Phase Modulation Patents (Class 359/279)
  • Patent number: 8331024
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a temporal depolarization assembly. The depolarization assembly operates to produce light that, over some period of time, is depolarized. The depolarization assembly includes first and second variable retarders. The variable retarders are operated to produce a retardance that varies in time. In addition, the modulator axis of a first one of the variable retarders is held at an angle to the modulator axis of the second one of the variable retarders. The frequency at which the retardance of the variable retarders varies is selected to be some fraction of the integration time of a sensor associated with the polarization assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.
    Inventor: Rainer M. E. Illing
  • Patent number: 8325410
    Abstract: A modulation system and a method for generating a return-to-zero (RZ) optical data signal are provided. The modulation system comprises a Mach-Zehnder (MZ) modulator and a drive circuit, which includes a logic XOR gate and a differential amplifier. The logic XOR gate applies a logic XOR operation to a non-return-to-zero (NRZ) electrical data signal and an inverse of an electrical clock signal to generate an electrical intermediate signal. The differential amplifier differentially amplifies the electrical intermediate signal and an inverse of the NRZ electrical data signal to generate an RZ electrical drive signal. The drive circuit drives the MZ modulator with the RZ electrical drive signal to generate the RZ optical data signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventor: Kun-Jing Lee
  • Publication number: 20120301153
    Abstract: The I phase modulator modulates a phase based on the bias voltage in which a first modulation signal and a first pilot signal are inherent and the Q phase modulator modulates a phase based on the bias voltage in which a second pilot signal different from the first pilot signal and a second modulation signal are inherent. A time-average power synchronous detection unit detects an optical power at a timing at which the positivity and negativity of the voltages of both pilot signals become the same, and an optical power when the positivity and negativity of the voltages of both pilot signals are opposite. The bias voltage control unit controls the bias voltage so that the difference between both the optical powers becomes small based on the detection result of the time-average power synchronous detection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: OPNEXT JAPAN, INC.
    Inventors: Kouji TAKEGUCHI, Shigehiro TAKASHIMA, Taichi KOGURE, Hirofumi NAKAGAWA, Saki NARISAWA
  • Patent number: 8320037
    Abstract: An electro-optic device is provided. The electro-optic device includes a junction layer disposed between a first conductivity type semiconductor layer and a second conductivity type semiconductor layer to which a reverse vias voltage is applied. The first conductivity type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer have an about 2 to 4-time doping concentration difference therebetween, thus making it possible to provide the electro-optic device optimized for high speed, low power consumption and high integration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Jeong Woo Park, Jongbum You, Gyungock Kim
  • Publication number: 20120250136
    Abstract: The optical modulator includes an optical waveguide element in which a first waveguide is formed obliquely to an outgoing end surface, and a second waveguide is formed obliquely to both the first waveguide and the outgoing end surface, a lens which makes parallel optical paths of first and second modulated light beams outgoing from the first and second waveguides, a phase delay element which applies a phase delay to at least one of the first and second modulated light beams, a polarization beam rotating unit which rotates at least one polarized wave of the first and second modulated light beams to make the polarized waves orthogonal to each other between the two modulated light beams, and a polarization beam combining element which combines the first and second modulated light beams whose polarized waves are made orthogonal to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: SUMITOMO OSAKA CEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuji Maie, Tokutaka Hara
  • Patent number: 8270058
    Abstract: Techniques for producing higher fidelity interferometer measurements by reducing sensitivity to spurious sources include reducing the coherence length of an electromagnetic beam. In addition, multiple surfaces within an optical system may be measured by electronically tuning the position of a coherence plane along the optical paths of an interferometer. A phase modulator is used in conjunction with a long coherence length electromagnetic source to generate beams for each leg of an interferometer. Providing a controlled broadband RF signal to the phase modulator increases the bandwidth of the beam and thereby reduces the coherence length of the beam. This reduces the spurious contributions to the output interference fringes from undesired surfaces along the beam path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Steven Edward Muenter, Todd Harding Tomkinson
  • Patent number: 8270780
