Abstract: A polarization beam combiner/splitter (“PBCS”) for combining and splitting multiple channels of light beams simultaneously is disclosed. The PBCS includes a first fiber array, a second fiber array, and an optical core composed of a birefringent or other suitable material. The first fiber array includes a plurality of optical fiber pairs, while the second fiber array includes a corresponding plurality of optical fibers. The optical core is sized to modify light beams from any of the optical fibers of the first or second array. In a beam combining operation, multiple channels of polarized beams are emitted by the optical fiber pairs of the first fiber array and passed through the optical core, which combines the beams into dual-polarized combined light beams. The combined beams exit the optical core and are received by the second array of optical fibers. A similar beam splitting operation can be performed on multiple combined beams.

Abstract: An optical component includes an optical device positioned between isolation channels. The isolation channels are configured to at least partially isolate different regions of the optical component from one another. The optical component also includes at least one light absorbing region positioned so as to intercept light traveling in a direction that would take the light between the optical device and an isolation channel.

Abstract: A distributed optical structure comprises a set of diffractive elements. Individual diffractive element transfer functions collectively yield an overall transfer function between entrance and exit ports. Diffractive elements are defined relative to virtual contours and include diffracting region(s) altered to diffract, reflect, and/or scatter incident optical fields (altered index, surface, etc). Element and/or overall set transfer functions (amplitude and/or phase) are determined by: longitudinal and/or angular displacement of diffracting region(s) relative to a virtual contour (facet-displacement grayscale); longitudinal displacement of diffractive elements relative to a virtual contour (element-displacement grayscale); and/or virtual contour(s) lacking a diffractive element (proportional-line-density gray scale).

Abstract: This invention generally relates to an optical filter for a fiber optic communication system. An optical filter may be used, following a directly modulated laser source, and converts a partially frequency modulated signal into a substantially amplitude modulated signal. The optical filter may compensate for the dispersion in the fiber optic transmission medium and may also lock the wavelength of the laser source.

Abstract: An optical apparatus comprises an optical element having at least one set of diffractive elements and multiple channel optical waveguides. Diffractive elements of each set are distributed among diffractive element subsets corresponding to each of the multiple channel waveguides. Each diffractive element set routes, between a corresponding pair of optical ports, those corresponding portions of an optical signal propagating within the optical element that are received by multiple channel waveguides and back-diffracted within the receiving channel waveguides by corresponding diffractive element subsets. The channel optical waveguides are arranged so that optical signals propagate through regions of the optical element between the ports and the first ends of the channel waveguides.

Abstract: Disclosed is herein an optical switch, which has advantages of an MEMS optical switch and a waveguide optical switch including a small electric power consumption, an easy packaging process, and a fast switching speed. The optical switch includes an input waveguide connected to an input optical fiber through which an optical signal is inputted, and a plurality of output waveguides connected to a plurality of output optical fibers through which the optical signal is outputted. An actuator is positioned between the input waveguide and the output waveguides, and has an MEMS structure including a fixed part and a moving part connected to the fixed part by a spring to move by a predetermined force.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electro-optical device, characterized in that it comprises two plane optical substrates (100) each having at least one optical waveguide (110), and a nematic liquid crystal (200) inserted between them, in which the liquid crystal (200) is split into two separate active zones (210, 220) serving to control coupling/decoupling of a respective one of the TE and TM polarizations of a light signal injected into the waveguides (110).

Abstract: Optical components may be precisely positioned in three dimensions with respect to one another. A bonder which has the ability to precisely position the components in two dimensions can be utilized. The components may be equipped with contacts at different heights so that as the components come together in a third dimension, their relative positions can be sensed. This information may be fed back to the bonder to control the precise alignment in the third dimension.

Abstract: Two techniques are disclosed for writing waveguides between laser diodes and an optical fiber such that the laser diodes are aligned with their respective waveguide facets. The first technique utilizes a light sensitive polymer, such as a ultra-violet (UV) cross-linkable polymer. A precision writing system locates the light emitting centers of the laser diodes and writes the waveguide circuit by exposing the waveguiding regions with the appropriate light. The unexposed areas of the core layer are developed with a solvent and removed. The entire device is then encapsulated with a low-index cladding polymer. The second technique utilizes an active polymer approach in which waveguide regions are formed when the writing beam aligns the dipole molecules in the polymer to cause a change in the refractive index of the polymer.

Abstract: An optoelectronic assembly for an electronic system includes a support electronic chip set configured for at least one of providing multiplexing, demultiplexing, coding, decoding and optoelectronic transducer driving and receive functions. A first substrate having a first surface and an opposite second surface is in communication with the support electronic chip set via the first surface while a second substrate is in communication with the second surface of the first substrate. The second substrate is configured for mounting at least one of data processing, data switching and data storage chips. An optoelectronic transducer is in signal communication with the support electronic chip set and an optical fiber array is aligned at a first end with the optoelectronic transducer and with an optical signaling medium at a second end.

Abstract: A photonic crystal fiber comprising a bulk material having an arrangement of longitudinal holes (130, 140) and a guiding core (135), wherein the fiber has at-most-two-fold rotational symmetry about a longitudinal axis and as a result of that lack of symmetry, the fiber is birefringent.

