Abstract: A spectral filter comprises a planar optical waveguide having at least one set of diffractive elements. The waveguide confines in one transverse dimension an optical signal propagating in two other dimensions therein. The waveguide supports multiple transverse modes. Each diffractive element set routes, between input and output ports, a diffracted portion of the optical signal propagating in the planar waveguide and diffracted by the diffractive elements. The diffracted portion of the optical signal reaches the output port as a superposition of multiple transverse modes. A multimode optical source may launch the optical signal into the planar waveguide, through the corresponding input optical port, as a superposition of multiple transverse modes. A multimode output waveguide may receive, through the output port, the diffracted portion of the optical signal. Multiple diffractive element sets may route corresponding diffracted portions of optical signal between one or more corresponding input and output ports.

Abstract: An optical apparatus comprises a set of diffractive elements on a substrate. They are arranged: (i) to receive an input signal propagating from an input port as a diffraction-guided optical beam, (ii) to diffract a portion of the received input signal as an output signal, (iii) to route the output signal to propagate to an output port as a diffraction-guided optical beam, and (iv) to exhibit a positional variation in diffractive amplitude, optical separation, or spatial phase over some portion of the set. The arrangement of the diffractive elements corresponds to an interference pattern derived from computed interference at a surface of the substrate between a simulated design input and output optical signals. Each diffractive element comprises at least one trench segment positioned along a path defined by a constant-phase contour of the interference pattern. Each trench segment is substantially rectangular or trapezoidal in transverse cross section.

Abstract: A distributed optical structure comprises a set of diffractive elements. Individual diffractive element transfer functions collectively yield an overall transfer function between entrance and exit ports. Diffractive elements are defined relative to virtual contours and include diffracting region(s) altered to diffract, reflect, and/or scatter incident optical fields (altered index, surface, etc). Element and/or overall set transfer functions (amplitude and/or phase) are determined by: longitudinal and/or angular displacement of diffracting region(s) relative to a virtual contour (facet-displacement grayscale); longitudinal displacement of diffractive elements relative to a virtual contour (element-displacement grayscale); and/or virtual contour(s) lacking a diffractive element (proportional-line-density gray scale).

Abstract: A spectral filter comprises a planar optical waveguide having at least one set of diffractive elements. The waveguide confines in one transverse dimension an optical signal propagating in two other dimensions therein. The waveguide supports multiple transverse modes. Each diffractive element set routes, between input and output ports, a diffracted portion of the optical signal propagating in the planar waveguide and diffracted by the diffractive elements. The diffracted portion of the optical signal reaches the output port as a superposition of multiple transverse modes. A multimode optical source may launch the optical signal into the planar waveguide, through the corresponding input optical port, as a superposition of multiple transverse modes. A multimode output waveguide may receive, through the output port, the diffracted portion of the optical signal. Multiple diffractive element sets may route corresponding diffracted portions of optical signal between one or more corresponding input and output ports.

Abstract: An optical apparatus comprises an optical interconnect structure defining one or more optical source and receiver ports and one or more interconnect optical signal pathways connecting corresponding optical signal source and receiver ports. The optical interconnect structure comprises an optical waveguide defining a portion of each interconnect optical signal pathway. Each interconnect pathway includes a wavefront diffractive transformation region and a corresponding set of diffractive elements thereof. Each diffractive element set diffractively transforms a corresponding diffracted portion of an incident signal with a corresponding design input signal wavefront into an emergent signal with a corresponding design output signal wavefront. For at least one diffractive element set, only one of the corresponding design input or output signal wavefronts is confined in at least one transverse dimension by the optical waveguide, while the other design wavefront propagates without confinement by the optical waveguide.

Abstract: An optical apparatus comprises a first and second cladding layers and first and second core layers between the cladding layers. The second core has a set of diffractive elements. The first core and the claddings are arranged to form a slab waveguide supporting slab waveguide modes and confining in one transverse dimension optical signals propagating in two dimensions in the slab waveguide modes. The second core and the claddings are arranged to from a channel waveguide supporting one or more channel waveguide optical modes and confining in two transverse dimensions optical signals propagating in one dimension in the channel waveguide modes. The diffractive elements are arranged to couple at least one slab waveguide mode and at least one channel waveguide mode to enable transfer of an optical signal between the slab and channel waveguide optical modes thus coupled.

