Abstract: A semiconductor laser device is provided. The semiconductor laser device includes: a substrate having a first facet; a guiding layer having a second facet through which an output light is configured to be emitted; a bottom dielectric layer between the substrate and the guiding layer; and a top dielectric layer on the guiding layer. The second facet is at an angle relative to the first facet.

Abstract: An optical device comprises a substrate, a waveguide disposed on the substrate, and a spot size converter (SSC) disposed on the substrate. The waveguide comprises a shoulder and a ridge. The SSC comprises a shoulder and a ridge. The ridge of the waveguide is aligned to a first stage of the ridge of the SSC. The waveguide is made of a first material. The shoulder and the ridge of the SSC are made of a second material. The second material is different from the first material.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device is provided. The semiconductor laser device includes: a substrate having a first facet; a guiding layer having a second facet through which an output light is configured to be emitted; a bottom dielectric layer between the substrate and the guiding layer; and a top dielectric layer on the guiding layer. The second facet is at an angle relative to the first facet.

Abstract: A polarization-independent, optical circulator is formed in silicon photonics. The polarization-independent, optical circulator uses an optical splitter having two couplers and two waveguides joining the two couplers. One of the two waveguides is thinner than the other to create a large effective index difference between TE and TM modes transmitted through the one waveguide. Polarization rotators, including reciprocal and/or non-reciprocal rotators, are further used to create the optical circulator.

Abstract: A device is provided for optical mode spot size conversion to optically couple a semiconductor waveguide with an optical fiber. The device includes a waveguide comprising a waveguide taper region, which comprises a shoulder portion and a ridge portion above the shoulder portion. The ridge portion has a width that tapers to meet a width of the shoulder portion. The waveguide taper region comprises a first material. The device also has a mode converter coupled to the waveguide. The mode converter includes a plurality of stages, and each of the plurality of stages tapers in a direction similar to a direction of taper of the waveguide taper region. The mode converter is made of a second material different from the first material.

Abstract: A polarization-independent, optical circulator is formed in silicon photonics. The polarization-independent, optical circulator uses an optical splitter having two couplers and two waveguides joining the two couplers. One of the two waveguides is thinner than the other to create a large effective index difference between TE and TM modes transmitted through the one waveguide. Polarization rotators, including reciprocal and/or non-reciprocal rotators, are further used to create the optical circulator.

Abstract: A device for optical communication is described. The device comprises two transceivers integrated on one chip. A first transceiver can be used with existing optical-communication architecture. As a more advanced optical-communication architecture becomes adopted, the device can be switched from using the first transceiver to using a second transceiver to communicate using the more advanced optical-communication architecture.

Abstract: A device is provided for optical mode spot size conversion to optically couple a semiconductor waveguide with an optical fiber. The device includes a waveguide comprising a waveguide taper region, which comprises a shoulder portion and a ridge portion above the shoulder portion. The ridge portion has a width that tapers to meet a width of the shoulder portion. The waveguide taper region comprises a first material. The device also has a mode converter coupled to the waveguide. The mode converter includes a plurality of stages, and each of the plurality of stages tapers in a direction similar to a direction of taper of the waveguide taper region. The mode converter is made of a second material different from the first material.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming an optical device having a waveguide and a spot size converter (SSC). The method includes providing a crystalline semiconductor region and a non-crystalline semiconductor region on a substrate. The crystalline semiconductor region is coupled to the non-crystalline semiconductor region. The method also includes simultaneously etching the non-crystalline semiconductor region and the crystalline semiconductor region using a same etch mask to form a spot size converter coupled a waveguide. The waveguide has a ridge over a shoulder, and the spot size converter has a ridge over a shoulder.

Abstract: A device is provided for optical mode spot size conversion to optically couple a semiconductor waveguide with an optical fiber. The device includes a waveguide comprising a waveguide taper region, which comprises a shoulder portion and a ridge portion above the shoulder portion. The ridge portion has a width that tapers to meet a width of the shoulder portion. The waveguide taper region comprises a first material. The device also has a mode converter coupled to the waveguide. The mode converter includes a plurality of stages, and each of the plurality of stages tapers in a direction similar to a direction of taper of the waveguide taper region. The mode converter is made of a second material different from the first material.

Abstract: A device is provided for optical mode spot size conversion to optically couple a semiconductor waveguide with an optical fiber. The device includes a waveguide comprising a waveguide taper region, which comprises a shoulder portion and a ridge portion above the shoulder portion. The ridge portion has a width that tapers to meet a width of the shoulder portion. The waveguide taper region comprises a first material. The device also has a mode converter coupled to the waveguide. The mode converter includes a plurality of stages, and each of the plurality of stages tapers in a direction similar to a direction of taper of the waveguide taper region. The mode converter is made of a second material different from the first material.

