Abstract: An optical connector for a photonic circuit. The optical connector includes a first part, fixable to a photonic circuit, having at least one slab of optically transparent material, the at least one slab including a first lens. The optical connector includes a second part, movable between a connected position adjacent the first part and a disconnected position removed from the first part. The second part includes at least one slab of optically transparent material, the at least one slab including a second lens located to be in alignment with the first lens in the connected position. One or more guiding elements are arranged to direct light to the second lens. The second part is configured to connect the one or more guiding elements to an optical fiber.

Abstract: An optical interconnect for optically coupling at least a first optical integrated circuit and a second optical integrated circuit. The optical interconnect comprises at least two layers of optically transparent material. There is a first optical waveguide arranged along a surface of a first one of the at least two layers of optically transparent material. There is further a first non-guided optical path extending from the first optical waveguide through the at least two layers of optically transparent material. A first reflective element is arranged to receive light from at least one of the first non-guided optical path and the first optical waveguide and direct the light to the other of the first non-guided optical path and the first optical waveguide. At least one lens is arranged at a boundary between two of the at least two layers of optically transparent material. The at least one lens is arranged to receive and focus light travelling along the first non-guided optical path.

Abstract: An optical coupler (40; 50) comprises a substrate (41). A first waveguide element (45) is provided in a first layer with respect to the substrate, wherein the first waveguide element (45) comprises a first end (45a) and a second end (45b), and wherein the first end (45a) of the first waveguide element (45) is coupled to input/output light to/from a first end of the optical coupler. A second waveguide element (43) is provided in a second layer, the second layer arranged adjacent to the first layer, wherein the second waveguide element (43) comprises a first end (43a) and a second end (43b), and wherein the first end (43a) of the second waveguide element (43) is coupled to input/output light to/from a second end of the optical coupler.

Abstract: An optical beam spot size convertor is provided having a body. The body comprises a first optical waveguide having a first refractive index and a plurality of second optical waveguides each having a second refractive index higher than the first refractive index. The first optical waveguide is arranged to receive an input optical beam. The first optical waveguide is further arranged such that light from the input optical beam is coupled from the first optical waveguide into the plurality of second optical waveguides. The body further comprises an output optical waveguide and a reflective part coupled to the plurality of second optical waveguides and to the output optical waveguide. The reflective part is arranged to focus optical beams received from the plurality of second optical waveguides into a single optical beam which is directed to the output optical waveguide.

Abstract: An optical coupler (40; 50) comprises a substrate (41). A first waveguide element (45) is provided in a first layer with respect to the substrate, wherein the first waveguide element (45) comprises a first end (45a) and a second end (45b), and wherein the first end (45a) of the first waveguide element (45) is coupled to input/output light to/from a first end of the optical coupler. A second waveguide element (43) is provided in a second layer, the second layer arranged adjacent to the first layer, wherein the second waveguide element (43) comprises a first end (43a) and a second end (43b), and wherein the first end (43a) of the second waveguide element (43) is coupled to input/output light to/from a second end of the optical coupler.

Abstract: An integrated circuit optical interconnect for connecting a first circuit part arranged to output an optical signal and a second circuit part arranged to receive an optical signal. The integrated circuit optical interconnect comprises a body comprising a glass material. The glass material has embedded therein an optical waveguide arrangement having an input, located at a surface of the body, for coupling to the first circuit part, and an output, located at a surface of the body, for coupling to the second circuit part. The optical waveguide arrangement comprises at least two optical waveguide segments extending in different directions through the glass material and at least one reflecting part arranged between the two optical waveguide segments, for directing an optical signal from one of the optical waveguide segments to the other of the optical waveguide segments.

Abstract: An optical beam spot size convertor is provided having a body. The body comprises a first optical waveguide having a first refractive index and a plurality of second optical waveguides each having a second refractive index higher than the first refractive index. The first optical waveguide is arranged to receive an input optical beam. The first optical waveguide is further arranged such that light from the input optical beam is coupled from the first optical waveguide into the plurality of second optical waveguides. The body further comprises an output optical waveguide and a reflective part coupled to the plurality of second optical waveguides and to the output optical waveguide. The reflective part is arranged to focus optical beams received from the plurality of second optical waveguides into a single optical beam which is directed to the output optical waveguide.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a coupling element configured to couple light between an optical device and one or more optical fiber comprises forming one or more waveguide in the silica. The one or more waveguide having a refractive index configured to guide the light between the optical device and the optical fiber. The forming of the one or more waveguide comprises photo-inducing a refractive index variation of the silica material.

Abstract: An integrated circuit optical interconnect for connecting a first circuit part arranged to output an optical signal and a second circuit part arranged to receive an optical signal. The integrated circuit optical interconnect comprises a body comprising a glass material. The glass material has embedded therein an optical waveguide arrangement having an input, located at a surface of the body, for coupling to the first circuit part, and an output, located at a surface of the body, for coupling to the second circuit part. The optical waveguide arrangement comprises at least two optical waveguide segments extending in different directions through the glass material and at least one reflecting part arranged between the two optical waveguide segments, for directing an optical signal from one of the optical waveguide segments to the other of the optical waveguide segments.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a coupling element configured to couple light between an optical device and one or more optical fiber comprises forming one or more waveguide in the silica. The one or more waveguide having a refractive index configured to guide the light between the optical device and the optical fiber. The forming of the one or more waveguide comprises photo-inducing a refractive index variation of the silica material.