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical switch system using optical interference. An optical switch system (1) comprises an input part (2) of an optical signal, a branching part (3) of the signal, a main Mach-Zehnder waveguide (MZC) (7), a first intensity modulator (9) provided on a first arm (4) for controlling an amplitude of an optical signal propagating through the first arm (4), a second intensity modulator (10) provided on a second arm (5) for controlling an amplitude of an optical signal propagating through the second arm (5), and a combining part (6) of the signals outputted from the first arm and the second arm, wherein one or both of the branching part (3) and the combining part (6) are X-branched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kawanishi, Masayuki Izutsu, Takahide Sakamoto, Masahiro Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20120229883
    Abstract: A microscope apparatus includes a laser beam source for emitting a laser beam, an objective lens for irradiating a sample with the laser beam, a phase-modulating spatial light modulator placed between the laser beam source and the objective lens at a position optically conjugate with a pupil position of the objective lens, and a beam diameter variable unit placed between the laser beam source and the phase-modulating spatial light modulator for varying a beam diameter of the laser beam incident to the phase-modulating spatial light modulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Eiji YOKOI
  • Publication number: 20120224250
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a microstructure optical phase shifting film and lens. The optical phase shifting film is an integrated structure which includes a light-phase-shifting-film base and the convex surface positioned thereon. The convex surface has a plurality of semi-cylinder like protrusions which have the same height and are separated from a constant pitch with each other. A lens layer is covered on the surface of the optical phase shifting film to form a microstructure lens. The optical phase shift film exhibits different refractive index because of the light with different polarization angle. Therefore, the microstructure functions as a lenticular lens used in 2D/3D switching display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: VUSENSE CORPORATION
    Inventor: JUNG-TSUNG WU
  • Patent number: 8259375
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a light modulation optical system having a first element which forms a desired light intensity gradient distribution to an incident light beam and a second element which forms a desired light intensity minimum distribution with an inverse peak shape to the same, and an image formation optical system which is provided between the light modulation optical system and a substrate having a polycrystal semiconductor film or an amorphous semiconductor film, wherein the incident light beam to which the light intensity gradient distribution and the light intensity minimum distribution are formed is applied to the polycrystal semiconductor film or the amorphous semiconductor film through the image formation optical system, thereby crystallizing a non-crystal semiconductor film. The pattern of the first element is opposed to the pattern of the second element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukio Taniguchi, Masakiyo Matsumura, Noritaka Akita
  • Patent number: 8259381
    Abstract: An optical limiting structure includes a metal layer with a single metal particle or a plurality of metal particles spaced from each other so as to form an array, where the metal particles have sizes no greater than about 1000 nanometers. A phase-change material layer is disposed adjacent at least a portion of the metal layer, where the phase-change material layer includes a phase-change material. The optical limiting structure is configured to transition from a first optical state to a second optical state, where the optical limiting structure substantially limits transmittance of light of at least one wavelength through the optical limiting structure at the second optical state, and the at least one wavelength at which the optical limiting structure substantially limits transmittance of light is different from any wavelength of light at which transmittance is substantially limited through the phase-change material prior to integration into the optical limiting structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Exelis Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Bresenhan Kaye, Richard Forsberg Haglund, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8254014
    Abstract: An adaptive optics system is provided, comprising a spatial light modulator configured to modulate an incoming beam with an aberrated wavefront, a beamsplitter configured to receive the modulated beam from the spatial light modulator and to divide the modulated beam into a measurement beam and a reference beam, a spatial filter configured to spatially filter the reference beam, and to interfere the spatially filtered reference beam with the measurement beam to form an interferogram, an imaging device configured to capture an image of the interferogram, and a processor configured to determine the aberrated wavefront and to provide control signals to the spatial light modulator to mitigate aberrations in the aberrated wavefront.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Peter H. Chang, Sami J. Saab, Natarajan Shankar, John A. Koontz, Mark S. Ptak
  • Patent number: 8254015
    Abstract: Laser systems and methods for providing an output light beam having a target spatial pattern are provided. A light generating module generates an input light beam, whose spectral profile is then tailored by imposing thereon a controllable phase modulation. The obtained spectrally tailored light beam is dispersed, using at least one spatially-dispersive element to provide an output light beam having a spatial profile which is a function of the spectral profile of the spectrally tailored light beam, The phase modulation is selected in view of the spectral profile of the input light beam and of the dispersion characteristics of the at least one spatially-dispersive element so that the spatial pattern of the output light beam matches the target spatial pattern therefor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Institut National d'Optique