Abstract: An optical filter for attenuating higher-order modes in an optical waveguide includes a shoulder slab formed of a first material having a first index of refraction and disposed on a second material having a second index of refraction, the first index of refraction being higher than the second index of refraction. The shoulder slab defines a near end having a first width, an intermediate section, adjacent to the first end section, and a far end section, adjacent to the intermediate section and opposite the first end section along a direction of beam propagation. The optical filter also includes a waveguide ridge, formed of the first material and disposed atop the shoulder slab, that traverses the shoulder slab, and is configured to guide light of a fundamental mode along the direction of beam propagation from the near end section to the far end section.

Abstract: A device for optical communication is described. The device comprises two transceivers integrated on one chip. A first transceiver can be used with existing optical-communication architecture. As a more advanced optical-communication architecture becomes adopted, the device can be switched from using the first transceiver to using a second transceiver to communicate using the more advanced optical-communication architecture.

Abstract: An optical filter for attenuating higher-order modes in an optical waveguide includes a shoulder slab formed of a first material having a first index of refraction and disposed on a second material having a second index of refraction, the first index of refraction being higher than the second index of refraction. The shoulder slab defines a near end having a first width, an intermediate section, adjacent to the first end section, and a far end section, adjacent to the intermediate section and opposite the first end section along a direction of beam propagation. The optical filter also includes a waveguide ridge, formed of the first material and disposed atop the shoulder slab, that traverses the shoulder slab, and is configured to guide light of a fundamental mode along the direction of beam propagation from the near end section to the far end section.

Abstract: An optical filter for attenuating higher-order modes in an optical waveguide includes a shoulder slab formed of a first material having a first index of refraction and disposed on a second material having a second index of refraction, the first index of refraction being higher than the second index of refraction. The shoulder slab defines a near end having a first width, an intermediate section, adjacent to the first end section, and a far end section, adjacent to the intermediate section and opposite the first end section along a direction of beam propagation. The optical filter also includes a waveguide ridge, formed of the first material and disposed atop the shoulder slab, that traverses the shoulder slab, and is configured to guide light of a fundamental mode along the direction of beam propagation from the near end section to the far end section.

Abstract: A polarization-independent, optical circulator is formed in silicon photonics. The polarization-independent, optical circulator uses an optical splitter having two couplers and two waveguides joining the two couplers. One of the two waveguides is thinner than the other to create a large effective index difference between TE and TM modes transmitted through the one waveguide. Polarization rotators, including reciprocal and/or non-reciprocal rotators, are further used to create the optical circulator.

Abstract: An optical filter for attenuating higher-order modes in an optical waveguide includes a shoulder slab formed of a first material having a first index of refraction and disposed on a second material having a second index of refraction, the first index of refraction being higher than the second index of refraction. The shoulder slab defines a near end having a first width, an intermediate section, adjacent to the first end section, and a far end section, adjacent to the intermediate section and opposite the first end section along a direction of beam propagation. The optical filter also includes a waveguide ridge, formed of the first material and disposed atop the shoulder slab, that traverses the shoulder slab, and is configured to guide light of a fundamental mode along the direction of beam propagation from the near end section to the far end section.

Abstract: An optical filter for attenuating higher-order modes in an optical waveguide includes a shoulder slab formed of a first material having a first index of refraction and disposed on a second material having a second index of refraction, the first index of refraction being higher than the second index of refraction. The shoulder slab defines a near end having a first width, an intermediate section, adjacent to the first end section, and a far end section, adjacent to the intermediate section and opposite the first end section along a direction of beam propagation. The optical filter also includes a waveguide ridge, formed of the first material and disposed atop the shoulder slab, that traverses the shoulder slab, and is configured to guide light of a fundamental mode along the direction of beam propagation from the near end section to the far end section.

Abstract: An optical filter for attenuating higher-order modes in an optical waveguide includes a shoulder slab formed of a first material having a first index of refraction and disposed on a second material having a second index of refraction, the first index of refraction being higher than the second index of refraction. The shoulder slab defines a near end having a first width, an intermediate section, adjacent to the first end section, and a far end section, adjacent to the intermediate section and opposite the first end section along a direction of beam propagation. The optical filter also includes a waveguide ridge, formed of the first material and disposed atop the shoulder slab, that traverses the shoulder slab, and is configured to guide light of a fundamental mode along the direction of beam propagation from the near end section to the far end section.