Abstract: Disclosed herein are apparatuses that include a first layer that includes glass and a plurality of waveguides disposed in the glass; a second layer that includes a second layer polymer and a plurality of waveguides disposed in the second layer polymer; and a third layer that includes a third layer polymer and a plurality of waveguides disposed in the third layer polymer.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are apparatuses that include a first layer that includes glass and a plurality of waveguides disposed in the glass; a second layer that includes a second layer polymer and a plurality of waveguides disposed in the second layer polymer; and a third layer that includes a third layer polymer and a plurality of waveguides disposed in the third layer polymer.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical connector for connecting a user circuit to an optical backplane, in use the connector being adapted for mounting on a user circuit. The connector comprises an active or passive photonic interface through which optical signals may be transmitted and received between a user circuit and a said optical backplane; a primary aligner for engagement with a corresponding aligner on a backplane to ensure alignment of the optical interface with the backplane; and a support for supporting the aligner and/or the optical interface on the connector. The support is selected to enable relative movement between a user circuit to which the connector is connected in use and the aligner and/or the optical interface. The support is preferably a flexible printed circuit board.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical mux/demux for an optical printed circuit board. The mux/demux comprises: a first waveguide formed on a support layer for carrying a wavelength division multiplexed optical signal; a separator/combiner for separating the wavelength division multiplexed signal into component signals of corresponding wavelengths or for combining component signals into the said wavelength division multiplexed signal; and plural second waveguides, each for receiving or providing one or more of the said component signals, wherein the separator/combiner is at a predetermined location relative to the waveguides.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical circuit board, the circuit board comprising: a rigid support layer; a flexible support layer formed on the rigid support layer; and, an optical layer formed on the flexible support layer. The optical layer includes one or more optical waveguides extending from a first area of the optical circuit board to an edge of the circuit board wherein the flexible support layer extends beyond the edges of the rigid support layer thereby defining a flexible passive optical connector for the circuit board.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical printed circuit board blank, comprising, a support layer; one or more optical waveguides formed thereon; and at least one socket for receiving an optical component, the socket including one or more alignment features to ensure alignment of an input/output interface of the said optical component when arranged in the socket with an input/output interface of the at least one waveguide; and a flexible optical connector arranged at an edge of the circuit board, the optical connector being optically connected to the or each of the sockets, to enable optical communication between an optical component located within the or each of the sockets and the optical connector.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a backplane for a data communication system. The backplane includes ports each for connection to a respective circuit, a common communication channel in communication with each of the ports for transmission of a multiplexed optical signal, and a tuned or tuneable coupler associated with at least one of the ports for selecting in use from the multiplexed signal an optical signal at a wavelength to which the respective coupler is tuned. Selective optical communication between the at least one port and another of the ports via the communication channel is thereby enabled.