Abstract: A thermoelectric assembly for use with a chiller system includes a reservoir for liquid coolant and a pump to circulate the liquid coolant through the thermoelectric assembly. The thermoelectric assembly includes a thermally conductive block surrounded by a housing and configured to exchange heat with the liquid coolant. Fluid passageways extend between first and second ends of the block with first and second endplates coupled to the respective first and second ends. The first and second endplates enclose respective terminal ends of the fluid passageways to interconnect the fluid passageways at the first and second ends to define a fluid flow loop within the block, with an inlet and an outlet each in fluid communication with the fluid flow loop. A heat sink is thermally coupled to the block and a thermoelectric device is in thermal communication with the block and the heat sink.

Abstract: A multi-activity system may be configured to receive, upload, synchronize and process data for a variety of different activity types and/or recorded using multiple types of activity monitoring devices. In one example, an application interface may be defined with a multiple functions that are each useable by various types of devices and for processing multiple types of data. Additionally or alternatively, data for different activity types and/or recorded using different types of monitoring devices may be processed differently. Synchronization of data may further be handled on a device-by-device basis, device-type basis and/or activity-type basis using various tracking parameters.

Abstract: A multi-activity system may be configured to receive, upload, synchronize and process data for a variety of different activity types and/or recorded using multiple types of activity monitoring devices. In one example, an application interface may be defined with a multiple functions that are each useable by various types of devices and for processing multiple types of data. Additionally or alternatively, data for different activity types and/or recorded using different types of monitoring devices may be processed differently. Synchronization of data may further be handled on a device-by-device basis, device-type basis and/or activity-type basis using various tracking parameters.

Abstract: A multi-activity system may be configured to receive, upload, synchronize and process data for a variety of different activity types and/or recorded using multiple types of activity monitoring devices. In one example, an application interface may be defined with a multiple functions that are each useable by various types of devices and for processing multiple types of data. Additionally or alternatively, data for different activity types and/or recorded using different types of monitoring devices may be processed differently. Synchronization of data may further be handled on a device-by-device basis, device-type basis and/or activity-type basis using various tracking parameters.

Abstract: Segmented waveguide structures provide mode matching in planar lightwave circuits between waveguides and other waveguiding structures, e.g. slab waveguides and optical fibers. The present invention eliminates back reflections from the core segments by etching the leading and trailing faces of the core segments with a plurality of parallel facet sections, which are rearwardly offset in the transmission direction by an odd number of quarter wavelengths.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hybrid planar lightwave circuit in which a silicon reflective diffraction grating etched with a highly accurate deep reactive ion etching process is mounted in a trench formed in a high optical performance silica on silicon waveguide device.

Abstract: Segmented waveguide structures provide mode matching in planar lightwave circuits between waveguides and other waveguiding structures, e.g. slab waveguides and optical fibers. The present invention eliminates back reflections from the core segments by etching the leading and trailing faces of the core segments with a plurality of parallel facet sections, which are rearwardly offset in the transmission direction by an odd number of quarter wavelengths.

Abstract: An etched grating based chip provides a portion of each of a plurality of input optical signals from a plurality of laser diodes as optical feedback to the plurality of laser diodes, and couples the remaining light from the laser diodes onto an optical fiber, all the while maintaining a small form-factor, and meeting strict conditions regarding laser beat frequency. The present invention is applicable for both a single laser diode at a single wavelength and for an array of diodes at multiple wavelengths, which are multiplexed together in accordance with the present invention. The economics of laser diodes is much improved by decoupling the wavelength locking segment from the gain segment of the diode. Furthermore, the additional wavelength stability of such a locked diode will improve the performance and the economics of the network.

Abstract: A reflector chip of the present invention integrates a planar lightwave circuit (PLC) waveguide wafer and an active component, such as a photo-detector or laser, e.g. vertical cavity surface emitting laser. Typically, the PLC waveguide wafer includes a waveguide core region bound by upper and lower cladding layers. An end of the waveguide core region is mounted within a channel, trench, notch or recess within the bottom surface of the body of the reflector chip. A V-notch is also formed in the bottom surface of the body of the reflector, including a reflective surface, which redirects the light between the active component and the waveguide core region.

Abstract: A planar lightwave circuit including a slab waveguide, with a plurality of different diffraction filtering elements optically coupling a plurality of input and output ports, provides various optical functionalities including multiplexing, demultiplexing, diplexer and triplexer. In the basic configuration one or more output ports are optically coupled to an input port via grating filters etching in the cladding of the slab waveguide, and an additional port is optically coupled to the input port via a diffraction grating etched in an endwall of the slab waveguide. A triplexer platform can be provided by optically coupling photo-detectors to two output ports, which receive wavelength channels demultiplexed from an input signal by two cladding etched filters, and by optically coupling a laser to another input port, which launches an outgoing laser signal at the endwall etched grating filter for coupling into the same fiber that launched the original input signal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hybrid planar lightwave circuit in which a silicon reflective diffraction grating etched with a highly accurate deep reactive ion etching process is mounted in a trench formed in a high optical performance silica on silicon waveguide device.

