Abstract: Flexible, low-cost, physically robust optical coupling patches for use in spectrophotometric patient monitoring, and methods of fabrication thereof, are described. The optical coupling patch comprises a flexible base layer having a skin-contacting surface and a first aperture formed therethrough that establishes an optical interface with a skin surface when the base layer is placed against the skin surface. The optical coupling patch further comprises an elastomeric waveguiding member laterally disposed on a surface of the base layer opposite the skin-contacting surface. The optical coupling patch guides optical radiation between a laterally propagating state at a first location laterally distal from the first aperture and a generally vertically propagating state at the first aperture.

Abstract: A low cost compact 3-port single-channel OADM with improved optical isolation is provided in which the I/O fibers and add/drop fiber are arranged on the same side. The 3-port OADM includes a 3-fiber pigtail and an angled reflector that together eliminate the second fiber collimator—one set of lenses and ferrules. The reflector is positioned behind and at angle to the free-space filter such that the add/drop optical signals are reflected back through the collimating lens to the appropriate fiber. In a drop filter, a signal is dropped from the optical signal on the input fiber and reflected back to the add/drop fiber. In an add filter, a signal is inserted from the add/drop fiber and reflected back to the output fiber. A 4-port OADM can be made by fiber-splicing a pair of 3-port OADMs.

Abstract: A low cost compact integrated 4-port single-channel OADM with improved optical isolation and low insertion loss is provided in which a 4-fiber pigtail includes I/O fibers and add/drop fibers, which are arranged on the same side of the multiplexer. A lens, filter and reflector are arranged in a double-pass configuration to route the optical signals to and from the appropriate fibers. The fibers are suitably arranged with the input and drop fibers at the corners of one diagonal and the output and add fibers at the corners of the crossing diagonal with the midpoints of the diagonals intersecting. Furthermore, a point halfway between the input and output fibers suitably lies at or near the central axis of the collimating lens.

Abstract: A packaged waveguide for passive connectivity includes waveguides packaged in a ferrule. The ferrule allows the waveguides to be passively aligned to other waveguides, fibers, or optical components, such as to align a first waveguide in the ferrule with a laser diode in a BiDi. In the exemplary embodiment, a second waveguide in the ferrule the BiDi is at a known and fixed distance apart from the first waveguide at an end face of the ferrule. A detector in the BiDi may be positioned so that when the first waveguide is aligned with the laser diode, the second waveguide is also aligned with the detector. Additional functions can be provided with the waveguide. The manufacturing of the BiDi with the waveguides packaged in the ferrule is cost efficient to manufacturer since alignment and connectivity is achieved passively. The cost efficiency can be further improved by using standard components.

Abstract: Improved methods and systems for routing and aligning beams and optical elements in an optical device include a multiplexing device and/or a demultiplexing device, which includes an optical alignment element (OAE). The OAE can be configured to substantially compensate for the cumulative alignment errors in the beam path. The OAE allows the optical elements in a device, other than the OAE, to be placed and fixed in place without substantially compensating for optical alignment errors. The OAE is inserted into the beam path and adjusted. This greatly increases the ease in the manufacturing of optical devices, especially for devices with numerous optical elements, and lowers the cost of manufacturing. The multiplexing and/or demultiplexing device can reside within a standard small form factor, such as a GBIC. The devices fold the paths of the traversing beams with a geometry which allows a small package.

Abstract: Improved methods and systems for routing and aligning beams and optical elements in an optical device include a multiplexing device and/or a demultiplexing device, which includes an optical alignment element (OAE). The OAE can be configured to substantially compensate for the cumulative alignment errors in the beam path. The OAE allows the optical elements in a device, other than the OAE, to be placed and fixed in place without substantially compensating for optical alignment errors. The OAE is inserted into the beam path and adjusted. This greatly increases the ease in the manufacturing of optical devices, especially for devices with numerous optical elements, and lowers the cost of manufacturing. The multiplexing and/or demultiplexing device can reside within a standard small form factor, such as a GBIC. The devices fold the paths of the traversing beams with a geometry which allows a small package.

Abstract: Improved methods and systems for routing and aligning beams and optical elements in an optical device include a multiplexing device and/or a demultiplexing device, which includes an optical alignment element (OAE). The OAE can be configured to substantially compensate for the cumulative alignment errors in the beam path. The OAE allows the optical elements in a device, other than the OAE, to be placed and fixed in place without substantially compensating for optical alignment errors. The OAE is inserted into the beam path and adjusted. This greatly increases the ease in the manufacturing of optical devices, especially for devices with numerous optical elements, and lowers the cost of manufacturing. The multiplexing and/or demultiplexing device can reside within a standard small form factor, such as a GBIC. The devices fold the paths of the traversing beams with a geometry which allows a small package.