Abstract: A surface-emitting semiconductor laser device is provided that includes an edge-emitting laser integrated in a semiconductor material with various reflectors and a diffractive lens. The edge-emitting laser has a first section comprising an active MQW region, a second section comprising a passive region and a third section comprising a semi-insulating or un-doped semiconductor bulk layer. This configuration ensures that the injection current will pass through all of the layers of the active region, thereby preventing the occurrence of optical losses due to un-injected areas of the MQW active region. In addition, the inclusion of the passive region ensures that there is no current passing through the interface between the active MQW region and the regrown semiconductor bulk layer. The latter feature improves performance and device reliability.

Abstract: A surface-emitting semiconductor laser device is provided that includes an edge-emitting laser integrated in a semiconductor material with various reflectors and a diffractive lens. The edge-emitting laser has a first section comprising an active MQW region, a second section comprising a passive region and a third section comprising a semi-insulating or un-doped semiconductor bulk layer. This configuration ensures that the injection current will pass through all of the layers of the active region, thereby preventing the occurrence of optical losses due to un-injected areas of the MQW active region. In addition, the inclusion of the passive region ensures that there is no current passing through the interface between the active MQW region and the regrown semiconductor bulk layer. The latter feature improves performance and device reliability.

Abstract: A TO-can header assembly is provided that has improved heat dissipation and thermal resistance characteristics. The TO-can header assembly includes a relatively large ceramic heat dissipation block that functions as both a carrier for the laser diode and as a heat dissipation device. The ceramic heat dissipation block is in contact with the upper mounting surface of the header to allow a relatively large amount of heat to quickly pass from the laser diode through the heat dissipation block and into the upper mounting surface of the header. The cylindrical side wall of the header is smooth, rather than notched, and at least a substantial portion of the smooth cylindrical side wall is in continuous contact with an external heat sink device. Heat moves rapidly from the header into the external heat sink device where it is dissipated, thereby reducing the thermal resistance of the header.

Abstract: A fiber stub assembly is provided that has a cladding layer that is reduced in diameter near the end of the stub into which light is launched from a light source. The portion of the stub having the cladding layer with the reduced diameter is surrounded by a light-absorbing material that is in contact with the inner surface of the ferule and with the outer surface of the cladding layer. The light-absorbing material and the outer surface of the cladding layer have indices of refraction that are matched, or very close to one another, such that any modes of light that are propagating in the cladding layer that impinge on the interface propagate into the light-absorbing material and are absorbed thereby. The reduced diameter of the cladding layer and the surrounding light-absorbing material form a pin hole opening through which light is received.

Abstract: A fiber stub assembly is provided that has a cladding layer that is reduced in diameter near the end of the stub into which light is launched from a light source. The portion of the stub having the cladding layer with the reduced diameter is surrounded by a light-absorbing material that is in contact with the inner surface of the ferule and with the outer surface of the cladding layer. The light-absorbing material and the outer surface of the cladding layer have indices of refraction that are matched, or very close to one another, such that any modes of light that are propagating in the cladding layer that impinge on the interface propagate into the light-absorbing material and are absorbed thereby. The reduced diameter of the cladding layer and the surrounding light-absorbing material form a pin hole opening through which light is received.

Abstract: A mounting arrangement for an optical component in a planar lightwave circuit (PLC) is provided. The mounting arrangement includes a substrate, an input optical fiber associated with the substrate, an output optical waveguide manufactured on the substrate, and an optical component mounted on the substrate to transmit optical radiation from the input optical fiber to the output optical waveguide. The mounting arrangement also includes a length of optical waveguide on the substrate, in the same planar layers of the output optical waveguide, interposed on the substrate so that the at least one optical component is interposed between the length of optical waveguide and the output optical waveguide. In another embodiment, the mounting arrangement includes a length of optical fiber associated to the substrate so that the at least one optical component is interposed between the input optical fiber and the length of optical fiber.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device includes an edge-emitting laser monolithically integrated with a diffractive lens formed on the chip surface to emit a focalized or collimated beam in a direction perpendicular to the surface. An upper reflective surface and an angled reflective surface are formed in the chip upper surface. A lower reflective surface is formed in the chip lower surface. The laser, angled reflective surface, upper reflective surface, lower reflective surface and diffractive lens are oriented in relation to one another so that a first portion of the light emitted by the laser impinges directly upon the upper reflective surface, which reflects it onto the angled reflective surface, while a second portion of the light emitted by the laser impinges directly upon the angled reflective surface. The angled reflective surface reflects the light portions onto the lower reflective surface, which in turn reflects them through the diffractive lens.

Abstract: An optical amplifier includes a substrate having disposed thereon an optical waveguide, the optical waveguide having an active region with Si nanocrystals dispersed in an erbium doped glass matrix. A light source is arranged to irradiate the optical waveguide with pump electromagnetic radiation. The amplifier also includes means for suitably shaping an input electromagnetic field to be amplified into the active region of the optical waveguide.

Abstract: An optical amplifier includes a substrate having disposed thereon an optical waveguide, the optical waveguide having an active region with Si nanocrystals dispersed in an erbium doped glass matrix. A light source is arranged to irradiate the optical waveguide with pump electromagnetic radiation. The amplifier also includes means for suitably shaping an input electromagnetic field to be amplified into the active region of the optical waveguide.

Abstract: A mounting arrangement for an optical component (14 to 18) in a planar lightwave circuit (PLC) includes: