An electro-optic combiner includes a polarization splitter and rotator (PSR) that directs a portion of incoming light having a first polarization through a first optical waveguide (OW). The PSR rotates a portion of the incoming light having a second polarization to the first polarization to provide polarization-rotated light. The PSR directs the polarization-rotated light through a second OW. Each of the first and second OW's has a respective combiner section. The first and second OW combiner sections extend parallel to each other and have opposite light propagation directions. A plurality of ring resonators is disposed between the combiner sections of the first and second OW's and within an evanescent optically coupling distance of both the first and second OW's. Each of ring resonators operates at a respective resonant wavelength to optically couple light from the combiner section of the first OW into the combiner section of the second OW.

Example embodiments include an optical assembly for an optical interrogation system having a single core or a multicore sensing fiber, a measurement fiber to couple light into the sensing fiber, and a reference fiber arranged with the measurement fiber as part of an optical interferometer. A beam splitter combines light from the sensing fiber and with light from the reference fiber. A polarization beam splitting prism separates the combined light into first polarized light and second polarized light that is orthogonal to the first polarized light. The optical assembly can substantially reduce the size, complexity, or cost associated with the traditional optical components in an optical interrogation system that it replaces. Other example optical assemblies are described. Embodiments describe optical interrogation systems using the example optical assemblies.

A lightguide optical element (LOE) configured for polarization scrambling is provided. The LOE includes a transparent substrate having a first refractive index, the substrate having a pair of parallel external surfaces configured to propagate light within the LOE through total internal reflection (TIR), and a plurality of mutually parallel partially reflective internal surfaces, those being non-parallel to the pair of parallel external surfaces and configured to couple out said light to a viewer. The LOE further includes a first coating on at least one external surface of the substrate, the first coating being of a coating material having a second refractive index higher than the first refractive index; The LOE further includes an antireflective (AR) coating on at least one external surface of the substrate over the first coating.

Photonic devices are disclosed including a first cladding layer, a first electrical contact comprising a first lead coupled to a first dielectric portion, a second electrical contact comprising a second lead coupled to a second dielectric portion, a waveguide structure comprising a slab layer comprising a first material, and a second cladding layer. The slab layer may be coupled to the first dielectric portion of the first electrical contact and the second dielectric portion of the second electrical contact. The first dielectric portion and the second dielectric portion may have a dielectric constant greater than a dielectric constant of the first material.

Embodiments of the disclosure provide an optical polarizer with a varying vertical thickness, and methods to form the same. An optical polarizer according to the disclosure may include a first waveguide core over a semiconductor substrate. A first cladding material is on at least an upper surface of the first waveguide core. A second waveguide core over the first waveguide core and above the first cladding material. The second waveguide core includes a first segment having a vertical thickness that varies along a length of the first segment. A second cladding material is at least partially surrounding the second waveguide core. Transfer of one of a transverse electric (TE) mode signal and a transverse magnetic (TM) mode signal from the first waveguide core to the second waveguide core occurs between the first segment of the second waveguide core and the first waveguide core.

There is provided an optical power distribution system including an input optical fiber receiving light having an optical power. The optical power distribution system further includes an optical power distribution splitter optically coupled to the input optical fiber, the optical power distribution splitter including an all-dielectric optical waveguide, the optical power distribution splitter configured to divide the optical power into two or more portions. The optical power distribution system further includes an optical device optically coupled to optical power distribution splitter, the optical device including an optical waveguide having a semiconductor layer, the optical device receiving a first portion of the optical power.

In various embodiments, optical networking devices and systems are provided. One such optical networking device includes a housing, a beam splitter assembly, and a polarizer assembly. The housing includes a first passage that extends between a first opening and a second opening which are aligned with one another along a first axis, and a second passage that extends between the first passage and a third opening. The third opening is aligned with and communicatively coupled to the first passage along a second axis that is transverse to the first axis. The beam splitter assembly is positioned in the first section of the housing, and includes a first shell, a beam splitter platform, and a beam splitter. The polarizer assembly is positioned in the second section of the housing, and includes a second shell, a polarizer platform, and a polarizer.

In various embodiments, optical networking devices and systems are provided. One such optical networking device includes a housing, a beam splitter assembly, and a polarizer assembly. The housing includes a first passage that extends between a first opening and a second opening which are aligned with one another along a first axis, and a second passage that extends between the first passage and a third opening. The third opening is aligned with and communicatively coupled to the first passage along a second axis that is transverse to the first axis. The beam splitter assembly is positioned in the first section of the housing, and includes a first shell, a beam splitter platform, and a beam splitter. The polarizer assembly is positioned in the second section of the housing, and includes a second shell, a polarizer platform, and a polarizer.

An electro-optic combiner includes a polarization splitter and rotator (PSR) that directs a portion of incoming light having a first polarization through a first optical waveguide (OW). The PSR rotates a portion of the incoming light having a second polarization to the first polarization to provide polarization-rotated light. The PSR directs the polarization-rotated light through a second OW. Each of the first and second OW's has a respective combiner section. The first and second OW combiner sections extend parallel to each other and have opposite light propagation directions. A plurality of ring resonators is disposed between the combiner sections of the first and second OW's and within an evanescent optically coupling distance of both the first and second OW's. Each of ring resonators operates at a respective resonant wavelength to optically couple light from the combiner section of the first OW into the combiner section of the second OW.

The optical device can comprise a substrate having a first face opposite a second face, a thickness between the first face and the second face, the first face and the second face being planar, the first face being parallel the second face, the substrate being transparent to an electromagnetic radiation in a given spectrum; a planar polarization-dichroic focusing lens covering the first face, the lens having a first focusing power for a first polarization of the electromagnetic radiation and a second focusing power for a second polarization of the electromagnetic radiation, the second focusing power being different from the first focusing power; and a planar polarization-dichroic mirror covering the second face, the mirror being reflective to the first polarization and transparent to the second polarization.