Abstract: Example implementations relate to mounting optoelectronic devices and wavelength-division multiplexing optical connectors. For example, an implementation includes a transparent interposer having an integrated plurality of lenses. A plurality of optoelectronic devices are mounted to a bottom surface of the transparent interposer, each of the optoelectronic devices being paired to a respective lens of the plurality of lenses. The bottom surface of the transparent interposer is mounted to a substrate within a region of an optical socket. The optical socket receives a filter-based wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) optical connector. Each lens of the plurality of lenses is paired to a respective filter of the WDM optical connector when the WDM optical connector is mated to the optical socket.

Abstract: A heat dissipation system for an optical communications module is provided that includes a cold block on which the optoelectronic components and a lens assembly of an OSA of the module are mounted. The cold block has precisely-controlled mounting surface heights that precisely passively align the lens assembly in directions normal to mounting surfaces of the cold block. The cold block is made of a material of very high thermal conductivity, typically copper, so that heat generated by the optoelectronic components is dissipated into the cold block to maintain the optoelectronic components well below maximum allowable temperatures. In addition, an optical interface device of the OSA has a low-profile and an optical configuration that allows it to be used with a high optical fiber count.

Abstract: Inverted 45° semiconductor mirrors as vertical optical couplers for PIC chips, particularly optical receivers and transmitters. An inverted 45° semiconductor mirror functions to couple light between a plane in the PIC chip defined by thin film layers and a direction normal to a top surface of the PIC chip where it may be generated or collected by an off-chip component, such as a wire terminal. In an exemplary embodiment, a (110) plane of a cubic crystalline semiconductor may provide a 45° facet inverted relative to a (100) surface of the semiconductor from which light is to be emitted. In further embodiments, a (110) plane may be exposed by undercutting a device layer of a semiconductor on insulator (SOI) substrate. Alternatively, a pre-etched substrate surface may be bonded to a handling wafer, thinned, and then utilized for PIC waveguide formation.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector for terminating a fiber cable comprising a plurality of optical fibers, comprises an outer connector housing, a ferrule essentially free of adhesive, a backbone, and a collar body disposed between the ferrule and backbone. The collar body includes a remote gripping region to remotely grip the plurality of optical fibers outside of the ferrule. In some aspects, the collar body includes a fiber comb portion that separates potentially tangled fibers, arranges the plurality of fibers in a uniform pitch, and provides for straightforward feeding of the fiber array into ferrule bores during a fiber cable insertion process. In some aspects, the connector includes a resilient element disposed between the backbone and a rear portion of the collar body, and an intermediate spring element disposed between a front portion of the collar body and a rear portion of the ferrule.

Abstract: A cable connection system (100, 200, 300) includes a coupling housing (110, 210, 310) defining at least a first port (112, 212, 312); a printed circuit board (120, 220, 320) coupled to the coupling housing; and a communications component (130, 230, 330, 360, 400, 500, 550) sized to be received at the first port of the coupling housing. The printed circuit board (120, 220, 320) includes a light source (125, 225, 325). At least an indication section (135, 235, 335, 365, 450, 515) of the communications component (130, 230, 330, 360, 400, 500, 550) includes (e.g., is formed from or is coated with) a light transmissible material. The indication section (135, 235, 335, 365, 450, 515) is aligned with the light source (125, 225, 325) when the communications component (130, 230, 330, 360) is received at the first port of the coupling housing so that light emitted from the light source (125, 225, 325) illuminates the indication section of the communications component (130, 230, 330, 360, 400, 500).

Abstract: A connector plug arrangement (330, 600, 700) includes a connector body (334, 610, 720); and an indication component (335, 650, 750). The indication component (335, 650, 750) includes a first portion (337, 653, 751) that is disposed at a rear end of the connector body and a second portion (339, 654, 753) that extends outwardly from the first portion (337, 653, 751). The first portion (337, 653, 751) is configured to extend along a circumferential perimeter of the connector body (334, 610, 720). The second portion (339, 654, 753) is configured to extend along the longitudinal axis of the connector body (334, 610, 720).

Abstract: A new pin keeper and a connector that uses the pin keeper allows for installation and removal of guide pins within the pin keeper and the fiber optic connector in the field. The pin keeper may have latches that are accessible to disengage from a guide pin to allow removal or a tool may be used to widen openings in the pin keeper to allow the guide pins to be inserted or removed. Alternatively, the guide pin may be rotated to engage or disengage the pin keeper.

Abstract: Multi-fiber, fiber optic cable assemblies may be configured so that the terminal ends of the cables have pre-assembled back-post assemblies that include pre-assembled ferrules, such as MPO ferrules that meet the requisite tolerances needed for fiber optic transmissions. To protect the pre-assembled components from damage prior to and during installation, pre-assembled components may be enclosed within a protective housing. The housing with pre-assembled components may be of a size smaller than fully assembled connectors so as to be sized to fit through a conduit. The remaining connector housing components for the multi-fiber connectors may be provided separately and may be configured to be attached to the back-post assembly after installation of the cable.

Abstract: Techniques for forming a photonic integrated circuit having a facet coupler and a surface coupler are described. The photonic integrated circuit may be on a wafer, which may be diced to form an integrated device. The facet coupler may be positioned proximate to an edge of the integrated device, and the surface coupler may be positioned on a surface of the integrated device. The surface coupler may allow for evaluation and assessment of the circuit's performance, which may facilitate wafer-level testing of the circuit and diagnosis of the circuit before and after packaging.

