Abstract: A fabrication method produces a mechanically patterned layer of group III-nitride. The method includes providing a crystalline substrate and forming a first layer of a first group III-nitride on a planar surface of the substrate. The first layer has a single polarity and also has a pattern of holes or trenches that expose a portion of the substrate. The method includes then, epitaxially growing a second layer of a second group III-nitride over the first layer and the exposed portion of substrate. The first and second group III-nitrides have different alloy compositions. The method also includes subjecting the second layer to an aqueous solution of base to mechanically pattern the second layer.

Abstract: A fabrication method produces a mechanically patterned layer of group III-nitride. The method includes providing a crystalline substrate and forming a first layer of a first group III-nitride on a planar surface of the substrate. The first layer has a single polarity and also has a pattern of holes or trenches that expose a portion of the substrate. The method includes then, epitaxially growing a second layer of a second group III-nitride over the first layer and the exposed portion of substrate. The first and second group III-nitrides have different alloy compositions. The method also includes subjecting the second layer to an aqueous solution of base to mechanically pattern the second layer.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive apparatus includes a substrate with a top surface, one or more bars being rotatably joined to the surface and having bimorph portions, and a plate rotatably joined to the surface and substantially rigidly joined to the one or more bars. Each bimorph portion bends in response to being heated. The one or more bars and the plate are configured to cause the plate to move farther away from the top surface in response to the one or more bimorph portions being heated.

Abstract: A fabrication method produces a mechanically patterned layer of group III-nitride. The method includes providing a crystalline substrate and forming a first layer of a first group III-nitride on a planar surface of the substrate. The first layer has a single polarity and also has a pattern of holes or trenches that expose a portion of the substrate. The method includes then, epitaxially growing a second layer of a second group III-nitride over the first layer and the exposed portion of substrate. The first and second group III-nitrides have different alloy compositions. The method also includes subjecting the second layer to an aqueous solution of base to mechanically pattern the second layer.

Abstract: A fabrication method produces a mechanically patterned layer of group III-nitride. The method includes providing a crystalline substrate and forming a first layer of a first group III-nitride on a planar surface of the substrate. The first layer has a single polarity and also has a pattern of holes or trenches that expose a portion of the substrate. The method includes then, epitaxially growing a second layer of a second group III-nitride over the first layer and the exposed portion of substrate. The first and second group III-nitrides have different alloy compositions. The method also includes subjecting the second layer to an aqueous solution of base to mechanically pattern the second layer.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive apparatus includes a substrate with a top surface, one or more bars being rotatably joined to the surface and having bimorph portions, and a plate rotatably joined to the surface and substantially rigidly joined to the one or more bars. Each bimorph portion bends in response to being heated. The one or more bars and the plate are configured to cause the plate to move farther away from the top surface in response to the one or more bimorph portions being heated.

Abstract: An apparatus for an ion trap includes an electrically conductive substrate having top and bottom surfaces and having vias that cross from the top surface to the bottom surface. The apparatus includes a pair of planar first electrodes supported over said top surface and second electrodes having planar surfaces. The planar surfaces are located over said top surface, and portions of the planar surfaces are located laterally adjacent to said planar first electrodes. One of the second electrodes includes a portion that is located in one of the vias and traverses the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a crystalline substrate, a layer of a first group III-nitride located on a planar surface of the substrate, and a layer of a second group III-nitride located over the layer of the first group III-nitride. The first and second group III-nitrides have different alloy compositions. The layer of second group III-nitride may have a pattern of columnar holes or trenches therein. The apparatus may include a plurality of pyramidal field-emitters that include the second group III-nitride.

Abstract: A nonlinear phase-shift compensation method and apparatus is provided for improving system performance in optical transmission systems. The apparatus includes a phase-shift compensating device that provides a partial compensating phase shift to reduce the nonlinear phase noise resulting from self-phase modulation and amplified spontaneous emissions in an optical transmission system.

Abstract: A fabrication method produces a mechanically patterned layer of group III-nitride. The method includes providing a crystalline substrate and forming a first layer of a first group III-nitride on a planar surface of the substrate. The first layer has a single polarity and also has a pattern of holes or trenches that expose a portion of the substrate. The method includes then, epitaxially growing a second layer of a second group III-nitride over the first layer and the exposed portion of substrate. The first and second group III-nitrides have different alloy compositions. The method also includes subjecting the second layer to an aqueous solution of base to mechanically pattern the second layer.

Abstract: A two-dimensional photonic crystal coupler is disclosed, together with a cross-coupled laser structure that is based on a two-dimensional photonic crystal coupler stage. Unlike traditional grating couplers, this two-dimensional photonic crystal coupler can couple light into a single or a plurality of discrete directions in the far-field, i.e., the output light may be unidirectional or discrete. The coupler can be integrated with one-dimensional lasers, a distributed feedback laser, a distributed Bragg reflector laser, and integrated on the same waveguide as the lasers. A resonant cavity coupler design improves the coupling efficiency of two-dimensional photonic crystal-based couplers.

