Abstract: A multiview 3D wrist watch includes clock circuitry to determine a time, and a plurality of light sources to generate a plurality of input planar lightbeams. A directional backplane having a plurality of directional pixels scatters the plurality of input planar lightbeams into a plurality of directional lightbeams. Each directional lightbeam has a direction and an angular spread controlled by characteristics of a directional pixel in the plurality of directional pixels. A shutter layer receives the time from the clock circuitry and modulates the plurality of directional lightbeams to generate a 3D time view.

Abstract: A multiview 3D wrist watch is disclosed. The wrist watch has clock circuitry to determine a time and a plurality of light sources to generate a plurality of input planar lightbeams. A directional backplane having a plurality of directional pixels scatters the plurality of input planar lightbeams into a plurality of directional lightbeams, each directional lightbeam having a direction and angular spread controlled by characteristics of a directional pixel in the plurality of directional pixels. A shutter layer receives the time from the clock circuitry and modulates the plurality of directional lightbeams to generate a 3D time view.

Abstract: Wavefront synthesizers and optical switches implemented with wavefront synthesizers are disclosed. In one aspect, a wavefront synthesizer includes a waveguide tree composed a root waveguide that branches into at least two terminus waveguides. The root waveguide is integrated with a source to inject light into the waveguide tree via the root waveguide. The synthesizer includes output couplers located at the ends of the terminus waveguides. Each output coupler outputs a wavefront associated with a portion of the light injected with at least two of the wavefronts overlapping to form at least one beam of light via constructive interference. The synthesizer also includes microring resonators disposed adjacent to the terminus waveguides. Each microring is independently tunable to apply a phase shift in the wavefront output from one of the output couplers to steer the direction of the beam and the at least two wavefronts.

Abstract: A system can include an optical multiplexer to combine a plurality of optical input signals having respective wavelengths into a wide-channel optical input signal that is provided to an input channel. The system also includes a photonic packet switch comprising a switch core and a plurality of ports defining a switch radix of the photonic packet switch. The input channel and an output channel can be associated with one of the plurality of ports. The photonic packet switch can process the wide-channel optical input signal and can generate a wide-channel optical output signal that is provided to the output channel. The system further includes an optical demultiplexer to separate the wide-channel optical output signal into a plurality of optical output signals having respective wavelengths. The optical multiplexer and the optical demultiplexer can collectively provide the system with a radix greater than the switch radix.

Abstract: An avalanche photodiode with a defect-assisted silicon absorption region. An example includes a substrate; a layer of silicon on the substrate, the layer of silicon including a positively-doped region, a negatively-doped region, and an absorption region between the positively-doped and negatively-doped regions, the absorption region including defects in its crystal structure; and contacts in electrical communication with the positively-doped and negatively-doped regions to receive a bias potential.

Abstract: Techniques related to optical devices are described herein. In an example, an optical device includes (a) an input optical channel and a corresponding output optical channel, and (b) an assembly of sub-wavelength grating layers aligned to optically couple the input optical channel to the output optical channel.

Abstract: An optical coupling system and method of fabrication are included. The optical coupling system includes a substrate layer and an optical waveguide material overlying the substrate layer. The optical waveguide material can include a grating. The system also includes a cover material overlying the optical waveguide material to couple an optical signal to the optical waveguide material via the grating at a coupling angle. Approximately zero energy of the coupled optical signal is lost in the substrate layer due to a combination of the coupling angle and a difference in refractive indices between the cover material and the substrate layer.

Abstract: Apparatuses and systems for analyzing light by mode interference are provided. An example of an apparatus for analyzing light by mode interference includes a number of waveguides to support in a multimode region two modes of the light of a particular polarization and a plurality of scattering objects offset from a center of at least one of the number of waveguides.

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for micro-ring optical resonators are provided. An example of a micro-ring optical resonator apparatus includes an array of input waveguides with each input waveguide optically coupled to an array of micro-rings, an output waveguide operatively associated with each of the micro-rings, and a scattering object operatively associated with each of the micro-rings, wherein the scattering object is connected to the output waveguide.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to surface-emitting lasers with the cavity including at least one single-layer, non-periodic, sub-wavelength grating. In one embodiment, a surface-emitting laser comprises a grating layer configured with a non-periodic, sub-wavelength grating, a reflective layer, and a light-emitting layer disposed between the grating layer and the reflector. The non-periodic, sub-wavelength grating is configured with a grating pattern that controls the shape of one or more internal cavity modes, and controls the shape of one or more external transverse modes emitted from the surface-emitting laser.

