Abstract: A laser assembly is provided. The laser assembly includes a printed circuit board; a laser sub-assembly including a thermo-electric cooler and an optical train, wherein the laser sub-assembly is configured to connect to the printed circuit board such that the optical train is disposed between the printed circuit board and the thermo-electric cooler, wherein the thermo-electric cooler is configured to extract heat from the optical train outwardly from the printed circuit board, and wherein the laser assembly is configured to connect optically with a photonic integrated circuit via free space. Advantageously, the laser assembly includes a top-down approach where the thermo-electric cooler radiates heat outward, supports a pre-assembled approach, and uses free space connectivity for the laser path to the photonic integrated circuit, i.e., no fiber connections.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide optical referencing in an optical system including a plurality of optical devices with variable perturbative drift rates. A method includes, subsequent to determining a tuning rate of one or more interrogator devices, which are tunable, and subsequent to locking the plurality of optical devices including the one or more interrogator devices, detecting a drift in spectrum of the optical system based on a perturbation; and tracking the drift based on variable perturbative drift rates of each of the plurality of optical devices which are each exposed to the perturbation.

Abstract: A circuit interconnection structure has a cavity formed through an entire thickness between first and second surfaces. A first integrated circuit is mounted on the first surface. A device carrier comprises a first portion that fits within at least a portion of the cavity. A second portion of the device carrier rigidly connected to the first portion of the device carrier is attached to the first surface. A device positioned within the first portion of the device carrier and mounted to a mounting surface of the device carrier is substantially parallel to the first surface. The device comprises a second integrated circuit. A total thermal expansion of the device carrier between the second portion of the device carrier and the mounting surface is substantially equal to a total thermal expansion of the device between the second integrated circuit and the portion of the device mounted to the mounting surface.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises: a gain medium configured to be pumped by a pump source; a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) positioned in a laser cavity that includes the gain medium, the PIC comprising a substrate comprising silicon, a plurality of photonic structures, and one or more ports coupling an optical wave into the PIC, and coupling an optical wave out of the PIC; an optical isolator configured to limit propagation of an optical wave in a single direction through the optical isolator; and an output coupler configured to provide an output that comprises a fraction of the power of an optical wave that is incident upon the output coupler and to redirect remaining power of the optical wave around a closed path of the laser cavity, where the fraction is greater than 0.5.

Abstract: A gain medium is pumped by a source. An optical wave passes through a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) that comprises: a substrate comprising silicon, multiple photonic structures, an input port coupling an optical wave into a waveguide formed in the PIC, and an output port coupling an optical wave out of a waveguide formed in the PIC. Propagation of an optical wave circulating around a closed path of a laser ring cavity is limited using an optical isolator such that, when the pump source exceeds a lasing threshold, the optical wave propagates in a single direction through the gain medium and PIC. From an output coupler, an output is provided that comprises a fraction (e.g., >0.5) of the power of an optical wave that is incident upon the output coupler, and remaining power of the optical wave is redirected around the closed path of the laser ring cavity.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide optical referencing in an optical system including a plurality of optical devices with variable perturbative drift rates. A method includes, subsequent to determining a tuning rate of one or more interrogator devices, which are tunable, and subsequent to locking the plurality of optical devices including the one or more interrogator devices, detecting a drift in spectrum of the optical system based on a perturbation; and tracking the drift based on variable perturbative drift rates of each of the plurality of optical devices which are each exposed to the perturbation.

Abstract: A gain medium is pumped by a source. An optical wave passes through a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) that comprises: a substrate comprising Silicon, a plurality of photonic structures, an input port coupling an optical wave into a waveguide formed in the PIC, and an output port coupling an optical wave out of a waveguide formed in the PIC. Propagation of an optical wave circulating around a closed path of a laser ring cavity is limited using an optical isolator such that, when the pump source exceeds a lasing threshold, the optical wave propagates in a single direction through the gain medium and the PIC. From output coupler, an output that is provided that comprises a fraction of the power of an optical wave that is incident upon the output coupler, and remaining power of the optical wave is redirected around the closed path of the laser ring cavity. The fraction can be greater than 0.5.

Abstract: At least a portion of an integrated circuit wafer includes at least one layer in which two or more waveguides are formed. A cavity is formed in the integrated circuit wafer. At least one die, comprising a photonic integrated circuit, has: at least one edge on which there are two or more optical mode defining structures in proximity to respective optical mode defining structures on at least one surface of the cavity, a bottom surface secured to a bottom surface of the cavity, and a top surface on which there is at least one metal contact.

Abstract: At least a portion of an integrated circuit wafer includes at least one layer in which two or more waveguides are formed. A cavity is formed in the integrated circuit wafer. At least one die, comprising a photonic integrated circuit, has: at least one edge on which there are two or more optical mode defining structures in proximity to respective optical mode defining structures on at least one surface of the cavity, a bottom surface secured to a bottom surface of the cavity, and a top surface on which there is at least one metal contact.

