and direct interconnection with optical fibers. In particular, the present invention pertains to an arrangement of the transmitters and receivers, along with processing circuitry and optical fibers, so signals are routed most efficiently for a given type of architecture, such as ring, star, routers, and crossbars. In one embodiment, the transmitters and receivers are interdigitated to provide bi-directional optical channels. An additional feature of the invention is the mating of the optical fibers to the transmitters and receivers, such that there is a direct correspondence on both ends of the optic fibers. The optical fibers of the transmitters and receivers can be grouped or bundled together to allow reconfiguration of different topology or to improve system performance by bundling together certain fibers.

Abstract: A method for making optoelectronic devices with interdigitated arrays of photonic devices is disclosed wherein an array of first type photonic devices and sacrificial device(s) is hybridized to a driver circuitry substrate, the sacrificial devices are removed, and an array of second type photonic devices is hybridized into the spaces left by removal of the sacrificial devices.

Abstract: An electro-optical transceiver system with controlled lateral light leakage and a method of making such a system includes a plurality of emitter devices and detector devices including at least one of each, arranged in a planar array for transmitting and receiving, respectively, energy in a predetermined wavelength and a blocking medium disposed interstitially of the devices and being absorbing at the predetermined wavelength for blocking energy at the predetermined wavelength laterally leaking from an emitter device to one or more detector devices.

Abstract: The present invention features a packaging system for two-dimensional optoelectronic arrays. In one embodiment, the packaging includes a heat spreader, a housing with embedded electrical interconnections, a substrate including electrical contacts, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) including a hybridized array with vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), detectors or both. The waveguide assembly includes a plurality of individual one-dimensional waveguides formed in waveguide sheets, wherein the waveguides match the array footprint on one end and a connector footprint on the other end.

Abstract: An optoelectronic device with an array of passive optical elements mounted thereon which provide optical communications between the active optical elements of the transceiver array as well as optical signal processing.

Abstract: An optical transceiver system including a plurality of transceiver nodes with at least one two-dimensional integrated circuit array of optical emitters and detectors mounted on an ASIC drive circuit and forming a focal plane; a lens or light collimator located adjacent for directing light to and from the emitter and detectors; an epoxy stand off located peripherally around each focal plane to prevent contact between the focal plane and the lens or collimator and to prevent entry of contaminants therebetween; and at least one fiber optic bundle to convey light between each of the transceiver nodes through the perspective lenses or collimators.

Abstract: A method for alignment in software and supporting circuitry of the optical transmitters and receivers to their respective optical channels at each connection of a multi-channel optical link to an optical planar array, permits non-critical physical alignment of the connector to the optical array. The steps include: employing a connector and optical array configuration at each connection in which there are several optical devices within the illumination area of each channel at the connector/array interface, employing supporting circuitry and software that has control of all optical devices associated with the optical link, enabling all receivers, turning on the transmitters sequentially, recording which of the receivers is responding, comparing matching receiver sets for each transmitter to identify associated transmitter sets and channels.