Abstract: A reflector chip of the present invention integrates a planar lightwave circuit (PLC) waveguide wafer and an active component, such as a photo-detector or laser, e.g. vertical cavity surface emitting laser. Typically, the PLC waveguide wafer includes a waveguide core region bound by upper and lower cladding layers. An end of the waveguide core region is mounted within a channel, trench, notch or recess within the bottom surface of the body of the reflector chip. A V-notch is also formed in the bottom surface of the body of the reflector, including a reflective surface, which redirects the light between the active component and the waveguide core region.

Abstract: Diffraction gratings are formed from grooves each having a reflective facet and a non-reflective facet. The net reflection of TE (Transverse Electric) and TM (Transverse Magnetic) polarizations from the grating structure is traded off against the polarization dependent reflection, by controlling the degree of metallization of the reflective facet and by ensuring that there is no metallization of non-reflective sidewalls. other diffraction gratings are manufactured from trenches etched perpendicular to a waveguide. The trenches are metallized and back-filled with a filling material having a refractive index matched to that of the waveguide. The gratings essentially have no non-reflecting sidewalls with insignificant polarization influence from side walls.

Abstract: Planar waveguide based grating devices and spectrometers, for species-specific wavelength detection for example, are disclosed. A planar waveguide spectrometer apparatus may have a microfluidic channel or compartment microfabricated integrally with a planar waveguide or hybrid assembled with the planar waveguide and optically coupled thereto. The planar waveguide may also include a thin planar substrate which is made of a transparent waveguiding optical material and has a planar multilayer, one or more input waveguides, a waveguide-based spectrometer, and one or more output waveguides integrally formed thereon. An apparatus which incorporates a planar waveguide, a diffractive construct for diffracting light through the planar waveguide onto a curved image surface, and a plurality of output waveguides emanating from the curved image surface at locations selected to extract predetermined wavelengths or wavelength ranges, is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a planar waveguide reflective diffraction grating for use in an optical device, such as a wavelength division multiplexer, providing an increased bandwidth over conventional planar waveguide reflection diffraction gratings while eliminating the polarization dependent loss (PDL) typically associated therewith. The multiplexer/demultiplexer according to the present invention includes input and output ports optimally positioned in accordance with the grating facet diffraction envelope to minimized back reflection to the input ports and maximize output light collected from different diffraction orders.

Abstract: A planar lightwave circuit including a slab waveguide, with a plurality of different diffraction filtering elements optically coupling a plurality of input and output ports, provides various optical functionalities including multiplexing, demultiplexing, diplexer and triplexer. In the basic configuration one or more output ports are optically coupled to an input port via grating filters etching in the cladding of the slab waveguide, and an additional port is optically coupled to the input port via a diffraction grating etched in an endwall of the slab waveguide. A triplexer platform can be provided by optically coupling photo-detectors to two output ports, which receive wavelength channels demultiplexed from an input signal by two cladding etched filters, and by optically coupling a laser to another input port, which launches an outgoing laser signal at the endwall etched grating filter for coupling into the same fiber that launched the original input signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a planar lightwave circuit including a two stage optical filter for use in a bi-directional transceiver. A first stage includes a non-dispersive optical filter, which enables light within in a certain wavelength range, e.g. a signal channel from a laser source, to be launched onto an input/output waveguide, while light within another wavelength range, e.g. one or more detector channels, will be directed from the input/output waveguide to a second stage. The second stage includes a reflective diffraction grating with a higher resolution than the first stage providing passbands 2 to 5 times thinner than the first stage.

Abstract: The invention relates to a planar waveguide reflective diffraction grating for use in an optical device, such as a wavelength division multiplexer, providing an increased bandwidth over conventional planar waveguide reflection diffraction gratings while eliminating the polarization dependent loss (PDL) typically associated therewith. Accordingly, a low order (<3), high aspect ratio (>10) grating is provided with a very short side wall (less than the wavelength of the optical signal) for use with incident angles of less than 15°.

Abstract: The invention relates to a double-grating subtractive-dispersion optical channel multiplexer/demultiplexer for combining or separating optical channels and providing the output channels with a flat-top response. The FSR of the first grating is substantially equal to the channel spacing of the optical channels, such that the emission from the first grating achieves a cyclic offset of incidence angle into the second grating of the system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a planar lightwave circuit including a pair of opposed concave reflective diffraction gratings sharing the same focal line, which separates first and second slab waveguide regions. The ends of input and output waveguides are positioned along the focal line for launching and receiving light directed by one or both of the diffraction gratings. The invention enables light within in a certain wavelength range to be launched from an input waveguide, directed by a single diffraction grating, and output waveguides, all within a single slab waveguide region, while light within another wavelength range will be directed from one diffraction grating to another for output waveguides in a different slab waveguide region.