Abstract: A hybrid optical source that provides an optical signal having a wavelength is described. This hybrid optical source includes an edge-coupled optical amplifier (such as a III-V semiconductor optical amplifier) aligned to a semiconductor reflector (such as an etched silicon mirror). The semiconductor reflector efficiently couples (i.e., with low optical loss) light out of the optical amplifier in a direction approximately perpendicular to a plane of the optical amplifier. A corresponding optical coupler (such as a diffraction grating or a mirror) fabricated on a silicon-on-insulator chip efficiently couples the light into a sub-micron silicon-on-insulator optical waveguide. The silicon-on-insulator optical waveguide couples the light to additional photonic elements (including a reflector) to complete the hybrid optical source.

Abstract: A technique includes using an emitter of an optical detector to emit a first optical signal and a receiver to acquire measurement of a second optical signal generated due to interaction of the first optical signal with a target. The technique includes scaling the acquired measurement based on a measure of optical crosstalk communication between the emitter and the receiver.

Abstract: The invention relates to a laser device (1) for amplifying and/or transporting electromagnetic radiation, comprising a radiation source (2) for generating the electromagnetic radiation and an amplifier (4) for amplifying or a medium for transporting the generated electromagnetic radiation. In order to make available a device (1) for amplifying or transporting electromagnetic radiation that provides a very easy to implement possibility for reducing the influence of non-linear effects, the electromagnetic radiation propagating in the amplifier (4) or medium is largely non-linearly polarized.

Abstract: Methods for fracture characterization of unconventional formations are provided. Synthetic seismic fracture responses can be generated based on the derived fracture parameters. The synthetic seismic fracture responses may then be used to derive optimum seismic data acquisition geometry for fracture characterization. These methods of determining the seismic data acquisition geometry are advantageous over conventional methods in that these methods are more reliable and cheaper than existing empirical methods, particularly as applied to fractured unconventional formations. Moreover, these methods allow fracture parameters to be derived from limited but common well log data. Certain embodiments additionally contemplate determining the presence of gas filled fractures. These characterizations and evaluations of unconventional formations are useful for, among other things, determining optimal producing intervals and optimal drilling locations. These methods can eliminate the use of costly image logs and core data.

Abstract: A system and method for providing fluent interaction between connectivity applications, personal information management applications and navigation applications. The present invention enables a user to launch navigation application directly from a “Contacts” application. This invention also enables the same result to be achieved in reverse, enabling direct access from a navigation application to contact information, eliminating the need for the user to manually access and enter information.

Abstract: A method for determining the presence of a transmitter and a receiver in a vehicle by means of a central processing unit, wherein said transmitter and receiver are designed for transmitting electromagnetic or optical signals in a predetermined direction and for receiving said signals from substantially the same predetermined direction, respectively, for example for communicating between different vehicles, and wherein said transmitter and receiver are operatively connected to the central processing unit, comprising the steps of: —generation of a signal in the central processing unit; —transmission of a signal by the transmitter in dependence on the signal generated in the central processing unit; —reception by the receiver of the signal from the transmitter; and —determination by the central processing unit of the presence of the transmitter and the receiver in dependence on the signal from the receiver.

Abstract: The invention provides fiber-optic light sources such as cladding-pumped master oscillator—power amplifier (MOPA) systems which use double-clad optical fibers (DCF). The inner cladding of the first DCF used in the master oscillator section has a circular cross-section in order to enable the formation of low loss optical splices in the integrated MOPA structure. The inner cladding of the second DCF in the output amplifier section has a shaped non-circular cross-section in order to enhance the absorption of the pump light in the doped core of the second DCF.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring optical equipment in an optical circuit is disclosed in which the apparatus may include an optical device situated to receive an optical input signal and to reflect a portion of the energy of the received optical input signal, thereby providing a reflected input signal; a first photodiode located along a path of the reflected input signal, and operable to receive optical energy from the reflected optical input signal and from ambient optical power; a second photodiode located substantially outside the reflection path of the optical input signal; and means for calculating a magnitude of a power level of the optical input signal from values of outputs from the first and second photodiodes.

Abstract: A vertical microcavity having a layer structure perpendicular to a vertical axis z, includes a first reflector and a second reflector, each comprising one or more material layers; a confinement layer between the reflectors, wherein an electromagnetic wave can be substantially confined, the confinement layer having a body and a defect delimited by first and second surfaces, perpendicular to the vertical axis z; wherein one of the two surfaces is contiguous with the body, the other one contiguous with a layer of the first or second reflector, and wherein one of the two surfaces has a curved profile in at least a plane section perpendicular to the layer structure, the curved profile having a vertex, which defines a maximal thickness h0 of the defect between the first surface and the second surface in the plane section, the maximal thickness h0 being less than a thickness of the contiguous layer.