Abstract: A chromatic-dispersion compensator comprises a plurality of dispersive elements (Q in number. Q?2) each exhibiting a dispersion characteristic D (?) that varies substantially as a polynominal function of wavelength, the polynomial function being of an order (P?2) greater than 0, the dispersion characteristics being displaced in wavelength relative to each other such that the compensator has a net Pth-order dispersion characteristic Dp that is non-zero and does not vary substantially with wavelength an operating bandwidth.

Abstract: Disclosed is the device for adding and dropping optical signals using a bulk dielectric optical thin film and four lens elements. To achieve this purpose, the bulk dielectric optical thin film and the four lenses are combined to add/drop optical signals corresponding to predetermined wavelengths.

Abstract: A variable optical attenuator comprises an incoming fiber for propagating an incoming light beam, a mirror for reflecting the incoming light beam as a reflected light beam and an outgoing fiber for propagating as an outgoing light beam at least one part of the reflected light beam. The light intensity of the outgoing light beam is determined by the angle of reflection at the mirror. The angle of reflection at the mirror is adjusted by an actuator for rotating the mirror. The actuator comprises a plate, a coil, a housing and permanents magnets. The mirror and the coil are fixed on the plate. The housing supports the plate so that the plate is able to rotate around a rotation axis, which is included on a predetermined plane. The permanent magnets are fixed on the housing and generate predetermined magnetic flux density along the predetermined plane. When a driving current is supplied to the coil under the predetermined magnetic flux density, a Lorentz force occurs at the coil so as to rotate the coil.

Abstract: A photonic crystal optical fiber made up of an array of conventional hollow core optical fibers is disclosed. The array of optical fibers omits at least one fiber to form a central hollow core. The fiber works on the principle of two-dimensional photonic crystals to confine the radiation in a guided wave within the central hollow core. The fiber has a true photonic bandgap in which radiation of a particular energy or wavelength is totally forbidden, thereby providing a very high reflection coefficient to radiation incident the walls of the central hollow core over a select range of angles. The central hollow core allows for radiation propagation with minimal absorption.

Abstract: In a bi-directional optical transceiver module, a first waveguide transmits a optical signal received from a light source to a high reflection layer formed on a waveguide substrate. A second waveguide extends from the optical fiber to the high reflection layer. With a first mode coupling region formed by ends of the first and second waveguides near the high reflection layer, the second waveguide transmits the transmission optical signal mode-coupled from the first waveguide to the optical fiber and receives the reception optical signal from the optical fiber. A third waveguide extends from the optical detector to near an end of the optical fiber. With a second mode coupling region formed by an end of the third waveguide and the other end of the second waveguide, the third waveguide transmits the reception optical signal mode-coupled from the second waveguide to the optical detector.

Abstract: A two-dimensional optical element array is provided, including a two-dimensional integrated body or two-dimensional stack of a plurality of sets of an optical fiber and a substrate. The substrate has one or more grooves each suited to a profile of the optical fiber on one surface thereof, and one or more optical fibers are aligned and fixed in the grooves. An end face of the substrate and optical fiber from which light is outgoing or incoming is slanted by a predetermined angle (?) with respect to a plane perpendicular to a central axis of the optical fiber.

Abstract: A switch assembly includes an arm assembly, a primary spring, one or more secondary springs, and a latch assembly. The arm assembly is configured to rotate between at least a first rotational position and a second rotational position. The primary spring is coupled to the arm assembly and is configured to bias the arm assembly toward a third rotational position that is located between the first and second rotational positions. Each secondary spring is disposed in the switch assembly and is configured to selectively bias the arm assembly toward the third rotational position when the arm assembly reaches a predetermined rotational distance from either the first or second rotational positions. The latch assembly is disposed in the switch assembly and is operable to selectively hold the arm assembly in either the first or second rotational positions, and to selectively release the arm assembly from the rotational position in which it is holding the arm assembly.

Abstract: An optical waveguide device increases the intensity of light transmitted through an optical waveguide for a reduced cost without expanding the area of the light. The optical waveguide device according to the present invention includes an optical waveguide and defining surfaces defining the optical waveguide. The defining surfaces are formed of plasmon activating medium. The defining surface include a pair of inner parts that face each other along a direction perpendicular to a light transmission direction. The distance between the inner parts is less than the half of the wavelength of the light transmitted through the optical waveguide.

Abstract: Apparatus for filtering optical radiation at an operating wavelength (19), which apparatus comprises a grating (1) written into a waveguide (2), and which grating (1) has a first end (3), a second end (91), a first bandwidth (24), a maximum re-flectivity (29), a first group delay variation (17) defined with respect to the first end (3), and a second group delay variation (18) defined with respect to the second end (91), wherein the first and second group delay variations (17), (18) are with respect to the first bandwidth (24), the maximum reflectivity (29) is greater than 50%, the first group delay variation (17) is between 0.1 ps and 100 ps, and the second group delay variation (18) is between 0.1 ps and 100 ps.