Abstract: An optical device may include a semiconductor laser chip to independently generate four laser beams at different wavelengths. Each laser beam, of the four laser beams, may be directed to a respective optical output of the optical device with a sub-micron level of tolerance of each laser beam relative to the respective optical outputs of the optical device, and each laser beam, of the four laser beams, may be associated with a different optical path from the semiconductor laser chip to the respective optical output of the optical device. The optical device may include a lens to receive each of the four laser beams. The lens may be positioned to direct each laser beam, of the four laser beams, toward the respective optical output of the optical device. The optical device may include an optical isolator to receive each of the four laser beams.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical transmitter assembly (OTA) for vertical coupling of light into a chip, and to a method for manufacturing the OTA. The OTA includes a laser diode, a microlens and a turning mirror mounted at a top face of a supporting substrate within a sealed enclosure, and an optical component, such as an optical isolator, a polarizer, or a microlens disposed in a substrate cavity that opens to the back face of the substrate. The optical component may be placed into the cavity after the enclosure is sealed.

Abstract: An optical device may include a semiconductor laser chip to independently generate four laser beams at different wavelengths. Each laser beam, of the four laser beams, may be directed to a respective optical output of the optical device with a sub-micron level of tolerance of each laser beam relative to the respective optical outputs of the optical device, and each laser beam, of the four laser beams, may be associated with a different optical path from the semiconductor laser chip to the respective optical output of the optical device. The optical device may include a lens to receive each of the four laser beams. The lens may be positioned to direct each laser beam, of the four laser beams, toward the respective optical output of the optical device. The optical device may include an optical isolator to receive each of the four laser beams.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical transmitter assembly (OTA) for vertical coupling of light into a chip, and to a method for manufacturing the OTA. The OTA includes a laser diode, a microlens and a turning mirror mounted at a top face of a supporting substrate within a sealed enclosure, and an optical component, such as an optical isolator, a polarizer, or a microlens disposed in a substrate cavity that opens to the back face of the substrate. The optical component may be placed into the cavity after the enclosure is sealed.

Abstract: An optical device may include a semiconductor laser chip to independently generate four laser beams at different wavelengths. Each laser beam, of the four laser beams, may be directed to a respective optical output of the optical device with a sub-micron level of tolerance of each laser beam relative to the respective optical outputs of the optical device, and each laser beam, of the four laser beams, may be associated with a different optical path from the semiconductor laser chip to the respective optical output of the optical device. The optical device may include a lens to receive each of the four laser beams. The lens may be positioned to direct each laser beam, of the four laser beams, toward the respective optical output of the optical device. The optical device may include an optical isolator to receive each of the four laser beams.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical transmitter assembly (OTA) for vertical coupling of light into a chip, and to a method for manufacturing the OTA. The OTA includes a laser diode, a microlens and a turning mirror mounted at a top face of a supporting substrate within a sealed enclosure, and an optical component, such as an optical isolator, a polarizer, or a microlens disposed in a substrate cavity that opens to the back face of the substrate. The optical component may be placed into the cavity after the enclosure is sealed.

Abstract: An optomechanical assembly for a photonic chip is disclosed. The optomechanical assembly may include a planar lightwave circuit optically coupled to a plurality of vertical coupling gratings on the photonic chip, to couple light between an optical connector abutting the planar lightwave circuit and the photonic chip.

Abstract: A micro-optic dual beam-splitter assembly comprises at least two beam-splitter optical filters and at least one photoreceptor. Each of the beam-splitter optical filters comprises an optical substrate having at least a coated or uncoated optical tap surface and a filter surface carrying a thin-film optical filter. The thin-film optical filters are substantially normal to the optical path from an optical signal source. Each of the optical tap surfaces is operative as an optical beam splitter to tap off an optical tap signal. The one or more photoreceptors are arranged to receive both or at least one of the optical tap signals. The tap signals comprise a portion of the optical signals passed along the optical path to the optical filter chips. The filter chips are cooperatively transmissive to an optical signal output port of a selected set of wavelengths received from the optical signal source along the optical path, and are reflective of other wavelengths.

Abstract: A micro-optic dual beam-splitter assembly comprises at least two beam-splitter optical filters and at least one photoreceptor. Each of the beam-splitter optical filters comprises an optical substrate having at least a coated or uncoated optical tap surface and a filter surface carrying a thin-film optical filter. The thin-film optical filters are substantially normal to the optical path from an optical signal source. Each of the optical tap surfaces is operative as an optical beam splitter to tap off an optical tap signal. The one or more photoreceptors are arranged to receive both or at least one of the optical tap signals. The tap signals comprise a portion of the optical signals passed along the optical path to the optical filter chips. The filter chips are cooperatively transmissive to an optical signal output port of a selected set of wavelengths received from the optical signal source along the optical path, and are reflective of other wavelengths.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method is provided for frequency identification and laser locking by sending optical signals of a laser through a set of optical filters. The signal power transmitted by the filters is measured and the resulting set of powers normalized with respect to a reference power. The multidimensional measurement output curve of the set of filters is nondegenerate. The set of measurements is compared to a set of points in a calibration table or constellation, which results in the identification of the frequency of the laser.