Described herein are photonic communication platforms that can overcome the memory bottleneck problem, thereby enabling scaling of memory capacity and bandwidth well beyond what is possible with conventional computing systems. Some embodiments provide photonic communication platforms that involve use of photonic modules. Each photonic module includes programmable photonic circuits for placing the module in optical communication with other modules based on the needs of a particular application. The architecture developed by the inventors relies on the use of common photomask sets (or at least one common photomask) to fabricate multiple photonic modules in a single wafer. Photonic modules in multiple wafers can be linked together into a communication platform using optical or electronic means.

Described are embodiments of methods for determining physiological data, such as vital signs, by using an optical diagnostic sensor, the method comprising receiving at a semiconductor material, which is located between a photodiode and a trench, an opening into silicon, or a backside wafer-level package (WLP) coating, light of a first wavelength and light of a second wavelength that are above the wavelength of red light, the semiconductor material acting as a filter that blocks wavelengths below the wavelength of red light; detecting, at the photodiode, light of at least one of the first wavelength or the second wavelength; and using the detected light to determine a vital sign.

MicroLEDs may be used in providing intra-chip optical communications and/or inter-chip optical communications, for example within a multi-chip module or semiconductor package containing multiple integrated circuit semiconductor chips. In some embodiments the integrated circuit semiconductor chips may be distributed across different shelves in a rack. The optical interconnections may make use of optical couplings, for example in the form of lens(es) and/or mirrors. In some embodiments arrays of microLEDs and arrays of photodetectors are used in providing parallel links, which in some embodiments are duplex links.

An apparatus includes a photonic integrated circuit having an optical phased array and multiple arms. The optical phased array includes multiple unit cells, and each unit cell includes an antenna element configured to transmit or receive optical signals. The multiple arms are configured to modify the optical signals transmitted or received by the optical phased array. Each arm is controllable to provide at least one of temporal squint correction and frequency dispersion squint correction. The photonic integrated circuit may include electro-optic modulators, and the electro-optic modulators may be configured to provide controllable delays to the optical signals transmitted or received by the optical phased array. The photonic integrated circuit may include dispersive compensation elements, and the dispersive compensation elements may be configured to use controllable phase-frequency relationships to adjust the optical signals transmitted or received by the optical phased array in order to provide frequency dispersion squint correction.

Technologies for expanded beam optical connectors are disclosed. In an illustrative embodiment, a lens array attached to a substrate includes several lenses aligned to optical fibers positioned in grooves in the substrate. The lens array also includes optical fiducials, such as opaque optical fiducials. Auxiliary optical fibers are aligned to the optical fiducials. Light can be sent through the auxiliary optical fibers and onto the optical fiducials, and a pattern of light can be detected after the optical fiducials. The pattern of light can be used to determine a position and/or orientation error of the lens array. The error can be used as feedback in several possible ways, such as repositioning the lens array, positioning a guide pin to match the position and direction of beams through the lenses, or adjusting a parameter of a manufacturing process.

An optical light package includes an optical output lens, an optical filter located thereunder and between the output lens and LEDS, a tray of LEDs arrayed on a stage mounted on a linear comb based MEMS device that is distributed in such a way that the stage is movable, and a driver that controls movement of the stage.

Integrated-optics systems are presented in which an optically active device is optically coupled with a silicon waveguide via a passive compound-semiconductor waveguide. In a first region, the passive waveguide and the optically active device collectively define a composite waveguide structure, where the optically active device functions as the central ridge portion of a rib-waveguide structure. The optically active device is configured to control the vertical position of an optical mode in the composite waveguide along its length such that the optical mode is optically coupled into the passive waveguide with low loss. The passive waveguide and the silicon waveguide collectively define a vertical coupler in a second region, where the passive and silicon waveguides are configured to control the distribution of the optical mode along the length of the coupler, thereby enabling the entire mode to transition between the passive and silicon waveguides with low loss.

Integrated-optics systems are presented in which an active-material stack is disposed on a coupling layer in a first region to collectively define an OA waveguide that supports an optical mode of a light signal. The coupling layer is patterned to define a coupling waveguide and a passive waveguide, which are formed as two abutting, optically coupled segments of the coupling layer. The lateral dimensions of the active-material stack are configured to control the shape and vertical position of the optical mode at any location along the length of the OA waveguide. The active-material stack includes a taper that narrows along its length such that the optical mode is located completely in the coupling waveguide where the coupling waveguide abuts the passive waveguide. In some embodiments, the passive layer is optically coupled with the OA waveguide and a silicon waveguide, thereby enabling light to propagate between them.

A switch module includes a switch integrated circuit (IC), a silicon photonics chips, and an interface having removably coupled first side and second side. The first side includes a lens array optically coupled to a SiP chip and the second side includes a connector having a plurality of planar lightwave circuits (PLCs) optically coupled to another lens array.

An optical waveguide connection structure connects a Si waveguide and an optical fiber to each other with a bonding layer interposed therebetween. The Si waveguide has a core whose cross-sectional area in the direction perpendicular to the direction of propagation of light decreases toward the optical fiber, and a cladding that covers the core. The optical fiber has a fiber core, a fiber cladding that covers the fiber core, and a recess formed in an end face opposed to the Si waveguide. The bonding layer fills a gap between the end face of the Si waveguide and the end face of the optical fiber and the recess, and the bonding layer has a refractive index greater than the refractive index of the fiber core of the optical fiber.