Abstract: In photonic integrated circuits implemented in silicon-on-insulator substrates, non-conductive channels formed, in accordance with various embodiments, in the silicon device layer and/or the silicon handle of the substrate in regions underneath radio-frequency transmission lines of photonic devices can provide breaks in parasitic conductive layers of the substrate, thereby reducing radio-frequency substrate losses.

Abstract: Described are examples of optical blind-mate connector adaptors, optical blind-mate connectors to blind-mate to the adaptors, and optical blind-mate systems. In various implementations, an optical blind-mate connector adapter may include a sleeve housing and a shutter mounted at an opening of the sleeve housing. The shutter may include a shutter flap to cover the opening in a closed position and a shutter tab to receive a force to move the shutter flap from the closed position to an open position extending away from the sleeve housing.

Abstract: An assembly for protecting spliced optical fibers includes: a fiber optic cable comprising at least one optical fiber and a surrounding jacket; at least one elongate tubular member housing the optical fiber, wherein a gap exists between the elongate tubular member and the jacket such that the optical fiber has an exposed region; and a premold block formed of an ultra-low pressure material, the premold block encasing the exposed region of the optical fiber.

Abstract: A cable connector, including a housing having a base and a lip, which surrounds the base and defines an aperture configured to receive a mating plug. The cable connector also includes a plurality of electrical contacts enclosed by the housing and configured to convey electrical signals, the electrical contacts having respective first proximal and first distal ends, the first proximal ends being implanted in the base so that the first distal ends are recessed within the aperture at a first distance from the base. The cable connector additionally includes one or more optical fiber terminals containing end portions of respective optical fibers configured to convey optical signals and having respective second proximal and second distal ends, the second proximal ends being implanted in the base so that the second distal ends are recessed within the aperture at a second distance from the base, which is greater than the first distance.

Abstract: An optical interface device for optically connecting photonic devices to optical device along with methods of making. The method includes providing a glass support member that is either monolithic or laminated. A laser beam is used to write cores in the body of the support member. The support member includes a bend section and the cores generally follow the bend section and serve to define curved optical waveguides. The cores provide strong out-of-plane optical confinement, thereby allowing for strong bends and therefore a compact design for the optical interface device.

Abstract: An optical module is disclosed, which includes a substrate and an optical fiber bench attached to the substrate. The optical module also includes one or more optical fibers, each having an end placed on the optical bench. One or more optical devices are attached to the optical bench and in optical communication with the one or more fibers, respectively. An optical fiber alignment block is attached to the optical fiber bench with the one or more optical fibers therebetween. The optical fiber alignment block includes a reflecting surface that deflects an optical path between the one or more optical fibers and the one or more optical devices.

Abstract: An embodiment relates to a method for manufacturing an optical module having an MCF and two connection components, and enables rotational alignment of the MCF to be implemented with high accuracy even in short-haul optical wiring. The MCF is arranged in a region between the two connection components while an end thereof projects from one connection component. As this arrangement state is maintained, array positions of cores in the projecting end are observed from a side face and the MCF is rotationally aligned by a rotation grasp jig grasping the projecting end to adjust the array positions of the cores, based on the observation result.

Abstract: Embodiments include a fiber organizer comprising an optical interface having a plurality of optical interface-side fiber positions arranged in a linear array, and a cable-side interface having at least two pluralities of cable-side fiber positions each arranged in a linear array. The at least two pluralities of cable-side fiber positions are not collinear with each other, and in some embodiments define a two-dimensional array. A plurality of optical fiber paths extend between the optical interface-side and the cable-side of the fiber organizer such that each optical fiber extends between one of the optical interface-side fiber positions and one of the cable-side fiber positions. Because the transition from a compact bundle of fibers to a linear array occurs within the fiber organizer residing within the plug connector rather than the boot assembly, the boot assembly can be made more compact and ergonomic.

Abstract: A novel optical assembly apparatus for coupling optical energy and a related method for creating the novel optical assembly apparatus are disclosed. In one embodiment, the novel optical assembly apparatus includes a high-index contrast waveguide constructed on a semiconductor die or another base substrate with an aligned optical coupling section, a grating coupler etched onto a surface, a micro mirror with an acute angle relative to the surface, and a waveguide taper that narrows an optical beam width. A light ray entered into the optical coupling section is redirected by the micro mirror to form a perpendicular ray entry angle with the grating coupler. The grating coupler then efficiently couples the light ray with the waveguide taper, which in turn narrows the optical beam width. The light ray may originate from a semiconductor die or from an optical fiber, which is purposefully aligned with the high-index contrast waveguide.

Abstract: A method of poling an organic polymeric electro-optic material. The method includes doping the organic polymeric electro-optic material with nanoparticles. The method also includes heating the organic polymeric electro-optic material to a poling temperature. The method also includes poling the organic polymeric electro-optic material by applying an electric field across the organic polymeric electro-optic material.

Abstract: A chip-scale, reusable sensor can detect aromatic hydrocarbons, such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX), rapidly in water without sample preparation. The device is capable of real-time, continuous monitoring for BTEX solutes, which diffuse into a film, such as a polymer, on the sensors surface. In operation, BTEX analytes concentrate in the film, causing an increase in refractive index, which modulates evanescent coupling into the chips integrated photodetector array. Integration of the photodetector array simplifies system instrumentation and permits incorporation of an on-chip photocurrent reference region in the immediate vicinity of the sensing region, reducing drift due to temperature fluctuations. In some examples, the chip responds linearly for BTEX concentrations between 1 ppm and 30 ppm, with a limit of detection of 359 ppb, 249 ppb, and 103 ppb for benzene, toluene, and xylene in water, respectively.

