A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) having a substrate in which vertically coupled photodetectors and in-line optical modulators are integrated to enable vertical coupling of light using a fiber assembly block (FAB), with the planar end surface thereof being attached to a substantially planar main surface of the substrate. In an example embodiment, the photodetectors are buried in deep vias formed in the substrate, and the in-line optical modulators are waveguide-connected to the corresponding vertical-coupling optical gratings. The photodetectors and optical gratings may be arranged in a linear array along the main surface of the substrate to enable uncomplicated optical alignment of end segments of the optical fibers in the FAB with the corresponding photodetectors and optical gratings for vertical coupling of light therebetween. In some embodiments, the FAB may have more than one hundred optical fibers. In some embodiments, the PIC can be implemented using the silicon photonics material platform.

An optical fiber mold device has a first portion that includes a base layer having a longitudinal feature configured to receive an optical fiber. At least one second portion is disposed over the base layer. The second portion has a center wall and front and back end walls. The center wall, the front end wall, and the back end wall form a mold cavity. At least one first hole is disposed in the mold cavity and is configured to allow mold material to enter the mold cavity. At least one second hole in the mold cavity is configured to allow air displaced by the mold material to exit the mold cavity.

An optical assembly includes stacked first and second planar lightwave circuit (PLC) members each having a plurality of waveguides in respective first and second planes, to provide optical connections between a two-dimensional array and a one-dimensional array of external optical waveguides (e.g., optical fiber cores). Inner faces of first and second PLC members are arranged facing one another and with the first and second planes (corresponding to the pluralities of first and second waveguides, respectively) being non-parallel. An optical assembly may provide optical connections between arrays of cores having a different pitch to serve as a fanout interface. Methods for fabricating an optical assembly are further provided.

An optical adjustment apparatus includes a measurement-light irradiation part that has a plurality of second optical fibers and emits, with timings different from each other, a plurality of lights having a single wavelength via the second optical fibers, an optical fiber block that holds exit-side end portions of the first and second optical fibers, a light detection part that receives and detects a plurality of reflected lights via the second optical fibers, a tilt calculation part that compares, with each other, variations with time of intensities of the respective reflected lights and calculates a tilt of the optical fiber block relative to the optical substrate, and a distance calculation part that calculates an inter-end surface distance between the optical substrate and the optical fiber block, based on a variation with time of an intensity of at least one reflected light.

A semiconductor device including a singulated structure and an optical fiber assembly is provided. The singulated structure includes a photonic die, an electronic die connected to the photonic die and an optical element over the photonic die. The optical fiber assembly is disposed on a top of the singulated structure and includes a holder and an optical fiber structure. The holder keeps an air gap from the optical element. The optical fiber structure is carried by the holder and configured to be optically communicated with the photonic die through the optical element.

An optical ferrule includes an optical coupling member with a light redirecting element that redirects input light from a waveguide toward an output window. The optical coupling member has a mating surface configured to slidably mate with a mating optical coupling member along a longitudinal axis of the optical ferrule. The optical ferrule also includes at least one stacking member along a longitudinal edge of the optical coupling member. The stacking member has a distal end extending beyond one of the mating surface and a top surface opposed to the mating surface. The stacking member also has a contact surface opposed to the distal end. The contact surface is configured to rotatably interface with a corresponding distal end of a of an adjacently stacked optical ferrule.

Optical connectors that substantially preserve alignment and are easy to manufacture. The alignment system using the optical connectors disclosed herein include a first housing, a second housing and an alignment component, the said alignment component configured to provide optical alignment between the optical components.

An optical fiber inspection system may include an alignment guide having a sleeve portion and a mechanical key structure. The sleeve portion may comprise a first opening arranged to be proximal to one or more optical components in an inspection device and a second opening arranged to be distal to the one or more optical components when the alignment guide is removably engaged with the inspection device. The mechanical key structure may be located adjacent to the second opening and have a shape to engage a geometry of one or more recesses in a bulkhead. Accordingly, the alignment guide may stabilize the inspection device at a particular angle relative to an end face of an object in a field of view of the one or more optical components when a shaft of the inspection device is inserted into the bulkhead.

A method of preparing an overmolded optical fiber assembly comprising: (a) placing at least one flexible optical circuit in a bottom mold, said bottom mold defining a bottom overmold cavity having a bottom surface, said at least one flexible optical circuit having a substrate and a plurality of fibers adhered to said substrate, said substrate being disposed within said bottom overmold cavity to define a first space between said substrate and said bottom surface; (b) flowing a polymer in at least said first space; (c) placing a top mold over said substrate, said top mold defining a top overmold cavity and a top surface and a port defined in said top surface to access said top overmold cavity, said substrate defining a second space between said top surface and said substrate; (d) flowing a polymer in at least a portion of said second space; and (e) removing said bottom and top molds to release said overmolded optical circuit.

A fiber optic assembly is provided including a support substrate having a substantially flat surface and a signal-fiber array supported on the support substrate. The signal-fiber array includes a plurality of optical fibers. At least some of the optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers includes a first datum contact disposed between the optical fiber and an adjacent optical fiber and each of the optical fibers of the plurality of optical fibers includes a second datum contact disposed between each of the optical fibers of the plurality of optical fibers and the support substrate. A first datum surface is disposed at a top surface of each of the plurality of optical fibers opposite the support surface.