An integrated optical component includes at least one input waveguide, at least one output waveguide; a first slab waveguide having a first refractive index, n1. The first slab waveguide may be disposed between at least one of the input waveguides and at least one of the output waveguides. The integrated optical component may further include a second slab waveguide having a second refractive index, n2. The integrated optical component may also include a third cladding slab having a third refractive index, n3. The third cladding slab may be disposed between the first slab and the second slab. The thickness of the second slab waveguide and the thickness of the third slab waveguide are adjustable to reduce a birefringence of the integrated optical component.

An integrated optical component includes at least one input waveguide, at least one output waveguide; a first slab waveguide having a first refractive index, n1. The first slab waveguide may be disposed between at least one of the input waveguides and at least one of the output waveguides. The integrated optical component may further include a second slab waveguide having a second refractive index, n2. The integrated optical component may also include a third cladding slab having a third refractive index, n3. The third cladding slab may be disposed between the first slab and the second slab. The thickness of the second slab waveguide and the thickness of the third slab waveguide are adjustable to reduce a birefringence of the integrated optical component.

A system includes: an objective lens; a first light source to feed first illuminating light through the objective lens and into a flowcell (e.g., with a relatively thin film waveguide) to be installed in the system, the first illuminating light to be fed using a first grating on the flowcell; and a first image sensor to capture imaging light using the objective lens, wherein the first grating is positioned outside a field of view of the first image sensor. Dual-surface imaging can be performed. Flowcells with multiple swaths bounded by gratings can be used. An auto-alignment process can be performed.

Waveguide-to-waveguide couplers, systems that include waveguide-to-waveguide couplers, and methods of fabricating waveguide-to-waveguide couplers. A first waveguide is coupled to a first waveguide taper, and a second waveguide is coupled to a second waveguide taper. The first waveguide and the first waveguide taper are comprised of silicon, and the second waveguide and the second waveguide taper are comprised of silicon nitride. The second waveguide and the second waveguide taper are arranged in a vertical direction over the first waveguide and the first waveguide taper.

The disclosed embodiments relate to the design of an optical phased array grating. This optical phased array grating includes an optical waveguide comprising a first material having a uniform lateral width, wherein the first material confines the optical waveguide as the optical waveguide core. It also includes an overlay layer comprising a sequence of overlays made of a second material spaced across a top surface of the optical waveguide, wherein successive overlays in the sequence have continuously varying longitudinal duty cycles and continuously varying lateral widths between an input end and an output end of the overlay layer, and wherein the second material has a lower optical index than the first material. The optical phased array grating also includes a cladding layer comprised of a third material deposited over the overlay layer and the optical waveguide.

The present application discloses an optical waveguide structure, comprising: a lower cladding layer composed of a first dielectric layer; and a core layer which is composed of a patterned structure of a second material layer and presents a strip structure. A first trench is formed in a top region of the core layer. An upper cladding layer fully fills the first trench, extends to a top surface of the core layer outside the first trench, and coats side faces of the core layer in a width direction of the core layer. A refractive index of the second material layer is greater than a refractive index of the first dielectric layer, and the refractive index of the second material layer is greater than a refractive index of the upper cladding layer. The present application also provides a method for manufacturing an optical waveguide structure.

The present application discloses an optical waveguide structure, comprising: a lower cladding layer composed of a first dielectric layer; and a core layer which is composed of a patterned structure of a second material layer and presents a strip structure. A first trench is formed in a top region of the core layer. An upper cladding layer fully fills the first trench, extends to a top surface of the core layer outside the first trench, and coats side faces of the core layer in a width direction of the core layer. A refractive index of the second material layer is greater than a refractive index of the first dielectric layer, and the refractive index of the second material layer is greater than a refractive index of the upper cladding layer. The present application also provides a method for manufacturing an optical waveguide structure.

A qualification apparatus for a photonic chip on a wafer that leaves undisturbed an edge coupler that provides an operating port for the photonic devices or circuits on the chip during normal operation in order to not introduce extra loss in the optical path of the final circuit. The qualification apparatus provides an optical path that is angled with regard to the surface of the chip, for example by using a grating coupler. The qualification apparatus can be removed after the chip is qualified. Optionally, the qualification apparatus can be left in communication with the chip and optionally employed as an input port for the chip after the chip has been separated from other chips on a common substrate.

A qualification apparatus for a photonic chip on a wafer that leaves undisturbed an edge coupler that provides an operating port for the photonic devices or circuits on the chip during normal operation in order to not introduce extra loss in the optical path of the final circuit. The qualification apparatus provides an optical path that is angled with regard to the surface of the chip, for example by using a grating coupler. The qualification apparatus can be removed after the chip is qualified. Optionally, the qualification apparatus can be left in communication with the chip and optionally employed as an input port for the chip after the chip has been separated from other chips on a common substrate.

Methods and systems for a bi-directional receiver for standard single-mode fiber based on grating couplers may include, in an integrated circuit, a multi-wavelength grating coupler, and first and second optical sources coupled to the integrated circuit: coupling first and second source optical signals at first and second wavelengths into the photonically-enabled integrated circuit using the first and second optical sources, where the second wavelength is different from the first wavelength, receiving a first optical data signal at the first wavelength from an optical fiber coupled to the multi-wavelength grating coupler, and receiving a second optical data signal at the second wavelength from the optical fiber. Third and fourth optical data signals at the first and second wavelengths may be communicated out of the optoelectronic transceiver via the multi-wavelength grating coupler.