Abstract: Disclosed herein are backlight units comprising a light guide plate (210), a light coupling unit (220) in contact with the light guide plate, and a light source (230) optically coupled to the first and second light incident edge surfaces. The backlight units may also comprise light recycling cavities by forming a reflector (240) on the edge surface (224) of the coupling unit opposing the incidence surface (221). Electronic, display, and lighting devices comprising such BLUs are further disclosed herein.

Abstract: A Brillouin-based distributed bend fiber sensor and method for using the Brillouin-based distributed bend fiber sensor are described herein. In one example, the Brillouin-based distributed bend fiber sensor is specially configured to measure a temperature distribution (?T), a bend angle ?, and a bend radius R along a deployed fiber (e.g., four-core fiber).

Abstract: A light guide plate suitable for use in a liquid crystal display device, the light guide plate comprising a glass plate and a light coupler bonded to a edge surface of the light guide plate. Also disclosed is a backlight unit for a liquid crystal display device employing the light guide plate, and a display device employing the backlight unit.

Abstract: A light guide plate suitable for use in a liquid crystal display device, the light guide plate comprising a glass plate and a light coupler bonded to a major surface of the light guide plate. Also disclosed is a backlight unit for a liquid crystal display device employing the light guide plate, and a display device employing the backlight unit.

Abstract: Described herein is a glass article, for example a light guide plate, for illuminating a display panel, and in particular a light guide plate comprising a glass substrate formed by a plurality of individual segments, the plurality of glass segments arranged edge-to-edge in a two dimensional array and laminated between at least two polymer films. A display device incorporating the glass article is also described.

Abstract: The single-mode optical fibers have a core region that includes an inner core region having a delta value ?1 and a radius r1 immediately surrounded by an outer core region of radius r2 and a delta value ?2<?1, wherein ?1-?2 is in the range from 0.3% to 2%. A cladding region of radius r3 immediately surrounds the core region. The inner and outer regions define an annular width ?r=r2?r1. At least one of r1, r2, ?r and r3 changes with a period p in the longitudinal direction between first and second values each having a corresponding level distance dF. The change occurs over a transition distance dT such that dT/dF<0.1. The Brillouin frequency shift ?f changes by an amount ?[?f] that is least 10 MHz over each period p, thereby allowing for Brillouin frequency-shift management in fiber-based sensor systems.

Abstract: A Brillouin-based distributed bend fiber sensor and method for using the Brillouin-based distributed bend fiber sensor are described herein. In one example, the Brillouin-based distributed bend fiber sensor is specially configured to measure a temperature distribution (?T), a bend angle ?, and a bend radius R along a deployed fiber (e.g., four-core fiber).

Abstract: A light guide plate suitable for use in a liquid crystal display device, the light guide plate comprising a glass plate and a light coupler bonded to a major surface of the light guide plate. Also disclosed is a backlight unit for a liquid crystal display device employing the light guide plate, and a display device employing the backlight unit.

Abstract: The embodiments described herein relate to multi-core optical fiber interconnects which include at least two multi-core optical fibers. The multi-core optical fibers are connected such that the core elements of the first multi-core optical fiber are optically coupled to the core elements of the second multi-core optical fiber thereby forming an array of interconnect core elements extending through the optical fiber interconnect. The multi-core optical fibers are constructed such that cross-talk between adjacent core elements in each multi-core optical fiber is minimized. The multi-core optical fibers are also constructed such that time-delays between the interconnect core elements in the array of interconnect core elements are also minimized.

Abstract: A two-core optical fiber is provided for use in Brillouin distributed fiber sensor applications and systems. The two-core fiber includes a first and second core. Each core is configured to exhibit a Brillouin frequency shift greater than 30 Mhz relative to the other core. Further, each core possesses temperature and strain coefficients that differ from the other core. The cores can be configured to produce Brillouin frequency shift levels of at least 30 Mhz relative to one another. These differences in shift levels may be effected by adjustment of the material compositions, doping concentrations and/or refractive index profiles of each of the cores. These optical fibers may also be used in BOTDR- and BOTDA-based sensor systems and arrangements.

Abstract: The embodiments described herein relate to multi-core optical fiber interconnects which include at least two multi-core optical fibers. The multi-core optical fibers are connected such that the core elements of the first multi-core optical fiber are optically coupled to the core elements of the second multi-core optical fiber thereby forming an array of interconnect core elements extending through the optical fiber interconnect. The multi-core optical fibers are constructed such that cross-talk between adjacent core elements in each multi-core optical fiber are minimized. The multi-core optical fibers are also constructed such that time-delays between the interconnect core elements in the array of interconnect core elements are also minimized.

Abstract: Prism-coupling systems and methods for characterizing large depth-of-layer waveguides are disclosed. The systems and methods utilize a coupling prism having a coupling angle ? having a maximum coupling angle ?max at which total internal reflection occurs. The prism angle ? is in the range 0.81?max???0.99?max. This configuration causes the more spaced-apart lower-order mode lines to move closer together and the more tightly spaced higher-order mode lines to separate. The adjusted mode-line spacing allows for proper sampling at the detector of the otherwise tightly spaced mode lines. The mode-line spacings of the detected mode spectra are then corrected via post-processing. The corrected mode spectra are then processed to obtain at least one characteristic of the waveguide.