Abstract: A structure for coupling an optical signal between an integrated circuit photonic structure and an external optical fiber is disclosed as in a method of formation. The coupling structure is sloped relative to a horizontal surface of the photonic structure such that light entering or leaving the photonic structure is substantially normal to its upper surface.

Abstract: A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) comprises an optical switch, a plurality of input edge couplers comprising a first input edge coupler and coupled to the optical switch, a plurality of input surface grating couplers (SGCs) comprising a first input SGC and coupled to the optical switch, a plurality of output edge couplers comprising a first output edge coupler and coupled to the optical switch, and a plurality of output SGCs comprising a first output SGC and coupled to the optical switch. A method of fabricating a PIC comprises patterning and etching a silicon substrate to produce a first optical switch, a first surface grating coupler (SGC) coupled to the first optical switch, and a first edge coupler coupled to the first optical switch.

Abstract: A method of distributed fiber optic sensing is described in which an optical fiber (104) is interrogated with electromagnetic radiation; back-scattered radiation is detected; and the returns are processed to provide a measurement signal (310) for each of a plurality of longitudinal sensing portions of the optical fiber. The method comprises analyzing the measurement signals of a first subset of longitudinal sensing portions to provide a first zone (306a) having a first sensing function and analyzing the measurement signals of at least a second subset of longitudinal sensing portions to provide at least a second zone (306b) having a second, different, sensing function. The different sensing functions may include detecting different events of interest. In some embodiments the geometry of the fiber may provide different sensing zones (406a, 406b).

Abstract: Provided is a variable optical attenuator, including a pigtail, a spacer, a lens and a cap. The pigtail has a first waveguide and a second waveguide. The first waveguide transmits incident light, and the second waveguide receives the returned light. The pigtail is attached to one side of the space, and the lens is attached to another side of the space. Moreover, the cap includes a hollow portion, a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion. The lens is placed inside the hollow portion, and the space is connected to the first connecting portion of the cap.

Abstract: Electro-optical modulators and methods of fabrication are disclosed. An electro-optical modulator includes a Mach-Zehnder interferometer formed in a substrate removed semiconductor layer and a coplanar waveguide. Signals from the coplanar waveguide are capacitively coupled to the Mach-Zehnder interferometer through first and second dielectric layers.

Abstract: This ultra-low-loss optical fiber comprises a core having a higher relative refractive index difference than silica and a cladding having a lower relative refractive index difference than silica. The relative refractive index difference of the core with respect to the refractive index of silica is 0.0030 to 0.0055, for example, and the relative refractive index difference of the cladding with respect to the refractive index of silica is ?0.0020 to ?0.0003. The ultra-low-loss optical fiber has the loss characteristic of simultaneously having optical losses of at most 0.324 dB/km at a wavelength of 1310 nm, at most 0.320 dB/km at a wavelength of 1383 nm, at most 0.184 dB/km at a wavelength of 1550 nm, and at most 0.20 dB/km at a wavelength of 1625 nm. The ultra-low-loss optical fiber is supercooled when the surface temperature of the optical fiber has a temperature range in a glass transition section during drawing.

Abstract: An optical multiplexer and methods of making and calibrating the same are disclosed. A method of aligning components in a multichannel optical/optoelectronic transmitter includes passively fixing a plurality of light emitters in place on a substrate; adjusting positions of a first lens passing light from a first light emitter and an optical signal transmission medium receiving the light from the first light emitter until a far field spot of the light from the first light emitter is at or near an end of the transmission medium; fixing one or more optical subassemblies on the substrate; and adjusting positions of the optical subassembly(ies) to align light from the remaining light emitters with the far field spot. Some embodiments include multiple optical subassemblies, each including a lens and a filter. Other embodiments include one optical subassembly including a mirror and a beam combiner.

Abstract: Methods for transferring input/output cables from a switch or router to a replacement switch or router employ a holding fixture for the cables. A holding fixture having a plurality of receptacles is supported such that the plurality of receptacles is disposed adjacent to the switch or router to be replaced. Each of a plurality of cables is decoupled from the switch or router to be replaced. Each of the cables is coupled with the holding fixture such that each of the cables is supported via a respective one of the plurality of receptacles. The switch or router is replaced with the replacement switch or router. Each of the cables is transferred from the respective receptacle of the holding fixture to a respective one of the ports of the replacement switch or router.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is configured for optical communication via an optical polymer stack located on top of the integrated circuit. The optical polymer stack may include one or more electro-optic polymer devices including an electro-optic polymer. The electro-optic polymer may include a host polymer and a second order nonlinear chromomophore, the host polymer and the chromophore both including aryl groups configured to interact with one another to provide enhanced thermal and/or temporal stability.

Abstract: An optical fiber cable has a sectional area of Ac [?m2] and housing a number N of optical fibers. A transmission loss ?dB [dB/km], a mode field diameter W [?m], an effective area Aeff [?m2], an effective length Leff [km], and a wavelength dispersion D [ps/nm/km] of each of the optical fibers at a wavelength of 1550 nm satisfy a predetermined equation.

Abstract: A multicore optical fiber with a reference section having a material defining a marked multicore glass optical fiber. The multicore fibers can be in groupings, for example, the groupings can be in the form of one of an optical fiber ribbon covered by a matrix, and a tight buffered cable. Fiber optic connectors can be assembled to the multicore optical fiber at either or both ends, and the colored portion can be associated with the optical fiber connector aligning the optical core elements with the optical connectors. The assembly can have at least one transceiver device with a transmit port and a receive port defining a two-way communication channel. Further aspects describe methods of manufacturing multicore fibers including application of curable coatings and reference sections.