Abstract: The present disclosure provides a liquid crystal phase shifter array, a driving method thereof, and a laser scanner. The liquid crystal phase shifter array includes a plurality of liquid crystal phase shifter units arranged in array, a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite to each other, a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, a first electrode provided on the first substrate, and a second electrode provided on the second substrate. Each liquid crystal phase shifter unit includes a first optical waveguide provided on a side of the first substrate proximal to the liquid crystal layer and arranged to be in direct contact with the liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for improving the light collection efficiency in coaxial LiDAR systems. A coaxial LiDAR system includes a photodetector, a first polarization beam splitter configured to receive a returned light beam including a first linear polarization component and a second linear polarization component and direct the different linear polarization components to different respective directions, a polarization beam combiner configured to transmit the first linear polarization component from the first polarization beam splitter to the photodetector, a non-reciprocal polarization rotator configured to transmit the second linear polarization component from the first polarization beam splitter, and a second polarization beam splitter configured to reflect the second linear polarization component from the non-reciprocal polarization rotator towards the polarization beam combiner.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an optical filter configured for wavelength division and multiplexing capable of transmitting and receiving signals. The optical filter includes an optical waveguide configured to receive at an input multiple signals with different wavelengths. The optical filter includes a plurality of channels coupled at different locations along a length of the optical waveguide. Each of the plurality of channels is configured to transmit a respective one of the multiple signals. A number of ring filter stages in a first channel of the plurality of channels that is closer to the input of the optical waveguide is greater than a second channel in the plurality of channels further away from the input of the optical waveguide.

Abstract: An optical waveguide device includes first and second waveguides formed parallel to each other. The first waveguide includes a first rib and a first slab. The first slab is formed in a region between the first rib and the second waveguide. The second waveguide includes a second rib, a second slab and a third slab. The second rib is provided between the second slab and the third slab. The first and second slabs are integrally formed. At one end of the optical waveguide device, a first effective refractive index that indicates an effective refractive index of a TEi mode in the first waveguide is higher than a second effective refractive index that indicates an effective refractive index of a TEj mode in the second waveguide. At another end, the first effective refractive index is lower than the second effective refractive index.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser shaping device includes, along the light path of a semiconductor laser, a fast axis collimating lens, slow axis collimating lens, the half wave plate, a polarization beam combining prism, and a crawling prism group. The laser emitted by the semiconductor laser is collimated by a fast-axis collimating lens and then by a slow-axis collimating lens, and subsequently injected into a half wave plate and polarization beam combining prism, which compresses its spot size along the slow axis while keeping the spot size unchanged along the fast axis. The laser beam then passes through the crawling prism group, which shifts a portion of the light in the slow-axis direction to the fast-axis direction, which again compresses the light beam in the slow-axis direction. The device can reduce the beam size of a semiconductor laser in the slow-axis direction, reducing its beam parameter product and improving beam quality.

Abstract: An anti-torsion solid-core polarization-maintaining photonic crystal fiber includes a cladding having an inner layer arranged around the core and an outer layer between the inner layer and the outer wall of the cladding. The inner layer has multi-layer air holes used to construct optical properties and two micron-size air holes arranged along the x-axis extending in the center producing form birefringence. The outer layer includes multi-layer air holes arranged radially along the y-axis. The size and arrangement of the multi-layer air holes in the outer layer cause the bending stiffness of the photonic crystal fiber along the x-axis to be different from that along the y-axis. While meeting the requirements of the optical properties of the fiber, the photonic crystal fiber possesses an anti-torsion ability due to the anisotropy of stress distribution in the radial direction, thereby reducing the non-reciprocal phase difference generated by the magneto-optic Faraday Effect.

Abstract: A polarization recovery device comprises an input that receives a first optical signal with unknown polarization and with at least one signal parameter at an initial value, a first output that outputs a second optical signal with known polarization and with the at least one signal parameter at or near the initial value, and a recovery block that generates the second optical signal based on the first optical signal.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a directional photonic coupler (1) with independent tuning of the coupling factor and phase difference. The coupler comprises: two waveguides (4, 5), with respective propagation constants “?1, ?2”, on which phase shifters (6, 7) configured to modify the propagation coefficients are located. Both phase shifters are configured such that, by independent modification (differential or unique) of the propagation coefficients, the power coupling factor (K) between an input signal (2a or 2b) and the output signals (3b and 3a) is tuned, and by equal and simultaneous modification of the propagation coefficients, the common phase difference of the optical output signals (3 a, 3b) is tuned. A third phase shifter (15) can be used to retune the phase difference at the input/output of one of the waveguides. The coupler is of particular interest in PIC circuits, coupled resonators, Mach-Zehnder interferometers and mesh structures.

