Abstract: A light modulator includes a light guide to guide light, a diffraction grating at a surface of the light guide, and a fluid having a refractive index substantially matched to a refractive index of the diffraction grating. The diffraction grating is to couple out a portion of guided light from the light guide using diffractive coupling. The index-matched fluid is to be selectively moved both into contact with the diffractive grating to defeat the diffractive coupling and out of contact with the diffraction grating to facilitate the diffractive coupling to modulate the coupled out guided light.

Abstract: An optical device may include a light transmissive medium having two sides. On one side may be a high reflectivity mirror and on the other side may be a plurality of partial reflectivity mirrors that may be guided mode resonance or nanodot mirrors. An optical system may have a plurality of light inputs, a light transmissive medium, and a plurality of light outputs from the light transmissive medium The light transmissive medium may have a high reflectivity mirror on one side and a plurality of partial reflectivity mirrors on a second side.

Abstract: A sensing system can include one or more particles having one or more plasmon resonances. The particles can be positioned adjacent to the active region of a sensor to enhance the sensitivity of the sensor to electromagnetic radiation having frequencies corresponding to the plasmon resonances. An array of sensors such as used for color imaging can employ different types of particles adjacent to different sensors, so that different sensors sense different colors. During fabrication of such sensors, the particles can be applied mechanically or using a process such as inkjet printing.

Abstract: A spatial light modulator includes an array of pixels, with each of the pixels having a dimension smaller than a wavelength of light to be modulated. Each of the pixels further has a permittivity that can be controlled using an electronic signal applied to the pixel.

Abstract: A waveguide intersection includes an input waveguide and an output waveguide; a crossing waveguide intersecting the input waveguide and the output waveguide to form an intersection; and a block that is optically joined to the intersection such that a guided mode is produced within the intersection. A method of reducing optical losses within a waveguide intersection includes increasing a cross-sectional height of an intersection such that optical energy passing through the intersection is laterally confined.

Abstract: A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) system and method of fabrication are included. The VCSEL system includes a gain region to amplify an optical signal in response to a data signal and a first mirror arranged as a partially-reflective high-contrast grating (HCG) mirror at an optical output of the VCSEL system. The VCSEL system also includes a second mirror. The first and second mirrors can be arranged as a laser cavity to resonate the optical signal. The VCSEL system further includes a doped semiconductor region to generate a current through the first mirror in response to a voltage signal to substantially alter the reflectivity of the first mirror to provide Q-switching capability of the VCSEL system.

Abstract: Planar, polarization insensitive, optical elements to control refraction of transmitted light in free space are disclosed. In one aspect, an optical element includes a substrate having a planar surface, and a polarization insensitive, high contrast, sub-wavelength grating composed of posts that extend from the planar surface. The grating has at least one region. Within each region, cross-sectional dimensions of the posts and/or lattice arrangement of the posts are nonperiodically varied to control refraction of light transmitted through the optical element.

Abstract: Light-detection systems that do not destroy the light to be detected or change the propagation direction of the light are described. In one aspect, a light-detection system includes an optical element composed of a substrate with a planar surface and a polarization insensitive, high contrast, sub-wavelength grating composed of posts that extend from the planar surface. The posts and/or lattice arrangement of the posts are non-periodically varied to impart orbital angular momentum and at least one helical wavefront on the light transmitted through the optical element.

Abstract: Optical polarizers and optical isolators and systems that incorporate the optical polarizers and isolators are disclosed. In one aspect, an optical isolator includes a Faraday crystal with a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, a first one-dimensional sub-wavelength grating disposed on the first surface, and a second one-dimensional sub-wavelength grating disposed on the second surface. The isolator is to receive a first input beam of light on the first grating and output a polarized first output beam of light through the second grating approximately parallel to the first input beam. The isolator is to also receive a second input beam of light on the second grating and output a polarized second output beam of light through the first grating with the second output beam offset from the second input beam.

Abstract: In one example, a composite processor (100) includes a circuit board (1200), a first processor element package (1230), and a second processor element package (1240). The circuit board has an optical link (1211) and an electrical link (1221). The first processor element package (1230) includes a substrate (1231) with an integrated circuit (240), a sub-wavelength grating optical coupler (1232), and an electrical coupler (1233) coupled to the electrical link (1221) of the circuit board (1200). The second processor element package (1240) includes a substrate (1241) with an integrated circuit (240), a sub-wavelength grating optical coupler (1242), and an electrical coupler (1243) coupled to the electrical link (1221) of the circuit board (1220).