Abstract: An optical apparatus comprises a set of diffractive elements (trenches between ribs) arranged on a substrate to: receive a diffraction-guided input optical signal from an input port; diffract the input signal as a diffraction-guided output optical signal; and route the output signal to an output port. In one embodiment, a side surface of each trench is perpendicular to its bottom surface and at least one trench depth is equal to half of its width divided by the tangent of a selected Littrow angle. In another embodiment, a side surface of each rib and its bottom surface are arranged to successively reflect a portion of the input optical signal preferentially in a selected output direction. In another embodiment, each diffractive element comprises multiple trenches; selected relative widths or depths of the multiple trenches of each diffractive element at least partly determining diffractive amplitude and a selected blaze direction.

Abstract: An optical data storage medium comprises an optical medium with multiple data marks. Each data mark is arranged for modifying a portion of an optical reading beam incident thereon. At least one of the data marks is a delocalized data mark comprising a set of multiple diffractive elements collectively arranged for modifying a portion of the optical reading beam incident thereon. A method for recording data on an optical data storage medium comprises forming on or in the optical medium multiple data marks encoding the recorded data, including the at least one delocalized data mark. A method for reading an optical data storage medium comprises: successively illuminating with the optical reading beam the multiple data marks; sensing variations among the respective portions of the optical reading beam modified by the multiple data marks; and decoding from the sensed variations data encoded by the multiple data marks.

Abstract: A method comprises computing an interference pattern between a simulated design input optical signal and a simulated design output optical signal, and computationally deriving an arrangement of at least one diffractive element set from the computed interference pattern. The interference pattern is computed in a transmission grating region, with the input and output optical signals each propagating through the transmission grating region as substantially unconfined optical beams. The arrangement of diffractive element set is computationally derived so that when the diffractive element set thus arranged is formed in or on a transmission grating, each diffractive element set would route, between corresponding input and output optical ports, a corresponding diffracted portion of an input optical signal incident on and transmitted by the transmission grating. The method can further comprise forming the set of diffractive elements in or on the transmission grating according to the derived arrangement.

Abstract: A spectral filter comprises a planar optical waveguide having at least one set of diffractive elements. The waveguide confines in one transverse dimension an optical signal propagating in two other dimensions therein. The waveguide supports multiple transverse modes. Each diffractive element set routes, between input and output ports, a diffracted portion of the optical signal propagating in the planar waveguide and diffracted by the diffractive elements. The diffracted portion of the optical signal reaches the output port as a superposition of multiple transverse modes. A multimode optical source may launch the optical signal into the planar waveguide, through the corresponding input optical port, as a superposition of multiple transverse modes. A multimode output waveguide may receive, through the output port, the diffracted portion of the optical signal. Multiple diffractive element sets may route corresponding diffracted portions of optical signal between one or more corresponding input and output ports.

Abstract: An optical grating comprising a grating layer and two surface layers, the layers being arranged with the grating layer between the surface layers. The grating layer comprises a set of multiple, discrete, elongated first grating regions that comprise a first dielectric material and are arranged with intervening elongated second grating regions. The bulk refractive index of the dielectric material of the first grating regions is larger than the bulk refractive index of the second grating regions. The first surface layer comprises a first impedance matching layer, and the second surface layer comprises either (i) a second impedance matching layer or (ii) a reflective layer. Each said impedance matching layer is arranged to reduce reflection of an optical signal transmitted through the corresponding surface of the grating layer, relative to reflection of the optical signal in the absence of said impedance matching layer.

Abstract: A method comprises computing an interference pattern between a simulated design input optical signal and a simulated design output optical signal, and computationally deriving an arrangement of at least one diffractive element set from the computed interference pattern. The interference pattern is computed in a transmission grating region, with the input and output optical signals each propagating through the transmission grating region as substantially unconfined optical beams. The arrangement of diffractive element set is computationally derived so that when the diffractive element set thus arranged is formed in or on a transmission grating, each diffractive element set would route, between corresponding input and output optical ports, a corresponding diffracted portion of an input optical signal incident on and transmitted by the transmission grating. The method can further comprise forming the set of diffractive elements in or on the transmission grating according to the derived arrangement.

Abstract: A spectral filter comprises a planar optical waveguide having at least one set of diffractive elements. The waveguide confines in one transverse dimension an optical signal propagating in two other dimensions therein. The waveguide supports multiple transverse modes. Each diffractive element set routes, between input and output ports, a diffracted portion of the optical signal propagating in the planar waveguide and diffracted by the diffractive elements. The diffracted portion of the optical signal reaches the output port as a superposition of multiple transverse modes. A multimode optical source may launch the optical signal into the planar waveguide, through the corresponding input optical port, as a superposition of multiple transverse modes. A multimode output waveguide may receive, through the output port, the diffracted portion of the optical signal. Multiple diffractive element sets may route corresponding diffracted portions of optical signal between one or more corresponding input and output ports.