Abstract: Improved methods and systems for routing and aligning beams and optical elements in an optical device include a multiplexing device and/or a demultiplexing device, which includes an optical alignment element (OAE). The OAE can be configured to substantially compensate for the cumulative alignment errors in the beam path. The OAE allows the optical elements in a device, other than the OAE, to be placed and fixed in place without substantially compensating for optical alignment errors. The OAE is inserted into the beam path and adjusted. This greatly increases the ease in the manufacturing of optical devices, especially for devices with numerous optical elements, and lowers the cost of manufacturing. The multiplexing and/or demultiplexing device can reside within a standard small form factor, such as a GBIC. The devices fold the paths of the traversing beams with a geometry which allows a small package.

Abstract: An optical subassembly utilizes a core with a first, second, and third faces. The first and second faces are coupled, non-parallel, and non-co-planar for changing a path of a beam, and their intersection defines an axis. Filters are coupled to the third face. The light path traverses between the first or second face and each filter such that, at each filter, no portion of the light path interferes with any other portion of the light path. The light path also traverses the core in a direction along the axis. This is facilitated by the light path traversing an external surface of a filter at an angle. The device includes adjustable ports residing at the same side of the device. Filters are coupled to the core and optically coupled to the adjustable ports. The light path travels down the core and exit or enter the device via the adjustable ports.

Abstract: Improved methods and systems for routing and aligning beams and optical elements in an optical device include a multiplexing device and/or a demultiplexing device, which includes an optical alignment element (OAE). The OAE can be configured to substantially compensate for the cumulative alignment errors in the beam path. The OAE allows the optical elements in a device, other than the OAE, to be placed and fixed in place without substantially compensating for optical alignment errors. The OAE is inserted into the beam path and adjusted. This greatly increases the ease in the manufacturing of optical devices, especially for devices with numerous optical elements, and lowers the cost of manufacturing. The multiplexing and/or demultiplexing device can reside within a standard small form factor, such as a GBIC. The devices fold the paths of the traversing beams with a geometry which allows a small package.

Abstract: Improved methods and systems for routing and aligning beams and optical elements in an optical device include a multiplexing device and/or a demultiplexing device, which includes an optical alignment element (OAE). The OAE can be configured to substantially compensate for the cumulative alignment errors in the beam path. The OAE allows the optical elements in a device, other than the OAE, to be placed and fixed in place without substantially compensating for optical alignment errors. The OAE is inserted into the beam path and adjusted. This greatly increases the ease in the manufacturing of optical devices, especially for devices with numerous optical elements, and lowers the cost of manufacturing. The multiplexing and/or demultiplexing device can reside within a standard small form factor, such as a GBIC. The devices fold the paths of the traversing beams with a geometry which allows a small package.

Abstract: A low cost compact integrated 4-port single-channel OADM with improved optical isolation and low insertion loss is provided in which a 4-fiber pigtail includes I/O fibers and add/drop fibers, which are arranged on the same side of the multiplexer. A lens, filter and reflector are arranged in a double-pass configuration to route the optical signals to and from the appropriate fibers. The fibers are suitably arranged with the input and drop fibers at the corners of one diagonal and the output and add fibers at the corners of the crossing diagonal with the midpoints of the diagonals intersecting. Furthermore, a point halfway between the input and output fibers suitably lies at or near the central axis of the collimating lens.

Abstract: An optical subassembly utilizes a core with a first, second, and third faces. The first and second faces are coupled, non-parallel, and non-co-planar for changing a path of a beam, and their intersection defines an axis. Filters are coupled to the third face. The light path traverses between the first or second face and each filter such that, at each filter, no portion of the light path interferes with any other portion of the light path. The light path also traverses the core in a direction along the axis. This is facilitated by the light path traversing an external surface of a filter at an angle. The device includes adjustable ports residing at the same side of the device. Filters are coupled to the core and optically coupled to the adjustable ports. The light path travels down the core and exit or enter the device via the adjustable ports.

Abstract: A packaged waveguide for passive connectivity includes waveguides packaged in a ferrule. The ferrule allows the waveguides to be passively aligned to other waveguides, fibers, or optical components, such as to align a first waveguide in the ferrule with a laser diode in a BiDi. In the exemplary embodiment, a second waveguide in the ferrule the BiDi is at a known and fixed distance apart from the first waveguide at an end face of the ferrule. A detector in the BiDi may be positioned so that when the first waveguide is aligned with the laser diode, the second waveguide is also aligned with the detector. Additional functions can be provided with the waveguide. The manufacturing of the BiDi with the waveguides packaged in the ferrule is cost efficient to manufacturer since alignment and connectivity is achieved passively. The cost efficiency can be further improved by using standard components.

