Structures for an optical coupler and methods of fabricating a structure for an optical coupler. A first waveguide core has a first tapered section and a second waveguide core has a second tapered section positioned adjacent to the first tapered section. The first tapered section has a first shape determined by a first non-linear function, and the second tapered section has a second shape determined by a second non-linear function.

A semiconductor structure is disclosed. The semiconductor structure includes: a substrate and a gate element over the substrate. The gate element includes: a gate dielectric layer over the substrate; a gate electrode over the gate dielectric layer; and a waveguide passing through the gate electrode from a top surface of the gate electrode to a bottom surface of the gate electrode. A manufacturing method of the same is also disclosed.

A semiconductor structure is disclosed. The semiconductor structure includes: a substrate and a gate element over the substrate. The gate element includes: a gate dielectric layer over the substrate; a gate electrode over the gate dielectric layer; and a waveguide passing through the gate electrode from a top surface of the gate electrode to a bottom surface of the gate electrode. A manufacturing method of the same is also disclosed.

An integrated grating coupler system includes a first chip having a first substrate, a first grating structure formed by first grating curves arranged on the first substrate and a cladding layer formed to cover the first grating structure, wherein the first chip include a first waveguide configured to receive a light beam from a first end via the first waveguide and transmit the light beam through a second end, a second chip having a second substrate and a second grating structure formed by second grating curves arranged on the second substrate, wherein the second chip is configured to receive the light beam from the second end of the first chip and transmit the light beam from an end of the second chip, and a common block configured to mount the first chip and second chip via a first submount and a second submount respectively, wherein the first and second submounts are arranged such that the light beam from the second end of the first chip is received at a top of the second chip.

An integrated grating coupler system includes a first chip having a first substrate, a first grating structure formed by first grating curves arranged on the first substrate and a cladding layer formed to cover the first grating structure, wherein the first chip include a first waveguide configured to receive a light beam from a first end via the first waveguide and transmit the light beam through a second end, a second chip having a second substrate and a second grating structure formed by second grating curves arranged on the second substrate, wherein the second chip is configured to receive the light beam from the second end of the first chip and transmit the light beam from an end of the second chip, and a common block configured to mount the first chip and second chip via a first submount and a second submount respectively, wherein the first and second submounts are arranged such that the light beam from the second end of the first chip is received at a top of the second chip.

A structure for coupling an optical signal between an integrated circuit photonic structure and an external optical fiber is disclosed as in a method of formation. The coupling structure is sloped relative to a horizontal surface of the photonic structure such that light entering or leaving the photonic structure is substantially normal to its upper surface.

A structure for coupling an optical signal between an integrated circuit photonic structure and an external optical fiber is disclosed as in a method of formation. The coupling structure is sloped relative to a horizontal surface of the photonic structure such that light entering or leaving the photonic structure is substantially normal to its upper surface.

Provided herein are systems, devices, and methods for improved optical waveguide transmission and alignment in an analytical system. Waveguides in optical analytical systems can exhibit variable and increasing back reflection of single-wavelength illumination over time, thus limiting their effectiveness and reliability. The systems are also subject to optical interference under conditions that have been used to overcome the back reflection. Novel systems and approaches using broadband illumination light with multiple longitudinal modes have been developed to improve optical transmission and analysis in these systems. Novel systems and approaches for the alignment of a target waveguide device and an optical source are also disclosed.

Provided herein are systems, devices, and methods for improved optical waveguide transmission and alignment in an analytical system. Waveguides in optical analytical systems can exhibit variable and increasing back reflection of single-wavelength illumination over time, thus limiting their effectiveness and reliability. The systems are also subject to optical interference under conditions that have been used to overcome the back reflection. Novel systems and approaches using broadband illumination light with multiple longitudinal modes have been developed to improve optical transmission and analysis in these systems. Novel systems and approaches for the alignment of a target waveguide device and an optical source are also disclosed.

Methods and systems for grating couplers incorporating perturbed waveguides are disclosed and may include in a semiconductor photonics die, communicating optical signals into and/or out of the die utilizing a grating coupler on the die, where the grating coupler comprises perturbed waveguides. The perturbed waveguides may include rows of continuous waveguides with scatterers extending throughout a length of the perturbed waveguides a variable width along their length. The grating coupler may comprise a single polarization grating coupler comprising perturbed waveguides and a non-perturbed grating. The grating coupler may comprise a polarization splitting grating coupler (PSGC) that includes two sets of perturbed waveguides at a non-zero angle, or a plurality of non-linear rows of discrete shapes. The PSGC may comprise discrete scatterers at an intersection of the sets of perturbed waveguides. The grating coupler may comprise individual scatterers between the perturbed waveguides.