Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing an optical component (800). It also relates to a branching unit and to a method of reducing insertion loss in an optical branching unit. It further relates to a method of reducing stress induced polarization effects in spaced planar waveguides (e.g. couplers) and stress induced tilting of the cores due to strain fields introduced by the top-cladding. It also relates to a method for filling high-aspect-ratio structures with material during reflow. The present invention proposes the use of additional structural elements such as transversal elements (850) connected to or pads (840, 841) or elongate elements located in the vicinity of ordinary waveguide core sections (801, 802). The additional structural elements are typically formed in the same processing step as the ordinary waveguide core sections.

Abstract: An optical component having a combination of optical waveguide elements for modifying the spot size of a mode of an electromagnetic field propagated by an optical waveguide element, the optical waveguide elements being formed on a substrate. The optical component further includes a first section having a first optical waveguide element, and a second section having at least two cooperating optical waveguide elements. The cooperating optical waveguide elements of the second section are configured to maintain optical coupling between the optical waveguide elements to ensure that at least one mode of the electromagnetic field is sustained by the at least two cooperating optical waveguide elements in cooperation.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical component (1) comprising a combination of optical waveguide elements for modifying the spot size of a mode of an electromagnetic field propagated by an optical waveguide element, the optical waveguide elements being formed on a substrate. The object of the present invention is to provide a mode coupler with low coupling loss that is easy to manufacture and process tolerant.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing an optical component (800). It also relates to a branching unit and to a method of reducing insertion loss in an optical branching unit. It further relates to a method of reducing stress induced polarization effects in spaced planar waveguides (e.g. couplers) and stress induced tilting of the cores due to strain fields introduced by the top-cladding. It also relates to a method for filling high-aspect-ratio structures with material during reflow. The present invention proposes the use of additional structural elements such as transversal elements (850) connected to or pads (840, 841) or elongate elements located in the vicinity of ordinary waveguide core sections (801, 802). The additional structural elements are typically formed in the same processing step as the ordinary waveguide core sections.