Abstract: A broadband optical beam splitter can comprise a non-metallic high contrast grating including a substrate and an array of posts attached to a surface of the substrate. The grating can have a subwavelength period with respect to a preselected optical energy wavelength, the preselected optical energy wavelength within the range of 400 nm to 1.6 ?m. Additionally, the broadband optical beam splitter can have a bandwidth of 80 nm to 120 nm and can have an optical energy loss of less than 5%.

Abstract: A VCSEL includes a grating layer configured with a non-periodic, sub-wavelength grating, in which the non-periodic, sub-wavelength grating includes at least one first section configured to have a relatively low reflection coefficient and at least one second section configured to have a relatively high reflection coefficient to cause light to be reflected in a predetermined, non-Gaussian, spatial mode across the sub-wavelength grating. The VCSEL also includes a reflective layer and a light emitting layer disposed between the grating layer and the reflector, in which the sub-wavelength grating and the reflector form a resonant cavity.

Abstract: An optical shuffle system includes a plurality of sources that are to output respective beams of light and a plurality of receivers that are to receive respective beams of light, wherein the plurality of receivers are spaced apart from the plurality of sources. The optical shuffle system further includes an output lens formed of a plurality of output sub-wavelength grating (SWG) sections, wherein each of the plurality of output SWG sections is positioned in a respective output optical path of the plurality of sources, and wherein each of the plurality of output SWG sections is to collimate and direct light received from respective ones of the plurality of sources toward respective ones of the plurality of receivers.

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for micro-ring optical resonators are provided. An example of a micro-ring optical resonator apparatus includes an array of input waveguides with each input waveguide optically coupled to an array of micro-rings, an output waveguide operatively associated with each of the micro-rings, and a scattering object operatively associated with each of the micro-rings, wherein the scattering object is connected to the output waveguide.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing spectroscopy includes a substrate, a photodetector positioned at a distance with respect to the substrate, and a plurality of sub-wavelength grating (SWG) filters positioned between the substrate and the photodetector, in which the SWG filters are to filter different ranges of predetermined wavelengths of light emitted from an excitation location prior to being emitted onto the photodetector.

Abstract: A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) system and method of fabrication are included. The VCSEL system includes a first portion comprising a first mirror and a gain region to amplify an optical signal in response to a data signal, the first portion being fabricated on a first wafer. The system also includes a second portion comprising a second mirror that is partially-reflective to couple the optical signal to an optical fiber. The second portion can be fabricated on a second wafer. The system further includes a supporting structure to couple the first and second portions such that the first and second mirrors are arranged as a laser cavity having a predetermined length to resonate the optical signal.

Abstract: Wavefront synthesizers and optical switches implemented with wavefront synthesizers are disclosed. In one aspect, a wavefront synthesizer includes a waveguide tree composed a root waveguide that branches into at least two terminus waveguides. The root waveguide is integrated with a source to inject light into the waveguide tree via the root waveguide. The synthesizer includes output couplers located at the ends of the terminus waveguides. Each output coupler outputs a wavefront associated with a portion of the light injected with at least two of the wavefronts overlapping to form at least one beam of light via constructive interference. The synthesizer also includes microring resonators disposed adjacent to the terminus waveguides. Each microring is independently tunable to apply a phase shift in the wavefront output from one of the output couplers to steer the direction of the beam and the at least two wavefronts.

Abstract: A system for passive optical alignment includes an through optical via formed through a substrate, an optical transmission medium secured to a first side of the substrate such that the optical transmission medium is aligned with the through optical via, and an optoelectronic component secured to a second side of the substrate such that the active region of said optoelectronic component is aligned with the through optical via.

Abstract: A dynamic optical crossbar array includes a first set of parallel transparent electrode lines, a bottom set of parallel electrode lines that cross said transparent electrode lines, and an optically variable material disposed between said first set of transparent electrode lines and said bottom set of electrode lines.

Abstract: A ring resonator has a first optical waveguide arranged in a loop, a second optical waveguide tangentially optically coupled to the first optical waveguide, and a translatable body configured to selectively move into an evanescent field region of said first optical waveguide.