Abstract: An embodiment of the invention comprises an optical element capable of motion in at least one degree of freedom wherein the motion in at least one degree of freedom is enabled by serpentine hinges configured to enable the optical element to move in at least one degree of freedom. The embodiment further includes driving elements configured to deflect the optical element in said at least one degree of freedom to controllably induce deflection in the optical element and a damping element to reduce magnitude of resonances. Another embodiment includes a MEMS optical apparatus comprising an optical element capable of motion in two degrees of freedom. The two degrees of freedom are enabled by two pairs of serpentine hinges. A first pair of serpentine hinges is configured to enable the optical element to move in one degree of freedom and a second pair of serpentine hinges is configured to enable the optical element to move in a second degree of freedom.

Abstract: A fiber tip fluid output device is provided for holding a fiber tip in an electromagnetic energy cutting apparatus and for directing water particles over a radiation delivery end of the fiber tip. The fiber tip fluid output device includes a generally cylindrical body having an outer surface, a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end. The lumen is sized and shaped to accommodate a fiber tip therethrough so that the fiber tip extends through the lumen from the proximal end to the distal end of the generally cylindrical body. The fiber tip fluid output device further includes a plurality of apertures extending around the generally cylindrical body, with each of the apertures of the plurality of apertures fluidly connecting the outer surface to the lumen. Fluid is mixed around the cylindrical body, before entering the lumen through the plurality of apertures for additional mixing.

Abstract: A fiber optic connector assembly with a fiber optic connector mounted to a fiber optic cable and including a ferrule with an end face terminating the fiber. A plug is configured to fit about and engage the ferrule of the fiber optic connector to seal the end face from contaminants. An adhesive tape is releasably attached to the connector about the plug, holding the plug to the connector. Further, a cover assembly for a fiber optic connector mounted to an end of and terminating a fiber optic cable. The cover includes an open sided box and a lid sized to engage the open side. The box and the lid define a cavity sized to fit about and receive a fiber optic connector. The cavity has an open end adapted to receive the optical fiber cable. The fiber optic connector is held within the cavity and the cable extends through the open end, with the lid engaging the open side and sealing the cavity from contaminants outside the cavity.

Abstract: A separator for an optical-fiber tape, the optical-fiber tape including a group of optical-fibers extending in parallel with each other, the separator including a supporting member configured to support a length of the optical-fiber tape along a first lateral edge thereof, a positioner configured to apply a resilient force to the length of the optical fiber tape along a second lateral edge thereof, wherein the first lateral edge and second lateral edge are on opposite sides of the optical fiber tape; and a separation member configured to separate a first portion of the length of the optical-fiber tape by shearing the optical-fiber tape along the direction of extension of the group of optical fibers.

Abstract: A four-channel multi-wavelength transmitter optical sub assembly (TOSA) with an integrated multiplexer is described that includes four lasers, four collimating lenses, a multiplexer, an isolator, a focusing lens, and an optical fiber. The integrated multiplexer comprises three filters in two stages, with each filter combining a transmission and a reflection beam into one beam. Four collimated beams are combined into one beam and then focused onto the fiber by the focusing lens. The optical paths of all channels are short and possibly the same length. The invention allows using either transistor outline (TO) can packaged lasers or lasers in chip on submount. In some embodiments, four coupling lenses that focus the light onto fiber directly can be used instead of the collimating and focusing lenses, providing a more compact assembly. One or more filters can be beam-splitters to relax coating and assembling tolerances, thus reducing the cost.

Abstract: The device is an optoelectronic device or transparent waveguide device that comprises a growth surface, a growth mask, an optical waveguide core mesa and a cladding layer. The growth mask is located on the semiconductor surface and defines an elongate growth window. The optical waveguide core mesa is located in the growth window and has a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape. The cladding layer covers the optical waveguide core mesa and extends over at least part of the growth mask. Such devices are fabricated by providing a wafer comprising a growth surface, growing an optical waveguide core mesa on the growth surface by micro-selective area growth at a first growth temperature and covering the optical waveguide core mesa with cladding material at a second growth temperature, lower than the first growth temperature.