Abstract: A planar optical waveguide has a set of diffractive elements and confines propagating optical signals in at least one transverse spatial dimension. Each diffractive element set routes, between input and output ports, a corresponding diffracted portion of an input optical signal propagating in the planar optical waveguide that is diffracted by the diffractive element set. The input optical signal is successively incident on the diffractive elements.

Abstract: A method comprises: formulating a design input and output optical signals; computing an interference pattern between the simulated input and output optical signals; computationally deriving a diffractive element arrangement from the computed interference pattern; forming a mask pattern corresponding to the derived diffractive element arrangement; and forming the diffractive element set on a substrate surface by projecting the mask pattern. An optical surface grating comprises a set of diffractive elements on a substrate. The arrangement of the diffractive elements is computationally derived from an interference pattern computed for interference at a substrate surface between a simulated design input and output optical signals. An optical spectrometer comprises: an input optical port for receiving an input optical signal into the spectrometer; an output optical port for transmitting an output optical signal out of the spectrometer; and an optical surface grating as described hereinabove.

Abstract: A spectrally-encoded label comprises a spectrally-selective optical element having a label spectral signature. The label spectral signature is determined according to a spectral-encoding scheme so as to represent predetermined label information within the spectral encoding scheme. The label emits output light in response to input light selected by the label spectral signature of the optical element. A spectrally-encoded label system further comprises an optical detector sensitive to the output light emitted from the label, and a decoder operatively coupled to the detector for extracting the label information according to the spectral encoding scheme, and may also include a light source providing the input light for illuminating the label.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises an optical transmission element, a diffractive element set formed in or on the transmission element, and an optical component. The diffractive element set is positioned to enable spatial overlap of diffractive elements and an evanescent optical signal propagating in a suitably positioned optical waveguide. The diffractive elements are arranged to establish optical coupling between respective optical signals propagating within the transmission element and the optical waveguide. The optical component is arranged to launch or receive the optical signal propagating within the transmission element. The diffractive element set is arranged so that the optical signal in waveguide is successively incident on the diffractive elements. The optical apparatus can further include the optical waveguide, with the optical waveguide and the transmission element comprising discrete, assembled subunits.

Abstract: A slab optical waveguide confines in one transverse dimension optical signals propagating in two dimensions therein, and has a set of diffractive elements collectively arranged so as to exhibit positional variation in amplitude, optical separation, or spatial phase. The diffractive elements are collectively arranged so as to apply a transfer function to an input optical signal to produce an output optical signal. The transfer function is determined at least in part by said positional variation in amplitude, optical separation, or spatial phase. The waveguide and diffractive elements are arranged so as to confine only one of the input and output optical signals to propagate in the waveguide so that the optical signal thus confined is successively incident on the diffractive elements, while the other optical signal propagates unconfined by the waveguide in a direction having a substantial component along the confined dimension of the waveguide.

Abstract: A planar optical waveguide is formed having sets of locking diffractive elements and means for routing optical signals. Lasers are positioned to launch signals into the planar waveguide that are successively incident on elements of the locking diffractive element sets, which route fractions of the signals back to the lasers as locking feedback signals. The routing means route between lasers and output port(s) portions of those fractions of signals transmitted by locking diffractive element sets. Locking diffractive element sets may be formed in channel waveguides formed in the planar waveguide, or in slab waveguide region(s) of the planar waveguide. Multiple routing means may comprise routing diffractive element sets formed in a slab waveguide region of the planar waveguide, or may comprise an arrayed waveguide grating formed in the planar waveguide. The apparatus may comprise a multiple-wavelength optical source.

Abstract: An optical apparatus comprises a planar optical waveguide having at least one set of diffractive elements and confining in at least one transverse spatial dimension optical signals propagating therein. Each diffractive element set routes, between corresponding input and output optical ports, a corresponding diffracted portion of an input optical signal propagating in the waveguide that is successively incident on the diffractive elements and is diffracted by the diffractive element set. The optical signals propagate in the waveguide in corresponding diffractive-region optical transverse modes in regions where the diffractive elements are present, and in corresponding non-diffractive-region optical transverse modes in regions where the diffractive elements are absent.