Abstract: The present inventive concept relates to a system for monitoring a PCR-reaction in a microfluidic reactor.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present inventive concept there is provided a light transmission system (100, 200) for delivering light to a Raman spectrometer (20), the system comprising: a homogenizer (110, 510) with an entrance surface (112, 512) having an entrance height and an entrance width, an exit surface (114, 514) having an exit height and an exit width, and wherein the exit height is of a larger size than the entrance height; and wherein the homogenizer (110, 510) is configured to receive, at the entrance surface (112, 512), light from a bundle (210) of optical fibers (220) and wherein each fiber (220) in the bundle (210) defines an entrance divergence angle of light; and wherein the homogenizer (110, 510) is configured to transmit light such that an exit divergence angle of light, in a plane parallel with a direction of the exit height, is smaller than the entrance divergence angle of light, in a plane parallel with a direction of the entrance height.

Abstract: There is provided an optical system comprising a photonic integrated circuit which is integrated on a platform and an element having a first surface being attached to the platform. The element has a groove in the first surface, and the groove is filled with a medium having a refractive index which is different from that of the element. The groove has a surface with a normal that forms an angle with respect to a predetermined light direction, thereby allowing changing a direction of light which is incident on the platform along the predetermined light direction. The element and the medium filling the groove are transparent for a wavelength range of the light which is incident on the platform.

Abstract: There is provided an optical system comprising a photonic integrated circuit which is integrated on a platform and an element having a first surface being attached to the platform. The element has a groove in the first surface, and the groove is filled with a medium having a refractive index which is different from that of the element. The groove has a surface with a normal that forms an angle with respect to a predetermined light direction, thereby allowing changing a direction of light which is incident on the platform along the predetermined light direction. The element and the medium filling the groove are transparent for a wavelength range of the light which is incident on the platform.

Abstract: A chip package includes a housing, one or more electrical connections coupled to an exterior of the housing, a photonic integrated circuit, and a scanning unit. Both the photonic integrated circuit and the scanning unit are disposed within the housing. The photonic integrated circuit has at least one waveguide designed to guide a beam of light. The scanning unit is designed to laterally scan the beam of light across a focal plane outside of the housing. The scanning unit is aligned with the photonic integrated circuit such that the beam of light is coupled between the photonic integrated circuit and the scanning unit.

Abstract: A device and a method for manufacturing the device are presented. The device includes a ridge, a peninsula formation, and a conductive trace. The ridge is defined within a semiconducting material. The peninsula formation is also defined within the semiconducting material and is adjacent to the ridge such that a gap exists between an end face of the peninsula formation and a side wall of the ridge. The conductive trace bridges across the gap such that the conductive trace runs over a top surface of the peninsula and a top surface of the ridge.

Abstract: A scanning device is presented having a substrate with a first surface and an opposite, parallel second surface. A region of the substrate includes the first surface and the opposite parallel second surface, and is defined via an etching process through a thickness of the substrate, where the region remains attached to the substrate via one or more hinges. A waveguide is patterned over the first surface of the region and guides a beam of radiation along a length of the waveguide. The scanning device includes a facet located on the first surface of the region. The facet is designed to reflect at least a portion of the beam of radiation through the region. An optical element is located on the second surface of the region, and is designed to receive the reflected portion of the beam of radiation.

Abstract: A device and a method for manufacturing the device are presented. The device includes a ridge, a peninsula formation, and a conductive trace. The ridge is defined within a semiconducting material. The peninsula formation is also defined within the semiconducting material and is adjacent to the ridge such that a gap exists between an end face of the peninsula formation and a side wall of the ridge. The conductive trace bridges across the gap such that the conductive trace runs over a top surface of the peninsula and a top surface of the ridge.

Abstract: A device and a method for manufacturing the device are presented. The device includes a ridge, a peninsula formation, and a conductive trace. The ridge is defined within a semiconducting material. The peninsula formation is also defined within the semiconducting material and is adjacent to the ridge such that a gap exists between an end face of the peninsula formation and a side wall of the ridge. The conductive trace bridges across the gap such that the conductive trace runs over a top surface of the peninsula and a top surface of the ridge.

Abstract: A chip package includes a housing, one or more electrical connections coupled to an exterior of the housing, a photonic integrated circuit, and a scanning unit. Both the photonic integrated circuit and the scanning unit are disposed within the housing. The photonic integrated circuit has at least one waveguide designed to guide a beam of light. The scanning unit is designed to laterally scan the beam of light across a focal plane outside of the housing. The scanning unit is aligned with the photonic integrated circuit such that the beam of light is coupled between the photonic integrated circuit and the scanning unit.

