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.