Abstract: Controlling temperatures in optical circuits includes using a device with a waveguide located between a base cladding and an over cladding. The base cladding is deposited over a substrate and the over cladding is made of a thermally conductive dielectric material.

Abstract: Planar, polarization insensitive, optical elements to control refraction of transmitted light in free space are disclosed. In one aspect, an optical element includes a substrate having a planar surface, and a polarization insensitive, high contrast, sub-wavelength grating composed of posts that extend from the planar surface. The grating has at least one region. Within each region, cross-sectional dimensions of the posts and/or lattice arrangement of the posts are nonperiodically varied to control refraction of light transmitted through the optical element.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present, invention are directed to surface-emitting lasers with the cavity including at least one single-layer, non-periodic, sub-wavelength grating. In one embodiment, a surface-emitting laser comprises a grating layer (112) configured with a non-periodic, sub-wavelength grating (122), a reflective layer, and a light-emitting layer (102) disposed between the grating layer and the reflector. The non-periodic, sub-wavelength grating is configured with a grating pattern that controls the shape of one or more internal cavity modes, and controls the shape of one or more external transverse modes emitted from the surface-emitting laser.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to optical devices comprising planar lenses. In one aspect, an optical device includes two or more planar lenses, and one or more dielectric layers. Each planar lens includes a non-periodic, sub-wavelength grating layer, and each dielectric layer is disposed adjacent to at least one planar lens to form a solid structure. The two or more planar lenses are substantially parallel and arranged to have a common optical axis so that light transmitted through the optical device substantially parallel to the optical axis is refracted by the two or more planar lenses.

Abstract: Compact photonics platforms and methods of forming the same are provided. An example of a compact photonics platform includes a layered structure having an active region along a longitudinal axis, a facet having an angle no less than a critical angle formed at least one longitudinal end of the active region, and a waveguide having at least one grating coupler positioned in alignment with the angled facet to couple light out to or in from the waveguide.

Abstract: A device includes a first region, a multiplication region, a second region, and an absorption region. The first region is associated with a first terminal, and the second region is associated with a second terminal. The first region is separated from the second region by the multiplication region. The absorption region is disposed on the multiplication region and associated with a third terminal. A multiplication region electric field is independently controllable with respect to an absorption region electric field, based on the first terminal, the second terminal, and the third terminal.

Abstract: Techniques relating to optical shuffling are described herein. In an example, a system for shuffling a plurality of optical beams is described. The system includes a plurality of sources to output respective beams of light. The system further includes a plurality of receivers to receive respective beams of light. The system further includes a shuffling assembly including a plurality of sub-wavelength grating (SWG) sections. Each of the plurality of SWG sections is for defining optical paths of the plurality of beams. The plurality of SWG sections includes at least one reflecting SWG section to reflect and direct light from a respective one of the plurality of sources toward a respective one of the plurality of receivers.

Abstract: An avalanche photodiode with a defect-assisted silicon absorption region. An example includes a substrate; a layer of silicon on the substrate, the layer of silicon including a positively-doped region, a negatively-doped region, and an absorption region between the positively-doped and negatively-doped regions, the absorption region including defects in its crystal structure; and contacts in electrical communication with the positively-doped and negatively-doped regions to receive a bias potential.

Abstract: An optical connector includes a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber. A first planar lens is positioned to operate on light exiting the first optical fiber to create a predetermined change in a wave front of the light. A second planar lens is positioned to accept the light from the first planar lens, the second planar lens focusing the light onto the second optical fiber. The first planar lens and second planar lens each include a regularly spaced array of posts with periodically varying diameters.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to optical devices comprising planar lenses. In one aspect, an optical device includes two or more planar lenses (208,209), and one or more dielectric layers (210-212). Each planar lens includes a non-periodic, sub-wavelength grating layer (1110), and each dielectric layer is disposed adjacent to at least one planar lens to form a solid structure. The two or more planar lenses are substantially parallel and arranged to have a common optical axis (214) so that light transmitted through the optical device substantially parallel to the optical axis is refracted by the two or more planar lenses.