Abstract: Prism-coupling systems and methods for characterizing large depth-of-layer waveguides are disclosed. The systems and methods utilize a coupling prism having a coupling angle ? having a maximum coupling angle ?max at which total internal reflection occurs. The prism angle ? is in the range 0.81?max???0.99?max. This configuration causes the more spaced-apart lower-order mode lines to move closer together and the more tightly spaced higher-order mode lines to separate. The adjusted mode-line spacing allows for proper sampling at the detector of the otherwise tightly spaced mode lines. The mode-line spacings of the detected mode spectra are then corrected via post-processing. The corrected mode spectra are then processed to obtain at least one characteristic of the waveguide.

Abstract: A multi-wavelength distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) semiconductor laser is provided where DBR heating elements are positioned over the waveguide in the DBR section and define an interleaved temperature profile that generates multiple distinct reflection peaks corresponding to distinct temperature dependent Bragg wavelengths associated with the temperature profile. Neighboring pairs of heating elements of the DBR heating elements positioned over the waveguide in the DBR section are spaced along the direction of the axis of optical propagation by a distance that is equal to or greater than the laser chip thickness b to minimize the impact of thermal crosstalk between distinct temperature regions of the interleaved temperature profile.

Abstract: An optical fiber link suitable for use in a mode division multiplexing (MDM) optical transmission system is disclosed. The link has a first optical fiber having a core which supports the propagation and transmission of an optical signal with X LP modes at a wavelength of 1550 nm, wherein X is an integer greater than 1 and less than or equal to 20, the first fiber having a positive differential mode group delay between the LP01 and LP11 modes at a wavelength between 1530-1570. The link also has a second optical fiber having a core which supports the propagation and transmission of an optical signal with Y LP modes at a wavelength of 1550 nm, wherein Y is an integer greater than 1 and less than or equal to 20, said optical fiber having a negative differential mode group delay between the LP01 and LP11 modes at a wavelength between 1530-1570.

Abstract: A sensing optical fiber comprising: a few-moded multi-segment core, said core comprising one core segment surrounded by another core segment, and at least one cladding surrounding said core; said core having an F factor (?m2) of 100 ?m2 to 350 ?m2, and is constructed to provide (i) an overlap integral between the fundamental optical guided mode and the fundamental acoustic guided mode of greater than 0.7 and (ii) the overlap integral between the LP11 optical guided mode and the fundamental acoustic guided mode at least 0.45.

Abstract: A method can be used for controlling optical power. Output optical power of an optical source is monitored and it is determined whether a preset test control signal is received. When the preset test control signal is not received, a data signal is modulated to output light of the optical source and a bias current of the optical source is adjusted according to an output optical power monitoring result of the optical source to implement automatic power control. When the preset test control signal is received, a test is started and a test signal is superimposed to the data signal to form a superimposed signal. The superimposed signal is modulated to the output light of the optical source. The output optical power monitoring result of the optical source is ignored during the test period to maintain the bias current of the optical source at a preset target value.

Abstract: A two-core optical fiber is provided for use in Brillouin distributed fiber sensor applications and systems. The two-core fiber includes a first and second core. Each core is configured to exhibit a Brillouin frequency shift greater than 30 Mhz relative to the other core. Further, each core possesses temperature and strain coefficients that differ from the other core. The cores can be configured to produce Brillouin frequency shift levels of at least 30 Mhz relative to one another. These differences in shift levels may be effected by adjustment of the material compositions, doping concentrations and/or refractive index profiles of each of the cores. These optical fibers may also be used in BOTDR- and BOTDA-based sensor systems and arrangements.

Abstract: Optical systems operable to emit an output beam having fast-switched wavelengths are provided. In one embodiment, an optical system includes a laser and a wavelength conversion device. The laser emits a pump beam that switches between at least two fundamental spectral peaks at different wavelengths at a wavelength cycling period that is shorter than a response time of the human eye. The wavelength conversion device includes a non-linear optical medium configured to phase match the frequency doubling of the at least two switched fundamental spectral peaks such that an output beam that switches between at least two frequency-converted spectral peaks at different converted-wavelengths is emitted from an output facet of the wavelength conversion device when the pump beam of the optical source is incident on an input facet of the wavelength conversion device.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an optical sensing system may include a gated optical amplifier, one or more triggering devices, and an optical coupler. The gated optical amplifier can receive a pulse signal and transform the pulse signal into an amplified pulse signal having an amplified peak portion. The triggering devices can control the gated optical amplifier such that the gated optical amplifier is in the lossy state while the baseline portion of the pulse signal is transformed and the gated optical amplifier is in the gain state while the peak portion of the pulse signal is transformed. The amplified pulse signal can be transmitted to the sensing optical fiber and a sensed optical signal can be received, when the sensing optical fiber is connected to the optical coupler. Optionally, a second pulse signal and the sensed optical signal can be combined and detected with a coherent balanced detection technique.