Abstract: A system and method for performing flow cytometry is disclosed wherein the alignment of the light source with respect to the sensing region of the fluid stream is continuously controlled using a feedback control loop. An imaging apparatus is provided that images the system along the optical axis, between the field stop and the sensing region. In an embodiment, the cytometer includes a field stop having an H-shaped aperture and light diverters over the ends of the aperture that divert a portion of the light to peripheral detectors.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, an apparatus, and a system for amplifying a burst optical signal. The method includes: monitoring an input status of a signal light; when no signal light is input, controlling output power of a pump light so that a gain medium has output optical power and the output optical power is less than a maximum optical power that the gain medium is capable of outputting when a signal light is input; inputting the pump light into a wavelength division multiplexer so that the wavelength division multiplexer combines the signal light and the pump light and inputs the combined light into the gain medium. With the preceding manners, when no signal light is input, the power of the pump light is controlled.

Abstract: An optical phase modulator based on the principles of stimulated Brillouin scattering is disclosed. The optical phase modulator uses a pump wave and a probe wave counte-propagating in an optical fiber, whose frequencies are chosen such that a difference thereof differs from a resonant Brillouin frequency of the optical fiber. The pump wave is amplitude modulated prior to injecting into the optical fiber, causing phase modulation of the probe wave inside and at the exit from the optical fiber. Alternatively, the probe wave can be amplitude modulated, thereby causing a phase modulation of the pump wave. In the embodiments of the invention, the pump wave is a continuous wave, and the probe wave is a pulse Stokes wave or an anti-Stokes wave. A corresponding optical network using the phase modulator is also disclosed.

Abstract: The presently disclosed technique presents laser-based method and apparatus for use in remote sensing. In general, objects within a field of view are lased by a long cavity laser apparatus. Returns are detected, captured, and processed to identify actual objects of interest. These can then be communicated to a user. Over time, the actual objects of interest can be auto-tracked.

Abstract: An optical amplifying device includes a semiconductor laser that outputs a pump light having a power according to a provided drive current; a rare-earth-doped amplifying medium that amplifies an input light by the pump light output from the semiconductor laser; and a detector that detects, in the power of the pump light, a fluctuation faster than a response speed of a gain of the amplifying medium with respect to the power of the pump light. The optical amplifying device varies the drive current provided to the semiconductor laser based on the fluctuation detected by the detector.

Abstract: The present invention provides a long reach optical amplification device, a passive optical network and an optical signal transmission method in the communication field.

Abstract: An optical switch using a Michelson interferometer and differential onset of optical nonlinearity. Modulation of optical signals can occur at speeds that exceed that of electronic devices.

Abstract: An optical receiving apparatus includes an optical amplification medium that receives an excitation light and an input light, an optical loss medium that receives an output light from the optical amplification medium, a monitor that detects a power level of an output light from the optical loss medium, a controller that controls a power of the excitation light such that the power level of the output light detected by the monitor is at a target value, and a receiver that receives the output light from the optical loss medium, the output light not being optically amplified.

Abstract: An optical amplifier with improved transient performance has two amplifier stages and a gain flattening filter-inserted between the amplifier stages. A control unit generates a pump control signal for a common pump source pumping both amplifier stages. The pump control signal has a feed-forward component and a feedback component. After a drop of channels the feed-forward control circuit is responsible for the transient performance and fast gain stabilization. The characteristic of the gain flattening filter is taken into account in calculating an optimum feed-forward control signal.

Abstract: Disclosed are a device and a method for the design and fabrication of the device for enhancing the brightness of luminescent molecules, nanostructures, and thin films. The device includes a mirror, a dielectric medium or spacer, an absorptive layer, and a luminescent layer. The absorptive layer is a continuous thin film of a strongly absorbing organic or inorganic material. The luminescent layer may be a continuous luminescent thin film or an arrangement of isolated luminescent species, e.g., organic or metal-organic dye molecules, semiconductor quantum dots, or other semiconductor nanostructures, supported on top of the absorptive layer.

Abstract: A multiple-field-of-view scannerless optical rangefinder operating in pulsed Time-Of-Flight operation for use in high ambient background light is described.