Abstract: An optical modulator comprising a waveguide for propagating an optical signal comprising a proximate arm configured to communicate a proximate portion of the optical signal, and a distal arm configured to communicate a distal portion of the optical signal, a proximate diode configured to modulate the proximate portion of the optical signal, a distal diode configured to modulate the distal portion of the optical signal, and an electrical input electrically coupled to opposite signed interfaces of the proximate diode and the distal diode such that an electrical driving signal propagated along the electrical input causes an equal and opposite modulation of the proximate portion of the optical signal in the proximate arm of the waveguide and the distal portion of the optical signal in the distal arm of the waveguide.

Abstract: Device for the coaxial connection of fiber-optic cables, comprising a single-piece coupling housing (10) and a single-piece sleeve mount (20), the sleeve mount (20) being designed with at least one latching nose (21) and the coupling housing (10) being designed with at least one latching mount which complements the at least one latching nose (21), wherein the latching mount is designed with at least one latching hook (14) and at least one stop (15).

Abstract: A connector assembly is provided for coupling optical fibers to a spectrometer. The connector assembly includes a plate having a slit defined therein and a ferrule that secures end portions of the optical fibers therein. The ferrule includes a forward end having an aperture that receives the optical fibers. The connector assembly further includes a connector housing having an alignment mechanism with a plate recess dimensioned to receive the plate therein and a ferrule recess dimensioned to receive the forward end of the ferrule therein. The plate recess orients the plate and the ferrule recess orients the ferrule within the connector assembly that includes a spring for imparting a force urging the forward end of the ferrule into contact with the plate to minimize an air gap between the plate and the ferrule. The spring and the alignment mechanism maintain the ferrule in an x-y-z, rotation, and/or an angular orientation.

Abstract: A device comprising: a substrate; a plurality of resonators on the substrate, each of the resonators of the plurality of resonators being resonant at a predetermined wavelength of electromagnetic radiation and at least some of the resonators being arranged to operate in different resonance orders; a waveguide on the substrate, the waveguide being coupled to the plurality of resonators for guiding the electromagnetic radiation to the plurality of resonators, wherein the resonance order of each resonator along the waveguide is optimized to maximize the coupling of light into the resonators.

Abstract: A sensor system having coupling structures is disclosed. The system includes an input coupling structure, an interaction region, and an output coupling structure. The input coupling structure is configured to receive emitted light at a selected coupling efficiency and may provide filtering of the emitted light for a selected wavelength. The interaction region is coupled to the input coupling structure and configured to interact the light from the input coupling structure with a specimen. The output coupling structure is coupled to the interaction region and configured to provide interacted light from the interaction region to the detector.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable which comprises at least one subassembly. Each subassembly comprises 1 to 12 optical fibers, a plurality of yarn strength members free halogens, and a first jacket free of any halogens and having a thickness of between about 0.254 to about 0.305 mm. The first jacket surrounds and completely encases the 1 to 12 optical fibers and the plurality of yarn strength members to form the subassembly. The first jacket is manufactured from a material which has a limiting oxygen index (LOI) of at least 40 and a shrinkage of the first jacket being no greater than about 3.5%. The fiber optic cable has a crush resistance of at least 35N/cm, allows less than a 0.4 db/km increase of optical attenuation from ?20 to 70 C and meets requirements according to each of IEC 60332-3-24 (Flame Spread), IEC 61034-2 (Low smoke), and IEC 60754-1&2 (non-Halogen); and the fiber optic cable has a flexural modulus of about 40,000 psi.

Abstract: A cabled midplane interconnect system includes a cabled midplane interconnect having a first connection and a second connection. A first circuit board has a third connection configured to be coupled to the first connection. A second circuit board has a fourth connection configured to be coupled to the second connection. The connection orientations are assigned such that a midplane cable, having a plurality of conductors, couples the first connection to the second connection so that none of the plurality of conductors crosses another of the plurality of conductors.

Abstract: A WDM transmitter and/or receiver optoelectronic integrated circuit includes a plurality of microresonators and corresponding waveguides and couplers that are integrally formed on a substrate. For the WDM transmitter, the microresonators and waveguides are configured to generate a plurality of optical signals at different wavelengths. Each coupler includes a resonant cavity waveguide that is configured to transmit one optical signal from one waveguide to the output waveguide such that the plurality of optical signals are multiplexed on the output waveguide. For the WDM receiver, an input waveguide is configured to provide for propagation of a plurality of optical signals at different wavelengths. Each coupler includes a resonant cavity waveguide that is configured to transmit at least one optical signal from the input waveguide to one waveguide.

Abstract: A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) is described. This PIC includes an inverse facet mirror on a silicon optical waveguide for optical proximity coupling between two silicon-on-insulator (SOI) chips placed face to face. Accurate mirror facets may be fabricated in etch pits using a silicon micro-machining technique, with wet etching of the silicon <110> facet at an angle of 45° when etched through the <100> surface. Moreover, by filling the etch pit with polycrystalline silicon or another filling material that has an index of refraction similar to silicon (such as a silicon-germanium alloy), a reflecting mirror with an accurate angle can be formed at the end of the silicon optical waveguide using: a metal coating, a dielectric coating, thermal oxidation, or selective silicon dry etching removal of one side of the etch pit to define a cavity.