Abstract: A multiple-core planar optical waveguide comprises: a substantially planar waveguide substrate; a lower waveguide core; an upper waveguide core; lower cladding between the substrate and the lower waveguide core; and upper cladding above the upper waveguide core. At least a portion the upper waveguide core is positioned above and substantially parallel to at least a portion of the lower waveguide core. The lower and upper claddings have refractive indices less than refractive indices of the lower and upper waveguide cores. The width of the lower waveguide core is substantially larger than its thickness along at least a portion of its length, and is substantially flat along that portion of its length, thereby yielding a substantially flat surface for forming at least a portion of the upper waveguide core.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for optical spectral power monitoring that employ a time-division-multiplexed detection scheme. The optical spectral power monitoring apparatus of the present invention uses a wavelength-dispersing means such as a diffraction grating to separate a multi-wavelength optical signal into multiple spectral channels and an array of beam-manipulating elements positioned to correspond with the spectral channels. The beam-manipulating elements are individually controllable so as to direct the spectral channels into an optical detector in a time-division-multiplexed sequence. The optical spectral power monitoring apparatus may further employ a polarization diversity scheme, thereby becoming polarization insensitive. This enables the apparatus of the present invention to enhance spectral resolution, while providing improved accuracy in optical spectral power detection.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an image display apparatus using optical fiber in which moving images projected from a projector can be transferred to a screen through an optical fiber bundle with a high-definition image quality. An object of the present invention is to improve message transfer effect of various information pieces such as advertisement, by employing a connector which can selectively control a magnification of an image to be displayed while decreasing the sizes of a condensing member or a liquid crystal panel.

Abstract: In the upper face of a lower clad layer, a core trench is formed having a cross-sectional trapezoidal shape having a narrow bottom face and a wide upper face, a core is formed within the core trench, and an upper clad layer is formed at the upper face of the core for sealing. The bottom face of the core trench becomes a low refractive index layer having a refractive index smaller than the lower clad layer. The substantive difference of refractive index between the core and the lower clad layer is thus increased.

Abstract: A colorless, waveguide-grating-router-based tunable dispersion compensator includes a planar lightwave circuit and a deformable mirror, optically coupled to each other by a plano-cylindrical glass lens such that a fast tuning speed and single-knob dispersion adjustment are obtained. In a further aspect of the present invention, the waveguide-grating router is pinched, symmetrical about its center line, and has a half-wave plate inserted therein to provide polarization independence. In a still further aspect of the present invention, the deformable mirror includes, reflective film attached to opposing piezo-electric actuators.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus to provide optical equipment protection have been disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes diverting a predetermined portion of each of a plurality of optical signals to a plurality of photonic detectors within a first optical network node, and detecting the plurality of signals using the plurality of photonic detectors, each of the plurality of photonic detectors being designated to detect one of the plurality of optical signals. Other embodiments have been claimed and described.

Abstract: An optical device comprising a first substrate in which V-grooves are made, four optical fibers, for example, having a reflective function and fixed in the V-grooves of the first substrate, an optical element bonded, through an adhesive layer, onto the optical path of a reflected light at least generated by the reflective function on the outside of the clad of each optical fiber, and a second substrate for mounting the optical element, wherein the second substrate is disposed such that the mounting surface of the optical element faces the first substrate.

Abstract: Provided is a tunable dispersion compensator based on an optical fiber grating for use in an optical transmission system. A tunable dispersion compensator comprises: a disk; a ring surrounding the disk, wherein the ring is rotatable independent of the disk; and a bendable plate crossing the disk and having end parts configured to move with the rotation of the ring, wherein at least one of the optical fiber grating is attached to the plate.