    Inventors: Yves Taillon, Mathieu Drolet, David Gay, Louis Desbiens, Brian W. Baird
  • Patent number: 8243879
    Abstract: A source grating for X-rays and the like which can enhance spatial coherence and is used for X-ray phase contrast imaging is provided. The source grating for X-rays is disposed between an X-ray source and a test object and is used for X-ray phase contrast imaging. The source grating for X-rays includes a plurality of sub-gratings formed by periodically arranging projection parts each having a thickness shielding an X-ray at constant intervals. The plurality of sub-gratings are stacked in layers by being shifted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidenosuke Itoh, Yoshikatsu Ichimura, Takashi Nakamura, Aya Imada
  • Patent number: 8238014
    Abstract: Methods and systems for encoding multi-level pulse amplitude modulated signals using integrated optoelectronics are disclosed and may include generating a multi-level, amplitude-modulated optical signal utilizing an optical modulator driven by two or more electrical input signals. The optical modulator may include optical modulator elements coupled in series and configured into groups. The number of optical modular elements and groups may configure the number of levels in the multi-level amplitude modulated optical signal. Unit drivers may be coupled to each of the groups. The electrical input signals may be synchronized before communicating them to the unit drivers utilizing flip-flops. Phase addition may be synchronized utilizing one or more electrical delay lines. The optical modulator may be integrated on a single substrate, which may include one of: silicon, gallium arsenide, germanium, indium gallium arsenide, polymers, or indium phosphide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Luxtera Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Kucharski, Brian Welch, Sherif Abdalla
  • Patent number: 8238017
    Abstract: An optical path is configured to propagate an input optical signal. A plurality of electrodes are configured to produce a plurality of discrete phase shifts on the optical signal. An output optical signal is phase-shifted with respect to the input optical signal by a sum of the plurality of discrete phase shifts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Kun-Yii Tu, Ting-Chen Hu, Young-Kai Chen
  • Patent number: 8208190
    Abstract: An optical imaging system including an imaging lens and a spatial light modulator is provided. The imaging system has an aperture stop position. The spatial light modulator is disposed at the aperture stop position of the imaging system to serve as a pupil of the imaging lens. The spatial light modulator is adapted to modulate the light transmission rate of the spatial light modulator to change an amplitude and a phase of a light intensity of the pupil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: National Chiao Tung University
    Inventors: Chu-Ming Cheng, Jyh-Long Chern
  • Patent number: 8208816
    Abstract: An optical communications system includes an optical transmitter that generates a modulated optical signal at an output. The modulated optical signal propagates through an optical link where the dispersion of the optical link is imprinted onto an optical spectrum of the modulated optical signal. A demodulator receives the modulated optical signal and filters at least a portion of the optical spectrum with the imprinted dispersion of the optical link, thereby mitigating effects of dispersion in the modulated optical signal and generating a demodulated optical signal at an output. An optical detector generates an electrical data signal from the demodulated optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Finisar Corporation
    Inventor: Heider Ereifej
  • Patent number: 8208819
    Abstract: An optical signal generator includes a splitter, a first modulator, a second modulator, a signal-switching unit and a multiplexer. The splitter splits an optical pulse train into a first pulse train and a second pulse train. The first modulator receives the first pulse train and first data signal, and generates a first modulation signal by performing on-off-keying or phase modulation on the first pulse train based on the strength of the first data signal. The second modulator receives the second pulse train and second data signal, and generates a second modulation signal by performing the on-off-keying or phase modulation on the second pulse train based on the strength of the second data signal. The signal-switching unit delays pulses of the second modulation signal or adjusts a phase of a carrier included in the second modulation signal according to a switching signal. The multiplexer generates an optical modulation signal by multiplexing the first modulation signal and the second modulation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Kagawa, Hitoshi Murai
  • Publication number: 20120154880
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to external, electronically controllable modulators. In one embodiment, a modulating device (100,400) includes a first electrode (104,404), a second electrode (106,406), and an active region (102,402). The active region is configured so that at least a portion of the active region is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. Applying a voltage of an appropriate magnitude and polarity to the electrodes changes the conductivity of the active region which in turn shifts the phase and/or amplitude of electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the active region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Inventors: Wei Wu, Jingjing Li, Shih-Yuan Wang, Alexandre M. Bratkovski, R. Stanley Williams