Abstract: Improved methods and systems for routing and aligning beams and optical elements in an optical device include a multiplexing device and/or a demultiplexing device, which includes an optical alignment element (OAE). The OAE can be configured to substantially compensate for the cumulative alignment errors in the beam path. The OAE allows the optical elements in a device, other than the OAE, to be placed and fixed in place without substantially compensating for optical alignment errors. The OAE is inserted into the beam path and adjusted. This greatly increases the ease in the manufacturing of optical devices, especially for devices with numerous optical elements, and lowers the cost of manufacturing. The multiplexing and/or demultiplexing device can reside within a standard small form factor, such as a GBIC. The devices fold the paths of the traversing beams with a geometry which allows a small package.

Abstract: Improved methods and systems for routing and aligning beams and optical elements in an optical device include a multiplexing device and/or a demultiplexing device, which includes an optical alignment element (OAE). The OAE can be configured to substantially compensate for the cumulative alignment errors in the beam path. The OAE allows the optical elements in a device, other than the OAE, to be placed and fixed in place without substantially compensating for optical alignment errors. The OAE is inserted into the beam path and adjusted. This greatly increases the ease in the manufacturing of optical devices, especially for devices with numerous optical elements, and lowers the cost of manufacturing. The multiplexing and/or demultiplexing device can reside within a standard small form factor, such as a GBIC. The devices fold the paths of the traversing beams with a geometry which allows a small package.

Abstract: Improved methods and systems for routing and aligning beams and optical elements in an optical device include a multiplexing device and/or a demultiplexing device, which includes an optical alignment element (OAE). The OAE can be configured to substantially compensate for the cumulative alignment errors in the beam path. The OAE allows the optical elements in a device, other than the OAE, to be placed and fixed in place without substantially compensating for optical alignment errors. The OAE is inserted into the beam path and adjusted. This greatly increases the ease in the manufacturing of optical devices, especially for devices with numerous optical elements, and lowers the cost of manufacturing. The multiplexing and/or demultiplexing device can reside within a standard small form factor, such as a GBIC. The devices fold the paths of the traversing beams with a geometry which allows a small package.

Abstract: Improved methods and systems for routing and aligning beams and optical elements in an optical device include a multiplexing device and/or a demultiplexing device, which includes an optical alignment element (OAE). The OAE can be configured to substantially compensate for the cumulative alignment errors in the beam path. The OAE allows the optical elements in a device, other than the OAE, to be placed and fixed in place without substantially compensating for optical alignment errors. The OAE is inserted into the beam path and adjusted. This greatly increases the ease in the manufacturing of optical devices, especially for devices with numerous optical elements, and lowers the cost of manufacturing. The multiplexing and/or demultiplexing device can reside within a standard small form factor, such as a GBIC. The devices fold the paths of the traversing beams with a geometry which allows a small package.

Abstract: Improved methods and systems for routing and aligning beams and optical elements in an optical device include a multiplexing device and/or a demultiplexing device, which includes an optical alignment element (OAE). The OAE can be configured to substantially compensate for the cumulative alignment errors in the beam path. The OAE allows the optical elements in a device, other than the OAE, to be placed and fixed in place without substantially compensating for optical alignment errors. The OAE is inserted into the beam path and adjusted. This greatly increases the ease in the manufacturing of optical devices, especially for devices with numerous optical elements, and lowers the cost of manufacturing. The multiplexing and/or demultiplexing device can reside within a standard small form factor, such as a GBIC. The devices fold the paths of the traversing beams with a geometry which allows a small package.

Abstract: Improved methods and systems for routing and aligning beams and optical elements in an optical device include a multiplexing device and/or a demultiplexing device, which includes an optical alignment element (OAE). The OAE can be configured to substantially compensate for the cumulative alignment errors in the beam path. The OAE allows the optical elements in a device, other than the OAE, to be placed and fixed in place without substantially compensating for optical alignment errors. The OAE is inserted into the beam path and adjusted. This greatly increases the ease in the manufacturing of optical devices, especially for devices with numerous optical elements, and lowers the cost of manufacturing. The multiplexing and/or demultiplexing device can reside within a standard small form factor, such as a GBIC. The devices fold the paths of the traversing beams with a geometry which allows a small package.