Abstract: An optical circulator is connected to each end of an integrated circuit chip containing a pair of multiplexer/demuliplexers driving respective arrays of 2×2 MZIs separated by a striped mirror interface and a plate having a thickness of ¼ the central wavelength on each side of the mirror. Light passes through the device twice making it polarization insensitive in power and in wavelength. Phase errors due to inserting these plates will not cause power disturbances because no interference exists. Because the same router is used for multiplexing/demultiplexing, there are no loss/crosstalk penalties for through-channels due to mismatch in wavelength response. Back reflections for the switch-conditions are suppressed by aligning the waveguide, which passes the striped mirror, under a slight angle so that reflected light at the interface will penetrate the substrate. Lateral offset applied between the ends of two waveguides at the mirror interface ensures that crosstalk performance is not limited.

Abstract: To provide a probe having an optical waveguide which is robust and highly reliable, and a method of manufacturing the same. A probe having an optical waveguide includes an optical waveguide portion having a double hetero structure and comprising an In1−x′−y′Gax′Aly′N layer (5), an In1−x−yGaxAlyN layer (4), and an In1−x″−y″Gax″Aly″N layer (3); and an AlxGa1−xN probe portion (8) grown in a conical shape on the In1−x−yGaxAlyN layer (4) of the optical waveguide portion.

Abstract: A fluid encapsulated MEMS optical switch includes an optical waveguide matrix with MEMS mirrors situated in trenches located at waveguide cross-points. The trenches are filled with collimation-maintaining fluid and the mirrors are immersed the rein. The collimation maintaining fluid prevents the light beam from spreading when it enters the switch cross-points.

Abstract: An optical switch guides data transmitting light beams along free space switching paths from one or more input optical fibers to one or more output optical fibers. The optical switch includes a microchip base member, diffractive, refractive or reflective optical elements positioned on carrier panels, and actuators for moving the carrier panels. The optical elements are positionable by the actuators to guide light beams emitted by the input optical fibers in free space to the receiving output optical fibers. The actuators may be linear and/or rotary. Switching of light beams can be from one input port to one or many output ports, and vice versa, to form a free space optical cross-connect switch and router.

Abstract: An optical repeater includes an internal structure having defined therein a longitudinal plane. The internal structure includes and a plurality of base modules. The base modules have a front and a back face and a plurality of sides with the faces positioned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal plane of the internal structure. The optical repeater further includes a top module disposed substantially perpendicular to one of the plurality of sides the base modules.

Abstract: The connector system includes a coupling bush in each of whose openings on both sides a multiway connector, each with a connector housing, can be inserted. A plurality of individual plug connectors having alignment elements are mounted in a floating manner in each connector housing. Alignment aids on the connector housings lead during the mating process and directly align the connector housings with respect to one another before the alignment elements of the individual plug connectors start to cooperate, with mutual fine alignment. The two housings have the same alignment aids which are disposed such that, when one of said multiway connectors is rotated through 180° about its longitudinal axis with respect to the other one, the alignment aids are aligned to cooperate with one another and to allow the two connectors to mate.

Abstract: An extraction apparatus for being mounted on, and for selectively removing, a fiber optic connector component from a panel or a wall. The extraction apparatus includes a spring compression mechanism having a first compression member for selectively compressing a first retaining spring of the fiber optic connector component, a second compression member for selectively compressing a second retaining spring of the fiber optic connector component, and an actuator member for selectively moving the first and second compression members into contact with the first and second retaining springs such that the first and second retaining springs are compressed by the first and second compression members to permit removal of the connector component from the opening in the panel. The actuator member is disposed so as to extend through the opening in the panel as the connector component is positioned in the opening.

Abstract: A splice holder for securing and retaining fiber optic splices. The splice holder improves access to individual splices and minimizes interference to adjacent splices during removal. The splice holder comprises a hollow base having a first flat portion and a second enclosing portion defining a hollow longitudinal space therebetween. A plurality of parallel, spaced apart longitudinal members extend from the second portion away from the hollow space. Adjacent pairs of members define a channel for retaining a splice. Within the hollow space is a transversely extending wall for structural support of the second portion, which divides the space into two cavities. The cavities provide improved access to the underside of a splice.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for making grid structures in optical fibers. The device comprises a laser beam emitter directed toward the surface enveloping the optical fiber and beam converting elements, characterized by having at least one fan-shaped cylindrical lens. The optical fiber is placed in the beam's focal plane, and the beam converting elements are able to be displaced relative to the optical fiber.

Abstract: An optical flattening filter is cascaded with an optical filter between an input and an output of an optical arrangement to provide a substantially widened flat passband at an output of the optical arrangement. The optical filter is responsive to an input signal for generating a periodic or a periodic output response waveform having a cosine squared or Gaussian passband or any rounded passband shape. The optical flattening filter is designed to generate a response waveform having a spectral profile which is complementary to the periodic or aperiodic output response waveform of the optical filter. The interaction of the response waveforms of the optical filter and the optical flattening filter provide a resultant response waveform at the output of the optical arrangement wherein each peak therein is substantially flattened to provide a passband which is wider than the response waveform provided by the optical filter.

Abstract: In order to prevent microcurvatures in the optical fibers when the cable is subjected to temperature variations in the range from approximately −40° C. to approximately +85° C., a cable with N optical fibers (FO) each having a core (1) and a coating (2) with coefficients of thermal expansion/compression &agr;1 and &agr;2, Young's modulus in traction E1 and E2 and sections S1 and S2 comprises a retaining sheath (3) enveloping the optical fibers buried in a filling material (4) having a coefficient of thermal expansion/compression &agr;4, Young's modulus in traction E4 and section S4. The sheath (3) satisfies the condition: (&agr;3.E3.S3)≦[(&agr;1.E1.S1)+(&agr;2.E2.S2)](N/14)+(&agr;4.E.4.S4) in which &agr;3, E3 and S3 are respectively the coefficient of thermal expansion/compression, the Young's modulus in traction and the section of the sheath.

