An optical apparatus for spectrally shaping a laser beam within a fiber MOPA laser is disclosed. The apparatus includes a birefringent optic and a linear polarizer. The laser beam is divided between two orthogonal polarization axes of the birefringent optic having polarization mode dispersion. Propagation of the laser beam through the birefringent optic causes a wavelength-dependent phase shift between components of the laser beam in the two polarization axes. A polarizing direction of the polarizer is oriented between the two polarization axes. Propagation of the polarization-dispersed laser beam through the polarizer modulates the power spectral density of a transmitted portion of the laser beam. This spectral modulation can be tuned to shape a Gaussian spectral distribution from the master oscillator into a uniform spectral distribution for amplification by the power amplifier. The uniform spectrally-shaped laser beam can be amplified to higher powers than the original Gaussian laser beam.

An optical device includes a thin film Lithium Niobate (LN) layer, a first optical waveguide, and a second optical waveguide. The thin film LN layer is an X-cut or a Y-cut LN layer. The first optical waveguide is an optical waveguide that is formed on the thin film LN layer along a direction that is substantially perpendicular to a Z direction of a crystal axis of the thin film LN layer. The second optical waveguide is an optical waveguide that is routed and connected to the first optical waveguide. At least a part of a core of the first optical waveguide is made thicker than a core of the second optical waveguide.

An optical modulator includes a waveguide layer, an electro-optical material layer, and electrodes. The waveguide layer includes a sub-wavelength waveguide; the electro-optical material layer is disposed on a surface of the sub-wavelength waveguide, and the sub-wavelength waveguide is configured to diffuse a light field at the waveguide layer into the electro-optical material layer; the electrodes are disposed on a surface of the electro-optical material layer, and a connection line between the electrodes is parallel to a plane on which the electro-optical material layer is located, or the electrodes are disposed on two sides of the electro-optical material layer, and a connection line between the electrodes intersects with a plane on which the electro-optical material layer is located; and the electrodes are configured to apply an electrical signal to the electro-optical material layer.

An optical modulator includes a waveguide layer, an electro-optical material layer, and electrodes. The waveguide layer includes a sub-wavelength waveguide; the electro-optical material layer is disposed on a surface of the sub-wavelength waveguide, and the sub-wavelength waveguide is configured to diffuse a light field at the waveguide layer into the electro-optical material layer; the electrodes are disposed on a surface of the electro-optical material layer, and a connection line between the electrodes is parallel to a plane on which the electro-optical material layer is located, or the electrodes are disposed on two sides of the electro-optical material layer, and a connection line between the electrodes intersects with a plane on which the electro-optical material layer is located; and the electrodes are configured to apply an electrical signal to the electro-optical material layer.

An optical device includes an optical waveguide, a buffer layer that is layered on the optical waveguide, and an opening that is formed at least in the buffer layer above a part near a side surface of the optical waveguide. The optical device further includes an electrode that is layered in the opening and that is configured to apply a signal to the optical waveguide and a silicon layer that is layered on the buffer layer excluding the opening.

An optical device includes an optical waveguide, a buffer layer that is layered on the optical waveguide, and an electrode that is arranged on a surface of the buffer layer that is layered in a part near the optical waveguide and that applies an electric signal to the optical waveguide. The optical device further includes a slit that is formed in the buffer layer, that extends from the surface of the buffer layer to a vicinity of the optical waveguide, and that is filled with part of the electrode.

An optical device including a waveguide and an electrode is described. The waveguide includes at least one optical material having an electro-optic effect. The electrode includes a channel region and extensions protruding from the channel region. The extensions are closer to a portion of the waveguide than the channel region is.

An optical device includes an X-cut substrate, and a first waveguide and a second waveguide each being formed on the substrate and having a folding structure. The optical device includes a first signal electrode to generate a first electric field, and a second signal electrode to generate a second electric field with a reverse phase as compared to the first field. The first waveguide includes a first waveguide on an outward side to which the first field is applied from the first signal electrode, and a first waveguide on a return side to which the second field is applied from the second signal electrode. The second waveguide includes a second waveguide on the outward side to which the first field is applied from the first signal electrode, and a second waveguide on the return side to which the second field is applied from the second signal electrode.

An optical device includes an X-cut substrate, and a first waveguide and a second waveguide each being formed on the substrate and having a folding structure. The optical device includes a first signal electrode to generate a first electric field, and a second signal electrode to generate a second electric field with a reverse phase as compared to the first field. The first waveguide includes a first waveguide on an outward side to which the first field is applied from the first signal electrode, and a first waveguide on a return side to which the second field is applied from the second signal electrode. The second waveguide includes a second waveguide on the outward side to which the first field is applied from the first signal electrode, and a second waveguide on the return side to which the second field is applied from the second signal electrode.

A method includes receiving light at a light input of an electro-optic modulator device. The method includes directing the light via the light input into optical waveguides in an optical layer of an electro-optic modulator of the electro-optic modulator device. The method includes receiving a signal at an electric input of the electro-optic modulator device. The electric input is associated with an input impedance. The method includes providing the signal to an electrode structure of the electro-optic modulator. The electrode structure generates an electrical field based on the signal. The electric field modulates light in the optical waveguides to produce modulated light based on the signal. The electrode structure includes a constant impedance section associated with a second impedance less than the input impedance. The method also includes providing the modulated light based on the signal from the optical layer to one or more output optic fibers.