Abstract: A broadband radiation source device, including a fiber assembly having a plurality of optical fibers, each optical fiber being filled with a gas medium, wherein the broadband radiation source device is operable such that subsets of the optical fibers are independently selectable for receiving a beam of input radiation so as to generate a broadband output from only a subset of the plurality of optical fibers at any one time.

Abstract: An optical multiplexer that extends a transmission bandwidth of light is achieved. The present invention provides an optical multiplexer constructed of a multimode waveguide to which two single mode input waveguides are connected at a distance and two single mode output waveguides connected at a distance to a surface opposite a surface to which the input waveguides of the multimode waveguide are connected, in which a width of the multimode waveguide is smaller than widths of the two input waveguides plus a distance between the input waveguides, and the input waveguides are connected to the multimode waveguide and the multimode waveguide is connected to the output waveguides via tapered waveguides, respectively.

Abstract: A Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) filter comprising one or more passive compensation structures are described. The passive compensation structures yield MZI filters that are intrinsically tolerant to perturbations in waveguide dimensions and/or other ambient conditions. The use of n+1 waveguide widths can mitigate n different sources of perturbation to the filter. The use of at least three different waveguide widths for each Mach-Zehnder waveguide can alleviate sensitivity of filter performance to random width or temperature variations. A tolerance compensation portion is positioned between a first coupler section and a second coupler section, wherein the tolerance compensation portion includes a first compensation section having a second width, a second compensation section having a third width and a third compensation section having a fourth width, wherein the fourth width is greater than the third width and the third width is greater than the second width.

Abstract: A device (100) for the excitation of a fiber (150) comprises a first piezo bender actuator (110) and a second piezo bender actuator (120). The device (100) also comprises a connection part (130) which is arranged between the first piezo bender actuator (110) and the second piezo bender actuator (120). The device (100) also comprises a movable fiber (150) which is mounted to the connection part (130).

Abstract: A polarization scrambler using a retardance element (RE) is disclosed. The polarization scrambler may include an optical fiber input to transmit an optical signal, and a beam expander to receive and expand the optical signal to create an expanded optical signal. The polarization scrambler may include a retardance element (RE) to cause a polarization scrambling effect on the expanded optical signal and to create a scrambled expanded optical signal. The polarization scrambler may include a beam reducer to receive and reduce the scrambled expanded optical signal to create a scrambled optical signal. The polarization scrambler may include an optical fiber output to receive scrambled optical signal. The optical fiber output may transmit the scrambled optical signal to one or more downstream optical components.

Abstract: Process margin relaxation is provided in relation to a compensated-for process via a first optical device, fabricated to satisfy an operational specification when a compensated-for process is within a first tolerance range; a second optical device, fabricated to satisfy the operational specification when the compensated-for process is within second tolerance range, different than the first tolerance range; a first optical switch connected to an input and configured to output an optical signal received from the input to one of the first optical device and the second optical device; and a second optical switch configured to combine outputs from the first optical device and the second optical device.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for single-pixel imaging using quantum light, the apparatus including: a light source which generates a photon pair through spontaneously parametric down conversion of a non-linear crystal and splits the photon pair into an idler photon of first polarized light and a signal photon of second polarized light; a signal processing unit which aligns the signal photon with the first polarized light and modulates the signal photon with a pattern of a spatial light modulator, and sends the modulated signal photon to a target; and a signal detecting unit which simultaneously measures signal photons collected after an interaction of the idler photon and the target to obtain an image.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to monolithically integrating an optical gyroscope fabricated on a planar silicon platform as a photonic integrated circuit with a MEMS accelerometer on the same die. The accelerometer can be controlled by electronic circuitry that controls the optical gyroscope. The optical gyroscope may have a microresonator ring or a multi-turn waveguide coil. Gaps may be introduced between adjacent waveguide turns to reduce cross-talk and improve sensitivity and packing density of the optical gyroscope.

Abstract: Structures including a grating coupler and methods of forming a structure that includes a grating coupler. The grating coupler includes segments that are spaced along a longitudinal axis. Each segment is inclined relative to the longitudinal axis. Each segment includes a first curved section having a first curvature and a second curved section having a second curvature that is inverted relative to the first curvature.

