Abstract: A sensor may include one or more photonic lanterns, each including a waveguide structure with a single input waveguide at an input end and two or more output waveguides at an output end, where the two or more output waveguides of each of the one or more photonic lanterns are optically decoupled. A distribution of intensities of light exiting two or more output waveguides of each of the one or more photonic lanterns may correspond to a modal decomposition of input light coupled into the input waveguide of the corresponding one of the one or more photonic lanterns. The sensor may further include one or more spectrometers coupled to the two or more output waveguides of the one or more photonic lanterns to provide a wavelength-resolved modal decomposition of the input light.

Abstract: An optical bandpass separator and systems based thereon split target and continuum band signals. The separator includes a first optical path for selectively transmitting a target band signal. The first optical path includes a first prism and a first bandpass filter. The separator includes a second optical path non-overlapping with the first optical path for transmitting a continuum band signal. The second optical path includes a second prism and a second bandpass filter. The spacing of the first and second optical paths allows the simultaneous and separate imaging or detection of the target band signal and the continuum band signal using a single imager or detector.