Abstract: A scanning device is presented having a substrate with a first surface and an opposite, parallel second surface. A region of the substrate includes the first surface and the opposite parallel second surface, and is defined via an etching process through a thickness of the substrate, where the region remains attached to the substrate via one or more hinges. A waveguide is patterned over the first surface of the region and guides a beam of radiation along a length of the waveguide. The scanning device includes a facet located on the first surface of the region. The facet is designed to reflect at least a portion of the beam of radiation through the region. An optical element is located on the second surface of the region, and is designed to receive the reflected portion of the beam of radiation.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for modulating a beam of radiation, such that the modulated beam exhibits substantially null residual amplitude modulation (RAM). An electro-optical modulator is presented that includes a waveguide, a first region associated with the waveguide and a second region associated with the waveguide. The waveguide is designed to guide a beam of radiation. A first electric potential applied to the first region causes a first modulation to the beam of radiation while a second electric potential applied to the second region causes a second modulation to the beam of radiation. The first modulation combined with the second modulation provides substantially null residual amplitude modulation of the beam of radiation.

Abstract: A device and a method for manufacturing the device are presented. The device includes a ridge, a peninsula formation, and a conductive trace. The ridge is defined within a semiconducting material. The peninsula formation is also defined within the semiconducting material and is adjacent to the ridge such that a gap exists between an end face of the peninsula formation and a side wall of the ridge. The conductive trace bridges across the gap such that the conductive trace runs over a top surface of the peninsula and a top surface of the ridge.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for modulating a beam of radiation, such that the modulated beam exhibits substantially null residual amplitude modulation (RAM). An electro-optical modulator is presented that includes a waveguide, a first region associated with the waveguide and a second region associated with the waveguide. The waveguide is designed to guide a beam of radiation. A first electric potential applied to the first region causes a first modulation to the beam of radiation while a second electric potential applied to the second region causes a second modulation to the beam of radiation. The first modulation combined with the second modulation provides substantially null residual amplitude modulation of the beam of radiation.

Abstract: A diffraction grating coupler which includes an optical waveguide having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface, the optical waveguide having a grating on one of its surfaces. The diffraction grating coupler further includes an elastic polymer film deposited on and attached to the optical waveguide, the elastic polymer film partially surrounding the optical waveguide and leaving one of the two surfaces of the optical waveguide open, the diffraction grating coupler being mountable on a specimen by attaching the elastic polymer film to the specimen.

Abstract: A planar optical waveguide interferometer includes a substrate, a bimodal waveguide having at least one layer deposited on the substrate, and a sensor plate located in a selected area of the upper side of the bimodal waveguide. The bimodal waveguide supports a zero-order and a first-order transverse propagating modes where the transverse propagating modes has different dispersion. The bimodal waveguide is designed for confining light in lateral direction and thus is designed for supporting one lateral mode. The sensor plate is designed for receiving a chemical, biological or physical stimulus. The stimulus changes the effective refractive index of said bimodal waveguide. Chip, sensor and sensing method utilize a planar optical waveguide interferometer are provided.

Abstract: A diffraction grating coupler which includes an optical waveguide having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface, the optical waveguide having a grating on one of its surfaces. The diffraction grating coupler further includes an elastic polymer film deposited on and attached to the optical waveguide, the elastic polymer film partially surrounding the optical waveguide and leaving one of the two surfaces of the optical waveguide open, the diffraction grating coupler being mountable on a specimen by attaching the elastic polymer film to the specimen.

Abstract: Planar optical waveguide interferometer (15, 25, 35, 45) comprising: a substrate (8, 28, 38, 48); a bimodal waveguide (10, 20, 20?, 30, 40) comprising at least one layer (1, 2, 3) deposited on said substrate (8, 28, 38, 48), said bimodal waveguide (10, 20, 20?, 30, 40) being designed for supporting a zero-order and a first-order transverse propagating modes, said transverse propagating modes having different dispersion; a sensor plate (21, 31, 41, 51) located in a selected area of the upper side of said bimodal waveguide (10, 20, 20?, 30, 40), said sensor plate (21, 31, 41, 51) being designed for receiving a chemical, biological or physical stimulus, said stimulus being capable of changing the effective refractive index of said bimodal waveguide (10, 20, 20?, 30, 40). The bimodal waveguide (10, 20, 20?, 30, 40) comprises confining means (9) designed for confining light in lateral direction, the bimodal waveguide (10, 20, 20?, 30, 40) being thus designed for supporting one lateral mode.