Abstract: A wavelength dispersion amount estimation apparatus includes a correlation signal generation unit configured to generate, from a receive signal, a first signal including a main signal of the receive signal and a second signal, which includes an image signal corresponding to the main signal, with a shift by a baud rate of the receive signal relative to the first signal in a frequency domain, a correlation calculation unit configured to calculate a cross correlation of the first signal and the second signal, and a dispersion amount calculation unit configured to calculate a wavelength dispersion amount, based on a position of a peak of the cross correlation.

Abstract: An optical waveguide in which a grating coupler is formed, a first pattern region arranged to surround the grating coupler, and a second pattern region arranged to surround the grating coupler are included. The first pattern region and the second pattern region are arranged adjacently. In a periphery of the grating coupler, the first pattern region is formed in a region continuous in a circumferential direction. Similarly, in the periphery of the grating coupler, the second pattern region is formed in a region continuous in the circumferential direction.

Abstract: A mode converter for converting mode of propagating light is provided. The mode converter includes: a mode order conversion unit that includes an input-side first rib unit, an output-side first rib unit that extends along the input-side first rib unit, and a first slab unit arranged between the input-side first rib unit and the output-side first rib unit; and a rib channel conversion unit that includes an output-side second rib unit that is in contact with the output-side first rib unit, a second slab unit that is in contact with the first slab unit and a side surface of the output-side second rib unit, and a third slab unit that is in contact with another side surface of the output-side second rib unit.

Abstract: A fiber laser system includes a high power pump laser, an optical fiber that is aligned to receive output from the high power pump laser. The fiber laser system includes a first pair of orthogonally opposed, periodic electrode structures longitudinally aligned on opposite first and second sides of the optical fiber. The fiber laser system includes a controller that is communicatively coupled to the first pair of periodic electrode structures. The controller performs variable period poling of the first pair of periodic electrode structures to achieve quasi-phase matching (QPM).

Abstract: A waveguide for guiding an electro-magnetic wave comprises: a first waveguide part; and a second waveguide part; wherein the first waveguide part has a first width in a first direction (Y) perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the electro-magnetic wave and the second waveguide part has a second width in the first direction (Y), wherein the second width is larger than the first width; and wherein the first and the second waveguide parts are spaced apart by a gap in a second direction (Z) perpendicular to the first and second planes in which the waveguide parts are formed, wherein the gap has a size which is sufficiently small such that the first and second waveguide parts unitely form a single waveguide for guiding the electro-magnetic wave. The waveguide may be used in numerous applications, such as in a photonic integrated circuit, in a sensor or in an actuator.

Abstract: Large mode area optical fibers include cores that are selected to be smaller than a core size associated with a minimum mode field diameter of a lowest order mode. Cross-sectional shape of such cores can be circular or annular, and a plurality of such cores can be used. Gain regions can be provided in cores or claddings, and selected to produce a selected state of polarization.

Abstract: A photodiode including a p-type region and an n-type region formed in a core of a grating coupler is provided. The p-type region and the n-type region are each formed as a region having a rectangular shape extending in an array direction of a grating as seen in plan view and are arranged in a direction orthogonal to the array direction of the grating and parallel to a plane of a substrate. A plurality of the p-type regions and a plurality of the n-type regions are formed and alternately arranged.

Abstract: A photonic integrated circulator can be fabricated by including a plurality of polarizing beam splitters and optical polarization rotators such that two copies of the optical signal are output at a receiver in substantially aligned polarization states. The circulator can be used for facilitating bi-directional communications between photonic integrated circuit devices, which are inherently polarization sensitive, while reducing signal loss.

Abstract: A polarization controller comprising: (i) an optical fiber, and (ii) a carrier surrounding the optical fiber, the carrier comprising an off-center through hole with at least one collapsed region, such that the optical fiber is situated within the through hole and contacts the at least one collapsed region of the through hole, and the collapsed region exerts pressure on the optical fiber.

