Abstract: A sensor unit has a sensor element which has a substrate and a plurality of optical components, which are integrated into the substrate, and form a plurality of integrated optical sensors. The optical sensors are an optical current sensor based on the Faraday effect, an optical voltage sensor based on the Pockels effect, an optical strain sensor and/or a wavelength sensor. Response signals from the individual sensors are evaluated in an evaluation unit, wherein the response signals from the expansion sensor and/or from the wavelength sensor are preferably used for evaluating the response signals from the other sensors.

Abstract: A sensor unit has a sensor element which has a substrate and a plurality of optical components, which are integrated into the substrate, and form a plurality of integrated optical sensors. The optical sensors are an optical current sensor based on the Faraday effect, an optical voltage sensor based on the Pockels effect, an optical strain sensor and/or a wavelength sensor. Response signals from the individual sensors are evaluated in an evaluation unit, wherein the response signals from the expansion sensor and/or from the wavelength sensor are preferably used for evaluating the response signals from the other sensors.

Abstract: An optical assembly, which is in particular in the form of a splitter component with a so-called splitter forming a passive optical component, is produced particularly inexpensively. In a first step a plurality of splitters are produced on a common wafer by forming a corresponding conductor track pattern. In a second step optical fibers are coupled simultaneously to the connection sides of the individual splitters with the aid of a connection carrier. Then, in a third step the individual splitters with the connection carriers connected thereto are separated form one another. Only one common coupling operation for a large number of splitters is required. The splitters may then be connected to form a splitter cascade.

Abstract: An optical assembly, which is in particular in the form of a splitter component with a so-called splitter forming a passive optical component, is produced particularly inexpensively. In a first step a plurality of splitters are produced on a common wafer by forming a corresponding conductor track pattern. In a second step optical fibers are coupled simultaneously to the connection sides of the individual splitters with the aid of a connection carrier. Then, in a third step the individual splitters with the connection carriers connected thereto are separated form one another. Only one common coupling operation for a large number of splitters is required. The splitters may then be connected to form a splitter cascade.

Abstract: A glass planar waveguide structure, typically on a glass wafer or chip, has a core region, a contiguous narrow cladding region encompassing the core region, and an outer region practically extending over the rest of the wafer. The core region and the outer region are implanted with outside ions by ion diffusion, whereby the refractive index of the core and of the outer region are similar. The outer region forms an artificial waveguide to enhance the uniformity of physical properties of the wafer, e.g. stress, and reduce birefringence of the core.

Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated waveguide optical tap coupler, which includes an input waveguide, a tapered section, and a pair of output waveguides. The upper edges of the tapered section and one of the output waveguides defines an arc of a circle with a first radius, while the lower edges of the tapered section and the other output waveguide defines an arc of a circle with a second radius. The proximate ends of the two output waveguides are separated by a truncated wedge tip defining a distance S. With this arrangement excess loss is reduced by ensuring the wavefront is continuously tilted and the branching angles are very small.

Abstract: A glass planar waveguide structure, typically on a glass wafer or chip, has a core region, a contiguous narrow cladding region encompassing the core region, and an outer region practically extending over the rest of the wafer. The core region and the outer region are implanted with outside ions by ion diffusion, whereby the refractive index of the core and of the outer region are similar. The outer region forms an artificial waveguide to enhance the uniformity of physical properties of the wafer, e.g. stress, and reduce birefringence of the core.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for making integrated optical components having strip waveguides (11 to 15; 21 to 2M) and a layer waveguide 53. A mask 4 having a lattice structure 3i functions to generate the layer waveguide 53 via ion exchange. The method of the invention is suitable for making couplers having free spaces with low attenuation and is especially suitable for arrayed waveguide grating multiplexers. The invention also is directed to an integrated optical component made pursuant to the method of the invention.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an integrated (2.times.2) optical coupler including input waveguides (21, 22) approaching each other at an angle .PHI. and having different propagation constants and widths (w.sub.1, w.sub.2), minimum web widths S (approximately 4 .mu.m) and output waveguides (23, 24) of the same width w.sub.0. The output waveguides include circular arc segments which connect to the respective input waveguides with abrupt steps. Both directions are the same. Attenuation is avoided where the waveguides come close to each other in the interaction region and arcuate segments in the narrow waveguide 21 are avoided. The optical coupler according to the invention can be used in branching devices and especially in a 2.times.N branching device and in Mach-Zehnder duplexers.