Abstract: The present invention relates to a photolabile compound including a coumarin family caging group covalently bound to an organic moiety containing a carboxyl group, an amino group, a sulfhydryl group, and/or a hydroxyl group. The photolabile compound, upon absorbing visible light, releases the organic moiety. Also disclosed is a method of making a photolabile compound that releases a biologically active compound upon absorbing visible light by providing an organic moiety and binding a coumarin family caging group to the organic moiety under conditions effective to make the photolabile compound. The present invention also relates to a method of obtaining a biologically active compound in a sample. The method involves adding to a sample a photolabile compound including a coumarin family caging group covalently bound to an organic moiety. The sample is then illuminated with visible light under conditions effective to obtain a biologically active compound including the organic moiety.

Abstract: A fiber alignment device comprises a base having at least one alignment groove, a stripped portion of an optical fiber positioned in the at least one alignment groove, where a terminal end of the fiber extends beyond at least one of an end face of the base, and an end face of a cover bonded to the base to secure the optical fiber between the base and the cover, where an end face of the cover and the end face of the base are substantially non-parallel.

Abstract: An optical device comprises a cantilevered fiber array coupled to a planar lightwave circuit. The cantilevered fiber array comprises a base supporting at least a portion of at least one optical fiber in a fiber guiding channel and a cover bonded to the base and/or the at least one optical fiber, where a terminal end of the at least one optical fiber extends beyond an end of at least one of the base and cover. The planar lightwave circuit comprises a planar waveguide formed on a substrate, the planar waveguide including a waveguide core. The terminal end of the fiber of the cantilevered fiber array is disposed in an alignment groove formed in a portion of the planar lightwave circuit substrate. A transverse channel is formed in the planar lightwave circuit substrate at an optical interface of the waveguide core and the terminal end of the at least one optical fiber.