Abstract: A device comprises a substrate having lower and upper silicon layers separated by a lower dielectric layer and a III-V structure bonded to the substrate, with first, second, and third sections along an optical axis. The first section comprises a first upper waveguide segment of the upper silicon layer, increasing in width from a first width to a second width at an interface between the first and second sections, the III-V structure overlapping with a tapered portion of the first upper waveguide segment. The second section comprises a second upper waveguide segment of the upper silicon layer decreasing in width, and a first lower waveguide segment of the lower silicon layer wider than the second upper waveguide segment at the interface between the second and third sections. The third section comprises a second lower waveguide segment of the lower silicon layer.

Abstract: An optical transmitter includes a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) configured to receive light and amplify the light to generate amplified light. A backup SOA is also configured to receive light and amplify the light to generate backup amplified light. An SOA input switch selectively routes light toward either the SOA or the backup SOA. An output outputs the amplified light generated by the SOA or the backup SOA. Examples can include multiple lanes, each lane having an SOA, and each backup SOA being usable by one lane or two adjacent lanes.

Abstract: A multi-lane optical transmitter includes an optical splitter to receive light generated by at least one laser and split the light into a plurality of portions. A plurality of semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) are configured to receive respective portions of the light and amplify the portions to generate amplified light. The optical transmitter also includes a plurality of outputs configured to output portions of the amplified light generated by the SOAs. Examples can include modulators to modulate the light in each lane.

Abstract: A system and method of diagnosing tissue integrity related to a joint of a patient may include imaging a first bone of the joint of the patient, determining a bone density profile of the first bone based on results of the imaging step, comparing the bone density profile of the first bone to at least one reference bone density profile of a reference first bone, and predicting an integrity of a tissue with respect to the first bone based on the comparison. The first bone may be a tibia and the bone density profile of the tibia may include a bone density profile of a sulcus of a medial tibial condyle of the tibia. The tissue may be an anterior cruciate ligament (“ACL”) and the predicting step may include predicting the integrity of both an anteromedial bundle and a posterolateral bundle of the ACL.

Abstract: A frequency-chirped integrated silicon-photonic laser may be provided with separate gain and phase-tuning sections in the laser cavity, one or two wavelength filters forming part of the reflective structures defining the cavity, and electro-optic and optionally thermo-optic intra-cavity and filter phase tuners. The electro-optic phase tuners may be driven with synchronized voltage waveforms, at amplitudes determined, based on measurements of the laser output power and chirp, to achieve mode-hop-free frequency chirping with a target chirp amplitude. The waveforms may be predistorted to improve chirp linearity.

Abstract: A frequency-chirped integrated silicon-photonic laser may be provided with separate gain and phase-tuning sections in the laser cavity, one or two wavelength filters forming part of the reflective structures defining the cavity, and electro-optic and optionally thermo-optic intra-cavity and filter phase tuners. The electro-optic phase tuners may be driven with synchronized voltage waveforms, at amplitudes determined, based on measurements of the laser output power and chirp, to achieve mode-hop-free frequency chirping with a target chirp amplitude. The waveforms may be predistorted to improve chirp linearity.

Abstract: A DFB laser includes a III-V semiconductor structure having a laser active region and a grating etched on a bonding surface to provide optical feedback to generate output light. The DFB laser includes a silicon structure having a silicon waveguide configured to receive the output light from a first end of the laser active region. The bonding surface of the III-V semiconductor structure is bonded to a surface of the silicon structure. The silicon structure includes a DFB region having surfaces defining at least two laterally separated silicon portions extending longitudinally and overlapping, with respect to a lamination direction, two lobes of a second lateral mode of the output light in the laser active region, to suppress lasing of a second order mode of the output light.

Abstract: Disclosed are integrated electro-absorption modulators (EAM) that are structured and/or operated to improve uniformity of the photocurrent density along the active region. In various embodiments, this improvement results from increased optical absorption at the rear of the EAM, e.g., as achieved by heating a region at the rear, increasing a bias voltage applied across the EAM towards the rear, or changing a material composition of an intrinsic layer towards the rear. In another embodiment, the improvement is achieved by coupling light from a waveguide into the EAM active region continuously along a length of the EAM, using overlap between a tapered section of the waveguide and the EAM.

Abstract: Disclosed is a coherent optical combining photonic integrated circuit that can detect and align light amplified by a scalable quantity of semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs). The light can be split into beams and amplified by individual SOAs in a PIC and combined via couplers in the PIC. The combined light can be measured using a photodetector and the light beams can be adjusted based the photodetector measurement to coherently combine the light to achieve high optical power from the photonic integrated circuit.