Abstract: A gap soliton can be controlled by introducing a perturbation into a waveguide structure that includes an otherwise essentially periodic variation of its refractive index. In one embodiment of our invention, by controlling the amplitude, phase and/or average value of the refractive index of a first perturbation, and by maintaining the speed of the soliton below a certain critical speed, we have found that the soliton will transfer its energy to the modes of the perturbation. When the soliton transfers essentially all of its energy in this way, we refer to the soliton as being trapped or captured by the perturbation. Trapped gap solitons enable a variety of unique system applications in, for example, memories, buffers, switches and WDM demultiplexers.

Abstract: A fabrication method produces a mechanically patterned layer of group III-nitride. The method includes providing a crystalline substrate and forming a first layer of a first group III-nitride on a planar surface of the substrate. The first layer has a single polarity and also has a pattern of holes or trenches that expose a portion of the substrate. The method includes then, epitaxially growing a second layer of a second group III-nitride over the first layer and the exposed portion of substrate. The first and second group III-nitrides have different alloy compositions. The method also includes subjecting the second layer to an aqueous solution of base to mechanically pattern the second layer.

Abstract: A nonlinear phase-shift compensation method and apparatus is provided for improving system performance in optical transmission systems. The apparatus includes a phase-shift compensating device that provides a partial compensating phase shift to reduce the nonlinear phase noise resulting from self-phase modulation and amplified spontaneous emissions in an optical transmission system.

Abstract: A gap soliton can be controlled by introducing a perturbation into a waveguide structure that includes an otherwise essentially periodic variation of its refractive index. In one embodiment of our invention, by controlling the amplitude, phase and/or average value of the refractive index of a first perturbation, and by maintaining the speed of the soliton below a certain critical speed, we have found that the soliton will transfer its energy to the modes of the perturbation. When the soliton transfers essentially all of its energy in this way, we refer to the soliton as being trapped or captured by the perturbation. Surprisingly, the soliton can be trapped without loss of a significant amount of its energy. In an alternative embodiment, when the speed of the soliton exceeds the critical speed, a second perturbation is introduced into the waveguide structure to reduce the speed of the soliton, thereby enabling its capture by the first perturbation.

Abstract: An optical amplifier includes a chalcogenide glass optical waveguide having optical input and output ports, coupled to the chalcogenide glass optical waveguide, a pump optical waveguide, and a wavelength-tunable pump laser. The pump optical waveguide couples the wavelength-tunable pump laser to the chalcogenide glass optical waveguide.

Abstract: An article is disclosed having a non-planar surface with a high-resolution pattern formed thereon, particularly a distributed-feedback (DFB) ridge waveguide laser. An elastomeric member having relief patterns on its surface is used to print or mold a pattern directly onto the non-planar surface of the waveguide. A range of materials disposed on such non-planar surfaces can thus be patterned at high resolution to provide devices with sub-micron features at low cost with potential applications in optoelectronics. For example, a plastic laser based on molded organic gain materials may be made.

Abstract: A laser structure may be used to fabricate a plastic laser and achieve electrically-driven lasing action. The structure comprises an LED, a waveguide laser, and a substrate disposed between them. The substrate has a first and a second side. Light emitted from the LED is received by the substrate at the first side and concentrated as it is guided with the body of the substrate to the second side, where it is received by the laser. Concentration of the light across the substrate improves the efficiency of the device and leads to lower threshold powers.

Abstract: Waveguides according to this invention have a chalcogenide glass core that comprises Se and one or both of As and Ge, and further comprises one or more dopant elements selected from the elements that cause a change in optical energy gap Eg of the glass core. The amount of dopant is selected such that Eg is equal to or less than a 2-photon energy 2h&ngr;, where h is Planck's constant and &ngr;=c/&lgr;, where c is the speed of light in vacuum and &lgr; is an operating wavelength. The dopant elements furthermore are selected such that the chalcogenide glass core has a nonlinear refractive index n2 greater than 200n2 (SiO2), where n2 (SiO2) is the nonlinear index of silica at &lgr;. Typically, &lgr; is about 1.55 &mgr;m. Exemplary, the dopant elements are selected from Sb, Bi, Sn, Pb, In, Tl, Cu, Ag and S. Currently preferred dopants are Te, Sb, Tl, Cu and Ag.

Abstract: A fabrication method produces a mechanically patterned layer of group III-nitride. The method includes providing a crystalline substrate and forming a first layer of a first group III-nitride on a planar surface of the substrate. The first layer has a single polarity and also has a pattern of holes or trenches that expose a portion of the substrate. The method includes then, epitaxially growing a second layer of a second group III-nitride over the first layer and the exposed portion of substrate. The first and second group III-nitrides have different alloy compositions. The method also includes subjecting the second layer to an aqueous solution of base to mechanically pattern the second layer.