A surface-guiding photonic device includes a planar, tempered glass, comprising a bulk layer and a tempered superficial layer contiguous with the bulk layer. The superficial layer is at least partly exposed to air and has an intrinsic gradient refractive index in a direction z perpendicular to a main plane of the glass, whereas the bulk layer has a refractive index that is essentially constant along direction z. The average refractive index of the superficial layer is larger than each of: (i) the average refractive index of the bulk layer; and (ii) the refractive index of air. The glass can include lateral structures, e.g., trenches, extending parallel to the propagation direction y, so as for the device to have a rib waveguide-like configuration. The lateral structures form recesses in the superficial layer, so as to laterally confine radiation propagating in the tempered superficial layer, by total internal reflection.

A waveguide that includes a first cladding layer, the first cladding layer having an index of refraction, n.sub.3; a gradient index layer positioned adjacent the first cladding layer; an assist layer positioned adjacent the gradient index layer, the assist layer having an index of refraction, n.sub.2; a core layer positioned adjacent the assist layer, the core layer having an index of refraction, n.sub.1; and a second cladding layer, the second cladding layer having an index of refraction, n.sub.4, wherein n.sub.1 is greater than n.sub.2, n.sub.3, and n.sub.4; and n.sub.2 is greater than n.sub.3 and n.sub.4.

There are provided an SPR sensor cell and sensor, both having very excellent detection sensitivity. The SPR sensor cell includes: an under-cladding layer; a core layer, at least a part of the core layer being adjacent to the under-cladding layer; and a metal layer covering the core layer. The core layer includes a uniform layer and a gradient layer arranged between the uniform layer and the under-cladding layer; a refractive index N.sub.CO of the uniform layer satisfies a relationship of 1.34N.sub.CO<1.44; a refractive index N.sub.CL of the under-cladding layer and the refractive index N.sub.CO of the uniform layer satisfy a relationship of N.sub.CON.sub.CL0.020; and a refractive index of the gradient layer gradually increases from an under-cladding layer side to a uniform layer side in a thickness direction of the gradient layer within a range of from more than the N.sub.CL to less than the N.sub.CO.

A light detection and ranging apparatus (LIDAR) includes at least one waveguide including a first cladding layer having a first refractive index and a second cladding layer having multiple second refractive indexes to expand an optical mode of an optical beam propagating within the waveguide. The second refractive indexes include a gradient of refractive indexes and the first refractive index is less than the second refractive indexes.

Silicon Photonics is a candidate technology for adding integrated optics functionality, either passive or active optical waveguides) to integrated circuits by leveraging the economies of scale of the CMOS microelectronics industry and using materials for the waveguide core such as silicon nitride (Si.sub.XN.sub.Y) and silicon oxynitride (SiO.sub.XN.sub.1-X) for example. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) provide for movable platforms relative to the substrate allowing additional functionality to be added to a silicon circuit but also Silicon Photonics. Accordingly, by combining fixed waveguides formed upon the substrate with movable waveguides formed upon one or more movable platforms the inventors have established a series of Integrated Optics MEMS (IO-MEMS) based on Silicon Photonics. Such IO-MEMS include optical switches, optical attenuators, optical gates, optical switch matrices, configurable wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer devices, etc. exploiting both platforms and deformable beams.

Silicon Photonics is a candidate technology for adding integrated optics functionality, either passive or active optical waveguides) to integrated circuits by leveraging the economies of scale of the CMOS microelectronics industry and using materials for the waveguide core such as silicon nitride (Si.sub.XN.sub.Y) and silicon oxynitride (SiO.sub.XN.sub.1-X) for example. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) provide for movable platforms relative to the substrate allowing additional functionality to be added to a silicon circuit but also Silicon Photonics. Accordingly, by combining fixed waveguides formed upon the substrate with movable waveguides formed upon one or more movable platforms the inventors have established a series of Integrated Optics MEMS (IO-MEMS) based on Silicon Photonics. Such IO-MEMS include optical switches, optical attenuators, optical gates, optical switch matrices, configurable wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer devices, etc. exploiting both platforms and deformable beams.

An optical interposer is for optically interconnecting a first optical waveguide with a second optical waveguide. The optical interposer includes: an interposer waveguide having a first end for optically connecting to the first optical waveguide and a second end for optically connecting to the second optical waveguide. The interposer waveguide is one of or a combination of a microstructured optical waveguide and graded-index optical waveguide, an interposer substrate, and at least one support structure rigidly connecting the interposer waveguide to the interposer substrate, so as to form a rigid, self-sustaining optical interposer.

A device includes a porous scaffold characterized by a scaffold refractive index. An optically written optic is embedded in the porous scaffold. A coating forms a surface of the porous scaffold. The coating includes the surface and a transition region. The surface is characterized by a surface refractive index. The transition region is characterized by a refractive index gradient that transitions between the surface refractive index and the scaffold refractive index