Abstract: An OCT system includes an OCT optical system and a reference attachment. The OCT optical system has a beam splitter for splitting light into a measurement optical path and a reference optical path, a photodetector, a first waveguide, a second waveguide, and first connectors provided at end portions of the first waveguide and the second waveguide respectively for indirectly or directly connecting the first waveguide and the second waveguide. The reference attachment has a third waveguide, and second connectors formed at both ends of the third wave guide and configured to be attachable to and detachable from the first connector, and is attached to and detached from the OCT optical system h attaching and detaching each of the second connectors to and from the first connector to change an optical path length of the reference optical path.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a radiation source is disclosed. In one arrangement, the radiation source includes a gas cell having a window, an optical fiber that is hollow and has an axial direction, an end thereof being enclosed within the gas cell and optically coupled to the window via an optical path, and a surface, disposed around the end of the optical fiber, and extending past the end of the optical fiber in the axial direction towards the window so as to limit one or more selected from: the exchange of gas between the optical path and the remainder of the gas cell, ingress of plasma towards or into the optical fiber, and/or radical flux towards etch-susceptible surfaces.

Abstract: A narrow linewidth laser in which an all-optical feedback line-up is used to improve the linewidth from a conventional laser source, such as a laser diode. The feedback line-up comprises an optical device having a controllable unbalanced optical coupler arranged on a cavity input path to couple a source signal from the laser source into the optical cavity, and to couple a seed signal received back from the optical cavity into the laser source. The seed signal has a lower power than the source signal. The unbalanced optical coupler may be an optical isolator arranged to couple the seed signal into the laser source at a power level selected to promote preferential stimulated emission within a narrower linewidth. By controlling the power of seed signal such that only a small portion thereof influences the lasing cavity, the narrowing effect of the preferential stimulated emission can be enhanced.

Abstract: Light recycling within a waveguide is achieved by mode conversion instead of resonance. A structure is provided in in which light makes multiple passes through the same waveguide by converting the mode to a different mode after each pass and rerouting the light back into the same waveguide. The structure includes a bus waveguide and at least one mode converter device disposed at or adjacent each of two opposing ends of the bus waveguide, wherein each mode converter devices is configured to receive light having a receiving mode along a first direction and to cause light having a different mode from the receiving mode to propagate in a second direction opposite the first direction.

Abstract: A light guiding assembly and a fabricating method, a backlight module, and a display device are provided. The light guiding assembly includes a waveguide layer, and a coupling grating structure including at least two gratings, wherein at least one of the at least two gratings is located inside the waveguide layer, and orthographic projections of the at least two gratings on a surface of the waveguide layer at least partially overlap, the coupling grating structure being configured such that incident light propagates in the waveguide layer.

Abstract: Integrated passive/active modulator units, integrated passive/active modulators comprising one or more units, and corresponding methods of fabrication and use are provided. In an example embodiment, a unit comprises an upstream passive portion comprising a passive waveguide; a downstream passive portion comprising a continuation of the passive waveguide; and an active portion between the upstream passive portion and the downstream passive portion. The active portion comprises an active waveguide and electrical contacts in electrical communication with the active waveguide. The active waveguide comprises an upstream taper and/or a downstream taper. The upstream taper is configured to optically couple the active waveguide to the passive waveguide of the upstream portion and the downstream taper is configured to optically couple the active waveguide to the continuation of the passive waveguide of the downstream portion.

Abstract: A photonic integrated circuit, an optoelectronic modulator, and a method of modulating light in a photonic integrated circuit are provided. The photonic integrated circuit comprises: an input waveguide which, in use, receives light in a superposition of two polarisation modes of the waveguide; a polarisation splitter, connected to the input waveguide, and configured to provide, at a first output, light in a first polarisation mode of the two polarisation modes of the waveguide and, at a second output, light in a second polarisation mode of the two polarisation modes of the waveguide; a first polarisation rotator, connected to the first output of the polarisation splitter, and configured to rotate light received therefrom from the first polarisation mode to the second polarisation mode; an optoelectronic modulator, having a first modulation waveguide connected to the first polarisation rotator and a second modulation waveguide connected to the second output of the polarisation splitter.

Abstract: A two-channel photonic demultiplexer includes an input region to receive a multi-channel optical signal, two output regions, each adapted to receive a corresponding one of two distinct wavelength channels demultiplexed from the multi-channel optical signal, and a dispersive region including a first material and a second material inhomogeneously interspersed to form a plurality of interfaces that collectively structure the dispersive region to optically separate each of the two distinct wavelength channels from the multi-channel optical signal and respectively guide the first distinct wavelength channel to a first output region and the second distinct wavelength channel to the second output region when the input region receives the multi-channel optical signal. At least one of the first material or the second material is structured within the dispersive region to be schematically reproducible by a feature shape with a pre-determined width.