Abstract: A transparent optical switch includes network management and performance monitoring using bit level information obtained by extracting selected information on a polling basis and analyzing the extracted information in the electrical domain. In one embodiment, a signal is injected into the switch fabric of the switch via a demultiplexing device. The injected signal is extracted at the output of the switching fabric via an N:1 switch and analyzed by a signal analyzer to verify input to output connections. In another embodiment, an optical switch includes first and second switch fabrics for 1:2 broadcast capability. In a further embodiment, an optical communication system includes a plurality of optical networks and a plurality of optical switches that cooperate to generate unequipped signals and to obtain autonomously switch-to-switch port connectivity information required for auto-topology discovery.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical fiber of a high nonlinear characteristic which has low dispersion values in a wide wavelength region in the vicinity of a wavelength of 1550 nm. An excellent optical signal processing apparatus is realized by using this optical fiber, such as an optical wavelength converter and a pulse compressor. The optical fiber has characteristics; a dispersion slope at the wavelength of 1550 nm of ?0.01 to 0.01 ps/nm2/km, an absolute value of dispersion at the wavelength of 1550 nm of 10 ps/nm/km or less, and a nonlinear constant at the wavelength of 1550 nm of 30×10?10/W or more. A polarization retaining maintaining members are uniquely applied.

Abstract: A transparent optical switch includes network management and performance monitoring using bit level information obtained by extracting selected information on a polling basis and analyzing the extracted information in the electrical domain. In one embodiment, a signal is injected into the switch fabric of the switch via a demultiplexing device. The injected signal is extracted at the output of the switching fabric via an N:1 switch and analyzed by a signal analyzer to verify input to output connections. In another embodiment, an optical switch includes first and second switch fabrics for 1:2 broadcast capability. In a further embodiment, an optical communication system includes a plurality of optical networks and a plurality of optical switches that cooperate to generate unequipped signals and to obtain autonomously switch-to-switch port connectivity information required for auto-topology discovery.

Abstract: An alignment assembly (20) is provided for holding alignment sleeves that each aligns the ends of a pair of optic fiber ferrules (22, 26) projecting from two mating connectors (12, 14), which assures that the mating connectors will always be mated in their proper relative orientations to avoid unacceptable insertion losses and the connection of the wrong pairs of fibers. The alignment assembly includes a housing (34) formed by two identical housing halves, and includes two identical locating pins (40, 42) mounted on the housing at opposite sides of the housing axis, each pin having having a pin end (91–94) projecting from each face of the housing. One pin has a large diameter end (94) projecting from a front housing face (100) into a large diameter locating hole (52) in a connector and the other pin has a small diameter end (93) projecting from the same front housing face into a small locating hole (51), to assure proper orientation of the two mating connectors.

Abstract: Disclosed are an optical connector plug and an optical connector, wherein the grip member includes an inner barrel and an outer barrel, which are freely slid with respect to each other, the grip member having a reduction state where the inner barrel is accommodated in the outer barrel and an extension state where the inner barrel projects forwardly, and the plug frame being engaged and supported such that the plug frame is movable by a predetermined amount with respect to the outer barrel, and, at a leading end inside the inner barrel are provided a shield plate supported at a free slant with respect to the inner barrel via a base end of the shield plate, disposed at a shield position at which a leading end of the ferrule is shielded in the extension state, and disposed at a non-shield position at which accommodation of the plug frame in the inner barrel is allowed, an action plate supported at a free slant inside the shield plate via a base end of the action plate, and inclined along with the shield plate, w

Abstract: A method of making a fiber optic accelerometer includes (a) drawing an optical fiber through a resin; (b) winding the resin coated fiber onto a disc mounted on an assembly having a central shaft; and (c) curing the resin-coated fiber. The optical fiber may be drawn through a resin by providing a container filled with a resin having an orifice therethrough and drawing the fiber through the orifice. The resin may be cured such that the fiber is bonded to the disc by curing the resin to the fiber and the disc at the same time.