  • Publication number: 20120154894
    Abstract: Optical phase modulators are disposed in separate arms of an optical interferometer for forming short optical pulses. The optical phase modulators are driven by signals from an electrical nonlinear transmission line (NLTL). A time delay (typically on the order of the NLTL fall time) is introduced between the NLTL signals in the two arms of the interferometer. With this arrangement, the interferometer provides short optical pulses at its output. In one experiment, 70 ps switching was demonstrated using discrete LiNbO3 traveling wave electro-optic modulators and commercially available NLTLs capable of delivering a 35 ps falling edge. A preferable approach is to integrate the NLTLs with the phase modulators, to further improve bandwidth. This fast switch can be used for various applications, such as implementing an Optical Time Division Multiplexing (OTDM) network architecture, and providing arbitrary waveform generation (AWG) capability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Inventors: David M.S. Johnson, Jason M. Hogan, Sheng-wey Chiow, Mark A. Kasevich
  • Patent number: 8204347
    Abstract: In a conventional optical signal processing device, a confocal optical system is configured in which a focusing lens is positioned at a substantially-intermediate point of a free space optical path. Thus, the free space optical system had a long length. It has been difficult to reduce the size of the entire device. The optical signal processing device of the present invention uses a lens layout configuration different from the confocal optical system to thereby significantly reduce the length of the system. The optical signal processing device consists of the first focusing lens positioned in the close vicinity of a signal processing device, and the second focusing lens positioned in the vicinity of a dispersing element. A distance between the dispersing element and the signal processing device is approximately a focal length of the first focusing lens. Compared with the conventional technique, the length of the optical path can be halved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Ooba, Kenya Suzuki, Motohaya Ishii, Shinji Mino, Atsushi Aratake
  • Patent number: 8204387
    Abstract: The optical modulator comprises an optical branching unit branching incident light into a first signal light and a second signal light; a first Mach-Zehnder modulator modulating the first signal light; a second Mach-Zehnder modulator modulating the second signal light; a phase shifter giving a fixed phase shift to the phase of the output light from the second Mach-Zehnder modulator; and an optical multiplexer multiplexing the output light from the first Mach-Zehnder modulator and the output light from the phase shifter. The phase shifter gives the phase shift so that the two input lights to the optical multiplexer have a phase difference of 60 degrees, and the first and second Mach-Zehnder modulators are driven by three-level signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Fukuchi
  • Patent number: 8203788
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electromagnetic beam converter and a method for conversion of an input beam of electromagnetic radiation having a bell shaped intensity profile a(x,y) into an output beam having a prescribed target intensity profile I(x?,y?) based on a further development of the generalized phase contrast method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Danmarks Tekinske Universitet
    Inventor: Jesper Glückstad
  • Patent number: 8200099
    Abstract: A method of transmitting a plurality n data streams comprises modulating an optical carrier using differential M-ary phase shift key (DMPSK) signaling in which M=2n. Advantageously the method comprises using differential quaternary phase shift keying in which n=2. A particular advantage of the method of the present invention is that since the data is differentially encoded in the form of phase changes rather than absolute phase values this enables the modulated optical carrier to be demodulated using direct detection without requiring a phase-locked local optical oscillator. The invention is particularly applicable to WDM communication systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Oclaro Technology Limited
    Inventor: Robert Griffin
  • Publication number: 20120134005
    Abstract: An occasional calibration waveform is used to, first, make an interferometer sensitive to small changes in Sagnac phase difference due to rotating the gyroscope (this is commonly referred to as biasing the interferometer); second, supply a feedback phase difference to keep the interferometer sensitive to small changes in rotation rate; and third, supply the calibration modulation necessary to keep the digital electronics calibrated with respect to the Sagnac phase difference being measured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Inventor: Ralph A. Bergh
  • Patent number: 8184355
    Abstract: A light modulation device capable of stabilizing a phase set in phase modulation processing and improving optical communication quality. A phase modulator is provided for each of plural branched input lights and performs phase modulation of the input light. A phase shifter is provided at the upstream or downstream of the phase modulator and shifts a phase of the input light or of the phase-modulated light. A light interference section causes the output lights from the light modulator to interfere with each other to generate a multilevel phase modulated signal and interference light having a phase state different from that of the modulated signal. A monitor receives the interference light and outputs an electric signal according to the intensity. A phase shift controller generates a phase control signal based on the electric signal and applies the signal to the shifter to control the phase shift amount to be set by the shifter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Yukito Tsunoda, Satoshi Ide
  • Publication number: 20120120478
    Abstract: Electro-optical components are disclosed having intersubband transitions by quantum confinement between two Group III nitride elements, typically by means of GaN/AlN. Related devices or systems are also disclosed including such components, as well as to a method for manufacturing such a component. Such a component includes at least one active area that includes at least two so-called outer barrier layers surrounding one or more N-doped quantum well structures, and said quantum well structure(s) are each surrounded by two barrier areas that are unintentionally doped at a thickness of at least five monoatomic layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicants: CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE, UNIVERSITE PARIS-SUD 11
    Inventors: François Julien, Anatole Lupu, Maria Tchernycheva, Laurent Nevou
  • Publication number: 20120105858
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for rendering quantitative phase maps across and through transparent samples. A broadband source is employed in conjunction with an objective, Fourier optics, and a programmable two-dimensional phase modulator to obtain amplitude and phase information in an image plane. Methods, referred to as Fourier transform light scattering (FTLS), measure the angular scattering spectrum of the sample. FTLS combines optical microscopy and light scattering for studying inhomogeneous and dynamic media. FTLS relies on quantifying the optical phase and amplitude associated with a coherent image field and propagating it numerically to the scattering plane. Full angular information, limited only by the microscope objective, is obtained from extremely weak scatterers, such as a single micron-sized particle. A flow cytometer may employ FTLS sorting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Gabriel Popescu, Huafeng Ding, Zhuo Wang
  • Patent number: 8164819
    Abstract: In a radio frequency (RF)-photonic arbitrary waveform generator (AWG), an optical carrier signal is phase-modulated using an arbitrary waveform optical phase generator (AWPOG), which may include, e.g., sequential optical phase modulators. The phase-modulated optical signal is combined with a version of the optical carrier signal to yield an optical waveform, whose amplitude varies with a phase shift introduced by the AWPOG to the optical carrier signal. By manipulating electrical inputs to the AWPOG which control the phase shift, the optical waveform can be arbitrary shaped. The optical waveform may then be converted to an electrical waveform having a radio frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Kun-Yii Tu, Ting-Chen Hu, Young-Kai Chen
  • Patent number: 8159737
    Abstract: A system and method for locking the relative phase of multiple coherent optical signals, which compensates for optical phase changes induced by vibration or thermal changes in the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Phase Sensitive Innovations, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard D. Martin, Christopher A. Schuetz, Dennis W. Prather, Thomas E. Dillon
  • Patent number: 8154804
    Abstract: A lens is presented in which the lens includes a substrate and an electrode layer. The electrode layer is positioned upon the substrate. The electrode layer has radially alternating rings of electrodes and resistive material. When voltage is applied across two adjacent electrodes the profile of the electric field therebetween is linear. When voltage is applied to the rings of electrodes, the optical phase profile of the lens closely approximates the optical phase of ideal spherical aberration correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: e-Vision Smart Optics, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Thomas McGinn, Dwight P. Duston, Anthony Van Heugten
  • Patent number: 8149492
    Abstract: An optical modulator has an optical splitter for splitting an input light beam into a first and second light beam; a first and a second wave-guide arm connected to the optical splitter for receiving and transmitting therethrough the first and second light beam, respectively, the waveguide arms each including a core region having group IV semiconductor material or a combination of group IV semiconductor materials; an optical combiner connected to the first and second waveguide arm for receiving the first and second light beam and combining them into an output light beam; a first and a second electrode structure associated with the first and second waveguide arm, respectively; and a driving circuit for supplying voltage to the first and second electrode structure. The driving circuit is adapted to supply a first modulation voltage super-imposed to a first bias voltage to the first electrode structure and a second modulation voltage superimposed to a second bias voltage to the second electrode structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Silvia Ghidini, Antonio Nespola
  • Patent number: 8134771
    Abstract: A holographic data storage system that includes a write head that includes a pixellated spatial light modulator and a separate or integral phase mask that varies the phase depending on the location in the phase mask that light passes through. The phase variation can be changed over time in a random, pseudo-random, or predetermined fashion. The spatial light modulator and phase mask can be implemented in a liquid crystal SLM (nematic, ferroeleletric, or other), in a DMD SLM, in a magneto-optical SLM, or in any other suitable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Handschy, Michael J. O'Callaghan
  • Patent number: 8126337
    Abstract: Optical communication apparatus, methods, systems are provided based on balanced-detection phase-shaped binary transmission (BD-PSBT).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Opnext Subsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian Malouin, Theodore J. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8107154
    Abstract: An optical modulator includes, a first polarization separation and combination portion, a second polarization separation and combination portion, a first polarization plane-maintaining optical fiber, a second polarization plane-maintaining optical fiber, a third polarization plane-maintaining optical fiber of which a first end is coupled with the second input and output terminal of the second polarization separation and combination portion, the third polarization plane-maintaining optical fiber including a first optical coupler, to which control light that is linearly polarized light is input, a fourth polarization plane-maintaining optical fiber of which a first end is coupled with the third input and output terminal of the second polarization separation and combination portion; and a first polarization plane conversion portion that optically communicates with a second end of the third polarization plane-maintaining optical fiber and a second end of the fourth polarization plane-maintaining optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shin Arahira, Hitoshi Murai
  • Patent number: 8107149
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to external, electronically controllable, negative index material-based modulators. In one aspect, an external modulator comprises a negative index material in electronic communication with an electronic signal source. The negative index material receives an electronic signal encoding data from the electronic signal source and an unmodulated carrier wave from an electromagnetic radiation source. Magnitude variations in the electronic signal produce corresponding effective refractive index changes in the negative index material encoding the data in the amplitude and/or phase of the carrier wave to produce an electromagnetic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Wei Wu, Alexandre M. Bratkovski, Shih-Yuan Wang, Jingjing Li, Qiangfei Xia
  • Publication number: 20120008963
    Abstract: Included are a first modulator, a second modulator, a first optical amplifier that amplifies an output of the first modulator at an amplification factor based on a first bias signal, a second optical amplifier that amplifies an output of the second modulator at an amplification factor based on a second bias signal, an optical phase adjuster that phase-rotates an output of the second optical amplifier, an optical multiplexer that multiplexes an output of the first optical amplifier with an output of the optical phase adjuster, and a second bias corrector that generates a first pulse signal and a second pulse signal, which are complementary to each other, and obtains a first bias value and a second bias value based on a change of strength of an output signal of the optical multiplexer. The first and second pulse signals are superimposed on the first and second bias signals, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi ARUGA, Keita Mochizuki, Atsushi Sugitatsu
  • Patent number: 8087779
    Abstract: A phase modulation device implemented in an ophthalmic instrument using a main light beam interacting with an eye, the device including: an apparatus for modulating the phase of the wave front of the main light beam, a controller for controlling the phase modulation apparatus following a modulation instruction, and an analyzer for analyzing the thus-performed modulation of the phase of the wave front of the main light beam, further including emitting a secondary light beam, an apparatus for directing the secondary light beam along an optical path to the modulation apparatus, then to the analyzer, and in that the optical path does not pass through the eye, and in that the controller and the analyzer receiving the modulated secondary light beam cooperate, during a stage called a learning stage, to supply data regarding the response of the phase modulation apparatus to a set of predetermined modulation instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Imagine Eyes
    Inventor: Xavier Levecq
  • Patent number: 8089683
    Abstract: A modular routing node includes a single input port and a plurality of output ports. The modular routing node is arranged to produce a plurality of different deflections and uses small adjustments to compensate for wavelength differences and alignment tolerances in an optical system. An optical device is arranged to receive a multiplex of many optical signals at different wavelengths, to separate the optical signals into at least two groups, and to process at least one of the groups adaptively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Thomas Swan & Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Melanie Holmes
  • Patent number: 8089684
    Abstract: Techniques and devices for tuning a phase shift of an RF or microwave signal by using an optical tuning mechanism based on photonic elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: OEwaves, Inc.
    Inventors: Prakash Koonath, Lute Maleki
  • Patent number: 8077375
    Abstract: A system and method for producing an 8-QAM-modulated signal are disclosed. The methodology, in an exemplary expedient, generally comprises splitting light from a CW laser into two parts; modulating the first part with a first signal and modulating the second part with a second signal; phase shifting the modulated second part by about ?/4; combining the modulated first part with the phase shifted and modulated second part to produce a four-level modulated signal; and phase modulating the four-level modulated signal with a third signal with a phase modulation of (0, ?/2). Several variations of this method are described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Xiang Zhou, Peter Magill
  • Patent number: 8072669
    Abstract: A system and method for producing a 16-QAM-modulated signal are disclosed. The methodology, in an exemplary expedient, generally comprises splitting light from a CW laser into two parts; modulating the first part with a first signal and modulating the second part with a second signal; phase shifting the modulated second part by about ?/2; combining the modulated first part with the phase shifted and modulated second part to produce a four-level modulated signal; phase modulating the four-level modulated signal with a third signal with a phase modulation of about (0, ?/2) to produce an 8-QAM-modulated signal, and thereafter modulating that signal with a fourth signal with a phase-modulation of about (0, ?) to produce the 16-QAM-modulated signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Xiang Zhou
  • Patent number: 8060007
    Abstract: An RF signal processing device which includes a countermeasure set connected to the processing device. The RF signal processing device shifts an incoming RF signal by ninety degrees and combines the phase shifted RF signal with RF jamming signals from a jammer. The processing device next transmits the RF signal including the RF jamming signals from the jammer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: John A. Mohr
  • Patent number: 8057963
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for accomplishing a optical direct write phase shift lithography. A lithography system and method are provided wherein a mirror array is configured to generate vortex phase shift optical patterns that are directed onto a photosensitive layer of a substrate. The lithography methods and systems facilitate pattern transfer using such vortex phase shift exposure patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas K. Eib, Ebo H. Croffie, Neal P. Callan
  • Publication number: 20110267676
    Abstract: An opto-electronic integrated circuit (OEIC) includes an SOI substrate, a set of composite optical transmitters, a set of composite optical receivers, and control electronics disposed in the substrate and electrically coupled to the set of composite optical transmitters and receivers. Each of the composite optical transmitters includes a gain medium including a compound semiconductor material and an optical modulator. Each of the composite optical receivers includes a waveguide disposed in the SOI substrate, an optical detector bonded to the SOI substrate, and a bonding region disposed between the SOI substrate and the optical detector. The bonding region includes a metal-assisted bond at a first portion of the bonding region and a direct semiconductor-semiconductor bond at a second portion of the bonding region. The OEIC also includes control electronics disposed in the SOI substrate and electrically coupled to the set of composite optical transmitters and the set of composite optical receivers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: Skorpios Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John Dallesasse, Stephen B. Krasulick, William Kozlovsky
  • Patent number: 8050351
    Abstract: The method and system are disclosed for automatic feedback control of integrated optical quadrature modulator for generation of optical quaternary phase-shift-keyed signal in coherent optical communications. The method comprises the steps of detecting at least a part of an output optical signal from the QPSK modulator, extracting of a particular portion of the output signal in frequency domain, and processing the signal in frequency domain to optimize the transmission of an optical link. The system and method of optical communications in fiber or free space are disclosed that implement the quadrature data modulator with automatic feedback control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: CeLight, Inc.
    Inventors: Pak Shing Cho, Jacob Khurgin, Isaac Shpantzer
  • Patent number: 8049950
    Abstract: An optical pulse generator comprising a phase modulator, wherein the phase modulator is configured to phase modulate and intensity modulate a continuous wave (CW) light signal in accordance with a received electrical signal, and an all-pass filter, the all-pass filter being coupled to the phase modulator to generate a pulsed light signal by filtering the modulated light signal from the phase modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventor: Douglas M Gill
  • Patent number: 8045251
    Abstract: Techniques for producing higher fidelity interferometer measurements by reducing sensitivity to spurious sources include reducing the coherence length of an electromagnetic beam. In addition, multiple surfaces within an optical system may be measured by electronically tuning the position of a coherence plane along the optical paths of an interferometer. A phase modulator is used in conjunction with a long coherence length electromagnetic source to generate beams for each leg of an interferometer. Providing a controlled broadband RF signal to the phase modulator increases the bandwidth of the beam and thereby reduces the coherence length of the beam. This reduces the spurious contributions to the output interference fringes from undesired surfaces along the beam path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Steven Edward Muenter, Todd Harding Tomkinson
  • Patent number: 8029141
    Abstract: The image display apparatus includes a two-dimensional light modulation device for modulating light emitted from a laser light source, a display surface for displaying the modulated light, an optical pixel aperture enlarging member for distributing the luminance of the laser light while introducing the laser light to apertures of pixels of the modulation device; and a display pixel aperture enlarging portion for optically enlarging the modulated light by the apertures of the pixels of the modulation device corresponding to pixels of an image to be displayed. The luminance of a partial area of each pixel of the image displayed on the display surface is controlled to be below the threefold of an average value of the luminance in the area of the entire pixel by the optical pixel aperture enlarging member and the display pixel aperture enlarging portion, accomplishing speckle noise reduction and improved light utilization efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuro Mizushima, Tatsuo Itoh, Kenichi Kasazumi, Kazuhisa Yamamoto