Abstract: Disclosed are integrated electro-absorption modulators (EAM) that are structured and/or operated to improve uniformity of the photocurrent density along the active region. In various embodiments, this improvement results from increased optical absorption at the rear of the EAM, e.g., as achieved by heating a region at the rear, increasing a bias voltage applied across the EAM towards the rear, or changing a material composition of an intrinsic layer towards the rear. In another embodiment, the improvement is achieved by coupling light from a waveguide into the EAM active region continuously along a length of the EAM, using overlap between a tapered section of the waveguide and the EAM.

Abstract: A symmetric distributed feedback (DFB) laser that is integrated in a silicon based photonic integrated circuit can output light from both sides of the symmetric DFB laser onto waveguides. The light in the waveguides can be phase adjusted and combined using an optical coupler. The symmetric DFB laser can generate light and symmetrically output light onto different lanes of a multi-lane transmitter.

Abstract: A suture passer includes a first shaft comprising a hollow tube and a distal portion located distally of a distal end of the hollow tube; a needle comprising a needle tip and a needle shaft translatably mounted in the hollow tube for passing a suture loaded holder through tissue positioned between the distal end of the hollow tube and the distal portion of the first shaft; an actuatable engagement located in the distal portion of the first shaft for retaining the suture loaded holder after the suture loaded holder has passed through the tissue; a sheath extending around an exterior of the needle shaft and translatable with the needle shaft for at least a portion of a stroke of the needle, wherein the sheath is moveable relative to the needle for actuating the engagement to an unlatched position to release the holder from the distal portion of the first shaft.

Abstract: A device for thin-film silicon photonics with an integrated III-V waveguide structure includes a substrate containing a silicon layer and a III-V waveguide structure bonded to the substrate. The device also includes a waveguide transition structure, enabling light to be coupled between the silicon layer and the III-V waveguide structure. The waveguide transition structure may include a first section, a second section, and a third section, each section including one or more tapered segments.

Abstract: A device comprises a substrate having lower and upper silicon layers separated by a lower dielectric layer and a III-V structure bonded to the substrate, with first, second, and third sections along an optical axis. The first section comprises a first upper waveguide segment of the upper silicon layer, increasing in width from a first width to a second width at an interface between the first and second sections, the III-V structure overlapping with a tapered portion of the first upper waveguide segment. The second section comprises a second upper waveguide segment of the upper silicon layer decreasing in width, and a first lower waveguide segment of the lower silicon layer wider than the second upper waveguide segment at the interface between the second and third sections. The third section comprises a second lower waveguide segment of the lower silicon layer.

Abstract: Absolute temperature measurements of integrated photonic devices can be accomplished with integrated bandgap temperature sensors located adjacent the photonic devices. In various embodiments, the temperature of the active region within a diode structure of a photonic device is measured with an integrated bandgap temperature sensor that includes one or more diode junctions either in the semiconductor device layer beneath the active region or laterally adjacent to the photonic device, or in a diode structure formed above the semiconductor device layer and adjacent the diode structure of the photonic device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a coherent optical combining photonic integrated circuit that can detect and align light amplified by a scalable quantity of semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs). The light can be split into beams and amplified by individual SOAs in a PIC and combined via couplers in the PIC. The combined light can be measured using a photodetector and the light beams can be adjusted based the photodetector measurement to coherently combine the light to achieve high optical power from the photonic integrated circuit.

Abstract: Photonic ring modulators with high tuning efficiency and small footprint can be formed in a hybrid material platform from a silicon bus waveguide vertically coupled to an optically active compound semiconductor (e.g., III-V) ring resonator. The performance of the modulator, e.g., in terms of the tuning efficiency and the maximum insertion loss, may be optimized by suitable levels of an applied bias voltage and a heater power of a heater optionally included in the ring modulator. The disclosed hybrid photonic ring modulators may be used, e.g., in photonic transceiver circuits with high lane count.

Abstract: Methods and systems are presented for heterogeneous integration of photonics and electronics with atomic layer deposition (ALD) bonding. One method includes operations for forming a compound semiconductor and for depositing (e.g., via atomic layer deposition) a continuous film of a protection material (e.g., Al2O3) on a first surface of the compound semiconductor. Further, the method includes an operation for forming a silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer, with the SOI wafer comprising one or more waveguides. The method further includes bonding the compound semiconductor at the first surface to the SOI wafer to form a bonded structure and processing the bonded structure. The protection material protects the compound semiconductor from acid etchants during further processing of the bonded structure.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to open and discharge the contents of a packet or sachet. In some embodiments, a portable dispensing device includes a housing, an opening mechanism, and a discharging mechanism. In some configurations, the device includes a rotatable axle, a rotatable cap disposed at an end of the housing, and a roller element (coupled to the axle) that is configured to rotate with manual rotation of the rotatable cap, and a slot in the housing that permits at least a portion of the packet to advance through, wherein the slot and housing assists with pressing opposing packet walls together to discharge the contents of the packet. In some configurations, the opening mechanism also includes another housing slot where a corner of the packet may be fed and a knife element disposed to facilitate removal of the corner to thereby open the packet.