Abstract: An integrated optic gyroscope is disclosed which is based on a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) having a bidirectional laser source, a pair of optical waveguide phase modulators and a pair of waveguide photodetectors. The PIC can be connected to a passive ring resonator formed either as a coil of optical fiber or as a coiled optical waveguide. The lasing output from each end of the bidirectional laser source is phase modulated and directed around the passive ring resonator in two counterpropagating directions, with a portion of the lasing output then being detected to determine a rotation rate for the integrated optical gyroscope. The coiled optical waveguide can be formed on a silicon, glass or quartz substrate with a silicon nitride core and a silica cladding, while the PIC includes a plurality of III–V compound semiconductor layers including one or more quantum well layers which are disordered in the phase modulators and to form passive optical waveguides.

Abstract: An optical waveguide is disclosed in which a section of the waveguide core is vertically tapered during formation by spin coating by controlling the width of an underlying mesa structure. The optical waveguide can be formed from spin-coatable materials such as polymers, sol-gels and spin-on glasses. The vertically-tapered waveguide section can be used to provide a vertical expansion of an optical mode of light within the optical waveguide. A laterally-tapered section can be added adjacent to the vertically-tapered section to provide for a lateral expansion of the optical mode, thereby forming an optical spot-size transformer for efficient coupling of light between the optical waveguide and a single-mode optical fiber. Such a spot-size transformer can also be added to a III-V semiconductor device by post processing.

Abstract: An optical waveguide switch is disclosed which is formed from III-V compound semiconductors and which has a moveable optical waveguide with a cantilevered portion that can be bent laterally by an integral electrostatic actuator to route an optical signal (i.e. light) between the moveable optical waveguide and one of a plurality of fixed optical waveguides. A plurality of optical waveguide switches can be formed on a common substrate and interconnected to form an optical switching network.

Abstract: A photoconductive semiconductor switch with tailored doping profile zones beneath and extending laterally from the electrical contacts to the device. The zones are of sufficient depth and lateral extent to isolate the contacts from damage caused by the high current filaments that are created in the device when it is turned on. The zones may be formed by etching depressions into the substrate, then conducting epitaxial regrowth in the depressions with material of the desired doping profile. They may be formed by surface epitaxy. They may also be formed by deep diffusion processes. The zones act to reduce the energy density at the contacts by suppressing collective impact ionization and formation of filaments near the contact and by reducing current intensity at the contact through enhanced current spreading within the zones.

Abstract: A modulating optical element having ports wherein either port can output or receive light signals. An electrooptic effect is applied to the optical element to allow the light signals to pass or not pass through the optical element. Due to the electrooptic effect in preventing signals from passing through the optic element, light signals radiate out of the optical element and are absorbed by the substrate of the optical element assembly. Rather than being lost, the energy from the light signal is converted to current which may be used for other purposes in the modulator system, such as bias stabilization.

Abstract: A flexible optical coupler for coupling light signals from an optical waveguide on a circuit board or substrate to an optical waveguide on another circuit board or substrate, or to an optical port on an electronic, opto-electronic or photonic integrated circuit. The coupler is self-aligning by virtue of the design of the alignment stops fabricated in close proximity to the optical waveguide or optical port. The coupler may consist of an array of optical waveguides between an array of optical ports and another array of optical ports. The coupler may be used with any substrates appropriate for polymeric waveguide fabrication, including many circuit board materials. The optical waveguide of the coupler is on a flexible and transparent substrate. The coupler is effective for optical connections between devices situated on noncoincident surfaces. Alignment stops are utilized for the case of aligning the ports of the optical coupler to other ports.

Abstract: A broadband optical modulator having a light waveguide and modulating electrodes incorporated into an output or drain transmission line of a distributed amplifier driver. The modulator has a distributed gain mechanism which overcomes the electrical losses in the modulating electrodes and provides broadband velocity matching between the driving electrical signal and the modulated lightwave signal.

Abstract: An optical waveguide is formed by depositing multiple layers of thin films using the process of ion beam sputter deposition. The waveguide is made up of alternating layers of a first material and a second material wherein the two materials have differing indices of refraction and low optical loss. These materials are deposited upon a thermally stable substrate creating a multilayer stack which functions as a waveguide. The multilayer waveguide has ultra low propagation losses and good mode discrimination, thus being very efficient for use in single mode applications. The waveguide is easily adaptable to batch processing which reduces costs and increases the performance of the waveguide.

Abstract: An optical interconnect for coupling a collimated free space light beam to a raised channel waveguide formed on a substrate. A modified graded index rod lens has a flattened polished surface parallel to its optical axis. The rod lens is positioned with the flattened surface adjacent the substrate and an endface spaced from the waveguide endface so that a collimated light beam entering the lens will be focused onto the waveguide endface.

Abstract: A color signature sensor for color recognition or discrimination utilizing a spectral analysis system for use as a process control for automation and on-line quality assurance. An object to be observed is illuminated by a suitable light source, light collected from the object under examination is routed into a monochromator. The output of the monochromator is fed to an analog-to-digital converter and analyzed by a microprocessor.

Abstract: A real-time color comparator which performs color comparisons of sample objects to a reference color for the purpose of identification, sorting or matching. Two optical paths are positioned to collect the light from a reference object and a sample object and the light outputs from the two paths are directed onto a spherical dispersive element shown in the form of a concave diffraction grating that decomposes each light signal into its spectral constituents which are imaged on a dual photodetector array. The color signature from the reference and the color signature from the sample are compared.

Abstract: A color mark sensor utilizing the cumulative chromatic aberration in an extended planar gradient-index (GRIN) lens to provide unambiguous primary color separation in a continuum along the lens axis. An appropriately chosen GRIN lens length provides separation and focus of any primary color from the general polychromatic background.

Abstract: This invention discloses an optical interconnect structure for routing and distributing optical signals on silicon chip carriers to realize high-density packaged optical interconnects for discrete GaAs optoelectronic IC's.