An occupancy sensor covering a wide field in an integrated chip is disclosed. The occupancy sensor includes an array of grating coupled waveguide sensors wherein continuous wave (cw) signals monitor an ambient light field for dynamic changes on times scales of seconds, and high frequency signals map in three-dimensions of the space using time-of-flight (TOF) measurements, pixel level electronics that perform signal processing; array level electronics that perform additional signal processing; and communications and site level electronics that interface with actuators to respond to occupancy sensing.

Low spherical aberration of a Mikaelian lens makes it suitable for focusing off-optical-axis light propagating in higher order modes. A Mikaelian lens can be used as a mode-size converter to expand light in a semiconductor waveguide before coupling light out of the waveguide. For example, a Mikaelian lens can be used in a waveguide to expand light from a 1 μm wide multimode waveguide to a 20 μm wide multimode grating coupler in a shorter distance than an adiabatic taper. 3D FDTD simulation results show that an embodiment of a 12 μm long, subwavelength mode-size converter has comparable first-order mode transmission as a 600 μm adiabatic taper.

Low spherical aberration of a Mikaelian lens makes it suitable for focusing off-optical-axis light propagating in higher order modes. A Mikaelian lens can be used as a mode-size converter to expand light in a semiconductor waveguide before coupling light out of the waveguide. For example, a Mikaelian lens can be used in a waveguide to expand light from a 1 μm wide multimode waveguide to a 20 μm wide multimode grating coupler in a shorter distance than an adiabatic taper. 3D FDTD simulation results show that an embodiment of a 12 μm long, subwavelength mode-size converter has comparable first-order mode transmission as a 600 μm adiabatic taper.

The present disclosure generally relates to structures for use in optoelectronic/photonic applications and integrated circuit (IC) chips. The present disclosure also relates to semiconductor devices having a photodetector coupled with a waveguide, more particularly, a photodetector with a butt-end coupled waveguide. The present disclosure provides a structure having a substrate, a photodetector arranged above the substrate, the photodetector having a core body and a coupler that is adjacent to the core body, in which the core body is configured to absorb light received by the coupler, and the coupler including a plurality of grating structures having respective widths that vary as a function of position relative to the core body.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an integrated chip including a protective ring structure overlying a grating coupler structure. A waveguide structure is disposed within a semiconductor substrate and comprises the grating coupler structure. An interconnect structure overlies the semiconductor substrate. The interconnect structure includes a contact etch stop layer (CESL) and a conductive contact over the semiconductor substrate. The conductive contact extends through the CESL. The protective ring structure extends through the CESL and has an upper surface aligned with an upper surface of the conductive contact.

According to the present disclosure, provided is an optical densitometer for measuring a density of a gas or liquid of interest, the optical densitometer comprising: a light source capable of introducing light into a core layer; a detector capable of receiving the light that has propagated through the core layer; and an optical waveguide, the optical waveguide comprising: a substrate; and the core layer comprising a light propagation portion capable of propagating the light in an extending direction of the light propagation portion, and a diffraction grating portion, the diffraction grating portion comprising a diffraction grating region and an extension region connected to the diffraction grating region, and a first optical coupling region included in the extension region and a second optical coupling region included in the light propagation portion being optically coupled with respect to the light propagating through the core layer.

Arrays of integrated analytical devices and their methods for production are provided. The arrays are useful in the analysis of highly multiplexed optical reactions in large numbers at high densities, including biochemical reactions, such as nucleic acid sequencing reactions. The integrated devices allow the highly sensitive discrimination of optical signals using features such as spectra, amplitude, and time resolution, or combinations thereof. The arrays and methods of the invention make use of silicon chip fabrication and manufacturing techniques developed for the electronics industry and highly suited for miniaturization and high throughput.

Arrays of integrated analytical devices and their methods for production are provided. The arrays are useful in the analysis of highly multiplexed optical reactions in large numbers at high densities, including biochemical reactions, such as nucleic acid sequencing reactions. The integrated devices allow the highly sensitive discrimination of optical signals using features such as spectra, amplitude, and time resolution, or combinations thereof. The arrays and methods of the invention make use of silicon chip fabrication and manufacturing techniques developed for the electronics industry and highly suited for miniaturization and high throughput.

Devices and systems to perform optical alignment by using one or more liquid crystal layers to actively steer a light beam from an optical fiber to an optical waveguide integrated on a chip. An on-chip feedback mechanism can steer the beam between the fiber and a grating based waveguide to minimize the insertion loss of the system.

Wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) has enabled telecommunication service providers to provide multiple independent multi-gigabit channels on one optical fiber. To Microoptoelectromechanical systems (MOEMS) integrating optical waveguides upon a MEMS can provide further integration opportunities and functionality options. Improvements to the design and implementation of MOEMS devices are presented where monolithically integrated optical waveguides are directly supported, moved and/or deformed upon a beam coupled to and manipulated by a MEMS. Accordingly, such MOEMS can provide programmable functionality by enabling alignment of the optical waveguide upon the MEMS to one of multiple optical waveguides disposed relative to the moving facet of the rotating optical waveguide.