Abstract: A varifocal optical assembly includes a plurality of optical elements configured to transmit light in successive optical stages. Each respective optical stage of the successive optical stages includes at least one respective optical element of the plurality of optical elements and is configurable to be in one of a first state and a second state. The respective optical stage in the first state has a first respective optical power for light of a first polarization and a second respective optical power for light of a second polarization. The respective optical stage in the second state has a third optical power for light of the first polarization and a fourth optical power for light of the second polarization. The optical power of varifocal optical assembly is adjustable by changing the states of one or more of the successive optical stages.

Abstract: A magneto-optical waveguide device includes a waveguide coupled with a magneto-optical crystal material. The magneto-optical waveguide device includes a patterned nanostructure within the magneto-optical crystal material that includes an internal optical waveguide through the magneto-optical crystal material. The patterned nanostructure modifies the refractive index of the magneto-optical crystal material below diffraction limit. The patterned nanostructure creates metamaterial effective properties that optimize core-cladding inside the magneto-optical crystal material to create the optical waveguide.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, a system that facilitates determining from a training session with a waveguide system that one or more polarized modes of electromagnetic waves propagating along a transmission medium are experiencing differing propagation delays and adjusting a coupler to mitigate the differing propagation delays. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A LiDAR system includes an optical source to emit an optical beam and a PSR a silicon nitride based waveguide to split and rotate an optical beam. The silicon nitride based waveguide includes a first silicon nitride segment including a first layer and a second layer, the first silicon nitride segment having tapered widths along a longitudinal direction. The second layer includes a first section extending from a first end of the first silicon nitride segment to a converging plane with increasing widths and a second section extending from the converging plane to a second end of the first silicon nitride segment with decreasing widths. The LIDAR system further includes an optical element to generate a local oscillator (LO) signal and an optical detector to mix the target return signal with the LO signal to generate a heterodyne signal to extract range and velocity information of the target.

Abstract: A Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) filter comprising one or more passive compensation structures are described. The passive compensation structures yield MZI filters that are intrinsically tolerant to perturbations in waveguide dimensions and/or other ambient conditions. The use of n+1 waveguide widths can mitigate n different sources of perturbation to the filter. The use of at least three different waveguide widths for each Mach-Zehnder waveguide can alleviate sensitivity of filter performance to random width or temperature variations. A tolerance compensation portion is positioned between a first coupler section and a second coupler section, wherein the tolerance compensation portion includes a first compensation section having a second width, a second compensation section having a third width and a third compensation section having a fourth width, wherein the fourth width is greater than the third width and the third width is greater than the second width.

Abstract: An optical communication system is configured to transmit and receive at least four multiplexed, differently-polarized, optically-transmitted signals. Each signal is associated with a predefined state of polarization. An optical transmitter is configured to transmit multiplexed, differently polarized, optically transmitted signals. An optical receiver is configured to receive the optically transmitted signals. The system includes a multi-polarization analyzer circuit configured to obtain an analyzed signal for each of the polarized signals in Stokes space. The analyzer circuit is configured to determine if the multiplexed signal has been transformed by extreme polarization-dependent loss (PDL), the receiver correcting for the extreme polarization-dependent loss.

Abstract: A system for measuring a polarization extinction ratio (PER) using a reference master test jumper (MTJ) is disclosed. The system may include an optical source to transmit an optical signal via an optical fiber. The system may also include a device under test (DUT) communicatively coupled to the optical source via the optical fiber to receive the optical signal from the optical source. The system may also include an optical measurement component communicatively coupled to the device under test (DUT). In some examples, the optical fiber may be configured or initialized to be a reference master test jumper (MTJ) that minimizes inherent polarization extinction ratio (PER) of the optical fiber when measuring a polarization extinction ratio (PER) during a measurement action.

Abstract: A polarization-independent, optical circulator is formed in silicon photonics. The polarization-independent, optical circulator uses an optical splitter having two couplers and two waveguides joining the two couplers. One of the two waveguides is thinner than the other to create a large effective index difference between TE and TM modes transmitted through the one waveguide. Polarization rotators, including reciprocal and/or non-reciprocal rotators, are further used to create the optical circulator.