Abstract: An optical apparatus is disclosed suitable for coupling discrete sources of radiation beams onto the input end of an optical fiber or a fiber laser, the optical apparatus comprising a unitary beam deflector having a plurality of deflecting facets where each deflecting facet is oriented so as to deflect an incident beam of radiation into the fiber, an input afocal relay optical system to image a beam of radiation onto a corresponding deflecting facet, and an output afocal relay optical system to image the facet beam images onto the optical fiber or laser fiber end.

Abstract: An optical signal switching apparatus that maintains an optical switch to a specified state even when noise is generated during the turning on and/or off of power to an optical switch control unit which controls the optical switch. The optical switch control unit includes an optical switch driving unit, a power supply and a power supply surveillance unit. When a specified condition of the power supply is not satisfied, a control signal is generated by the power supply surveillance unit. Upon detection of the control signal the optical switch driving unit, fixes the state of the optical switch to a previously set state without regard to the input to the optical switch driving unit.

Abstract: The present invention is a temperature stable integrated optical device which is substantially insensitive to temperature variations. The device, such as an interferometer, includes sub-sections of a different light transmissive material within the optical pathways. The relative lengths of the two different material waveguides can be selected so as to achieve temperature insensitivity. A suitable balance is to ensure that the ratio of the difference in sub-path lengths of the first and second materials is equal to the ratio of the refractive index gradient with temperature of the second material to the refractive index gradient with temperature of the first material. Preferable materials are silicon and silicon nitride.

Abstract: The present invention provides a connector for terminating an optical fiber. The connector comprises a one-piece housing, a ferrule assembly and an insert. The insert has keys formed thereon that are adapted to mate with keyways formed in the housing. The housing has a first opening formed therein that first receives the ferrule assembly and then the insert and a second opening opposite the first opening. The end of the ferrule assembly that holds the end of the optical fiber protrudes through the second opening. The insert has a flange thereon that has two oppositely located flat surfaces and two oppositely located keys. The keys each have a chamfered surface. The keys and the flat surfaces of the flange provide the flange with a substantially rectangular cross-section. The first opening formed in the housing has a substantially square cross-section.

Abstract: An optical filter, system, and method capable of detecting optical signals in an optical fiber trunk for purposes of diagnostics and control of a wavelength division multiplexing system using optical fiber network. The optical filter is described comprising a predetermined number N of cascaded Mach-Zender circuits having a predetermined transfer function with a predetermined scanning peak, the cascaded Mach-Zender circuits having an optical input and an optical output. In another embodiment, a system is provided which employs the optical filter in which a control circuit coupled to each of the Mach-Zender circuits to shift the scanning peak according to a predetermined criterion. The control circuit advantageously causes a phase shift in the Mach-Zender circuits, thereby allowing the optical filter to scan a predetermined frequency spectrum with a narrow pass band or scanning peak to determine the existence and/or the condition of optical signals within the predetermined frequency spectrum.

Abstract: An optical signal processor is implemented as a monolithically integrated semiconductor structure having optical waveguide devices forming beam splitters, optical amplifiers and optical phase shifters. The monolithic structure photonically controls a phased-array microwave antenna. Phase-locked master and slave lasers generate orthogonal light beams having a difference frequency that corresponds to the microwave carrier frequency of the phased-array antenna. The lasers feed the signal processor, which performs beam splitting, optical amplifying and phase shifting functions. A polarizer and an array of diode detectors convert optical output signals from the signal processor into microwave signals that feed the phased-array antenna. The optical waveguides of the signal processor are fabricated in a single selective epitaxial growth step on a semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Non-linear optical device for processing an optical signal, comprising an interferometer with multiple arms. This device comprises an optical interferometer comprising N arms (B1 . . . BN) where N≧3n, N semiconductor optical amplifiers (A1 . . . AN) each being inserted in the N arms, a first optical coupling means (28) that receives a control signal and distributes this control signal into the N arms and a second optical coupling means (32) that receives an input signal and distributes it in at least N-1 of the N arms and collects the light resulting from the distribution of the control signal in the N arms and supplies an output signal which is the resultant of interference of these two light sources. Application to optical telecommunications.

Abstract: A single-type array optical conversion apparatus includes a substrate and an optical waveguide. The substrate has a rectangular area sandwiched by first and second end faces opposing each other. The optical waveguide is formed in the rectangular area and has a single input waveguide exposed on the first end face of the rectangular area, and a plurality of branched waveguides exposed on the second end face of the rectangular area. The optical waveguide is branched into 2.sup.n by repeating branching into two waveguides from the first to second end face of the rectangular area. The input waveguide is optically connected to a single-type optical fiber, and the branched optical waveguides are optically connected to a multi-type array optical fiber.

Abstract: An optical fiber light source assembly is constructed by assembling a light emitting device, a condenser lens, and a ferrule receptacle means for receiving an optical fiber ferrule in a housing. The ferrule receptacle means is adjusted on its optical axis in relation to the housing and is then fixed to the housing. The ferrule receptacle is guided in the housing along a pair of engaged reference circumferences therebetween, and is moved back and forth through a screw connection while being turned. After a reference front end position of an inserted ferrule is made coincident with the image point of the light source, the ferrule receptacle means is fixed in the housing using fixing means. An adjusting instrument is used to adjust the position of the ferrule receptacle means in relation to the housing.