Structures including a grating coupler and methods of forming a structure that includes a grating coupler. The grating coupler includes segments that are spaced along a longitudinal axis. Each segment is inclined relative to the longitudinal axis. Each segment includes a first curved section having a first curvature and a second curved section having a second curvature that is inverted relative to the first curvature.

In a light deflection device and a lidar device, a parallel operation can be realized with a simple constitution, so as to avoid enlargement or complication of a system. The reflection angle of the light deflection device depends on a wavelength and a refractive index, so that light beams with respective wavelengths different from each other are simultaneously and parallelly deflected in directions of deflection angles each defined by the wavelength and the refractive index. The light beams with the plural wavelengths different from each other are deflected at the different deflection angles each defined by each wavelength and the refractive index, so that they can be deflected simultaneously and parallelly. The plural deflected light beams can be distinguished from each other based on the difference in the wavelength and the deflection angle of the light, even in the simultaneous and parallel operation.

In a light deflection device and a lidar device, a parallel operation can be realized with a simple constitution, so as to avoid enlargement or complication of a system. The reflection angle of the light deflection device depends on a wavelength and a refractive index, so that light beams with respective wavelengths different from each other are simultaneously and parallelly deflected in directions of deflection angles each defined by the wavelength and the refractive index. The light beams with the plural wavelengths different from each other are deflected at the different deflection angles each defined by each wavelength and the refractive index, so that they can be deflected simultaneously and parallelly. The plural deflected light beams can be distinguished from each other based on the difference in the wavelength and the deflection angle of the light, even in the simultaneous and parallel operation.

Embodiments described herein relate to methods of forming gratings with different slant angles on a substrate and forming gratings with different slant angles on successive substrates using angled etch systems. The methods include positioning portions of substrates retained on a platen in a path of an ion beam. The substrates have a grating material disposed thereon. The ion beam is configured to contact the grating material at an ion beam angle relative to a surface normal of the substrates and form gratings in the grating material. The substrates are rotated about an axis of the platen resulting in rotation angles ϕ between the ion beam and a surface normal of the gratings. The gratings have slant angles relative to the surface normal of the substrates. The rotation angles ϕ selected by an equation ϕ=cos.sup.−1 (tan()/tan()).

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.

The systems and methods discussed herein are for the fabrication of diffraction gratings, such as those gratings used in waveguide combiners. The waveguide combiners discussed herein are fabricated using nanoimprint lithography (NIL) of high-index and low-index materials in combination with and directional etching high-index and low-index materials. The waveguide combiners can be additionally or alternatively formed by the directional etching of transparent substrates. The waveguide combiners that include diffraction gratings discussed herein can be formed directly on permanent transparent substrates. In other examples, the diffraction gratings can be formed on temporary substrates and transferred to a permanent, transparent substrate.

An optical device includes a first semiconductor substrate, a reference laser configured to generate coherent light, a plurality of first optical components, a plurality of second optical components, one or more first controllers configured to apply phase control signals to said plurality of first optical components to apply a phase shift, and one or more second controllers configured to apply pulse control signals to said plurality of second optical components such that a light pulse is outputted during a period of time that coherent light is received. The relative phase between emitted light pulses from the plurality of second optical components is controlled by the relative phase shifts applied by the one or more first controllers.

At least one embodiment of the invention provides a photonic subsystem for integrating onto a photonic platform. The subsystem comprises a laser source and a plurality of optical components for focusing and directing a laser beam emitted from the laser source into a photonic platform. The laser source and plurality of optical components are mounted to a substrate and encapsulated.

A flexible photonic skin is provided, including a functional layer, an adhesive layer used for fixing the functional layer and made of hypoallergenic polyvinyl ethyl ether, and a packaging layer made of a polyurethane semi-transparent film and adhered to the adhesive layer, which are arranged successively from the top down, wherein the functional layer consists of two electrodes located on two sides and used for acquiring electrocardiographic signals of a human body, and a polymer-based photonic integrated chip located between the two electrodes and used for acquiring body temperature, pulse, blood pressure and blood glucose signals of the human body; and, the polymer-based photonic integrated chip processes and outputs the acquired electrocardiographic signals of the human body as well as the body temperature, pulse, blood pressure and blood glucose signals of the human body.

A flexible photonic skin is provided, including a functional layer, an adhesive layer used for fixing the functional layer and made of hypoallergenic polyvinyl ethyl ether, and a packaging layer made of a polyurethane semi-transparent film and adhered to the adhesive layer, which are arranged successively from the top down, wherein the functional layer consists of two electrodes located on two sides and used for acquiring electrocardiographic signals of a human body, and a polymer-based photonic integrated chip located between the two electrodes and used for acquiring body temperature, pulse, blood pressure and blood glucose signals of the human body; and, the polymer-based photonic integrated chip processes and outputs the acquired electrocardiographic signals of the human body as well as the body temperature, pulse, blood pressure and blood glucose signals of the human body.