Abstract: A waveguide device includes two diffractive optical elements, a waveguide element, and two polarizing units. Each of the diffractive optical elements has a grating configured to diffract light of a wavelength to propagate with a diffraction angle. The waveguide element is configured to guide light propagated from one of the diffractive optical elements to the other of the diffractive optical elements. The polarizing units are at opposite surfaces of the waveguide element and optically coupled between the diffractive optical elements. Each of the polarizing units is configured to reflect light of a first polarization characteristic and transmit light of a second polarization characteristic.

Abstract: An integrated optical component includes at least one input waveguide, at least one output waveguide; a first slab waveguide having a first refractive index, n1. The first slab waveguide may be disposed between at least one of the input waveguides and at least one of the output waveguides. The integrated optical component may further include a second slab waveguide having a second refractive index, n2. The integrated optical component may also include a third cladding slab having a third refractive index, n3. The third cladding slab may be disposed between the first slab and the second slab. The thickness of the second slab waveguide and the thickness of the third slab waveguide are adjustable to reduce a birefringence of the integrated optical component.

Abstract: A waveguide coupling structure includes: a first section that supports a mode that has an associated first intensity profile that substantially overlaps with an intensity profile associated with a mode supported by a first waveguide portion at a first end of the waveguide coupling structure; a second section that supports a mode that has an associated second intensity profile that substantially overlaps with an intensity profile associated with a mode supported by a second waveguide portion at a second end of the waveguide coupling structure; and a third section, between the first section and the second section, comprising a core structure on a bottom cladding and a supporting structure on the bottom cladding. The supporting structure: (1) overlaps with at least a portion of an intensity profile associated with a guided mode of the third section, and (2) has a shape that is asymmetric with respect to a propagation axis of the guided mode in a plane parallel to a surface of the bottom cladding.

Abstract: An optical signal modulated with a stream of symbols comprising a sequence of training symbols is received at a receiver. First equalizer circuitry calculates and applies first coefficients to digital signals representative of the optical signal, thereby resulting in first compensated signals. Second equalizer circuitry calculates second coefficients based on a correlation between the first compensated signals and digital signals representative of the sequence of training symbols and applies the second coefficients to the first compensated signals, thereby resulting in second compensated signals. Third equalizer circuitry calculates and applies third coefficients to the second compensated signals, thereby resulting in third compensated signals. The first, second, and third coefficients compensate for impairments in the optical signal varying at respective first, second, and third rates, where the third rate is higher than the first rate and lower than the second rate.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, a system for determining from one or more conditions a range of energy that can be obtained from a transmission medium to power the first waveguide system, selecting according to the range of energy a group of components of a plurality of selectable components of the first waveguide system, and enabling the group of components and powering down a remainder of the plurality of selectable components, wherein the group of components facilitates an exchange of electromagnetic waves between the first waveguide system and a second waveguide system via the transmission medium. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for controlling aerosol streams being deposited onto a substrate via pneumatic shuttering. The aerosol stream is surrounded and focused by an annular co-flowing sheath gas in the print head of the apparatus. A boost gas flows to a vacuum pump during printing of the aerosol. A valve adds the boost gas to the sheath gas at the appropriate time, and a portion of the two gases is deflected in a direction opposite to the aerosol flow direction to at least partially prevent the aerosol from passing through the deposition nozzle. Some or all of the aerosol is combined with that portion of the boost gas and sheath gas and is exhausted from the print head. By precisely balancing the flows into and out of the print head, maintaining the flow rates of the aerosol and sheath gas approximately constant, and keeping the boost gas flowing during both printing and shuttering, the transition time between printing and partial or full shuttering of the aerosol stream is minimized.

Abstract: An optical fiber, comprising: (i) a core, (ii) a cladding surrounding the core, (iii) at least one stress member adjacent the fiber core and situated within the cladding, said stress member comprising silica doped with F.

Abstract: A landing station whose monitoring equipment employs a depolarized light source for generating the supervisory optical signals that are used to monitor certain performance characteristics of the corresponding submerged fiber-optic cable plant. In some embodiments, the depolarized light source operates to provide amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) within the bandwidths of the supervisory wavelength channels, with the supervisory optical signals being generated by modulating the provided ASE. In some other embodiments, the depolarized light source operates to generate a supervisory optical signal by modulating two carrier waves having (i) mutually orthogonal polarizations and (ii) different respective carrier wavelengths both of which are within the bandwidth of the corresponding supervisory wavelength channel.