Techniques for forming a photonic integrated circuit having a facet coupler and a surface coupler are described. The photonic integrated circuit may be on a wafer, which may be diced to form an integrated device. The facet coupler may be positioned proximate to an edge of the integrated device, and the surface coupler may be positioned on a surface of the integrated device. The surface coupler may allow for evaluation and assessment of the circuit's performance, which may facilitate wafer-level testing of the circuit and diagnosis of the circuit before and after packaging.

Embodiments herein describe an intelligent optical cable that includes an optical assembly disposed between two pluggable connectors. In one embodiment, the optical assembly in the intelligent optical cable are coupled to the pluggable connectors via respective ribbons, where first ends of the ribbons are connected to the optical assembly while second ends of the ribbons are connected to respective pluggable connectors. In one embodiment, the optical assembly includes a photonic chip which performs an optical function on the optical signals propagating in the optical cable.

The present disclosure provides a MEMS-based variable optical attenuator (VOA) array, sequentially including an optical fiber array, a micro-lens array, and a MEMS-based micro-reflector array to form a VOA array having several optical attenuation units. The MEMS-based micro-reflectors can change the propagation direction of a beam, causing a misalignment coupling loss to the beam and thereby achieving optical attenuation, with a broad range of dynamic attenuation, low polarization dependent loss and wavelength dependent loss, good repeatability, short response time (at the millisecond level), etc. Arrayed device elements are used as assembly units of the present disclosure, and the assembly of arrayed elements facilitates tuning in batches. Accordingly, automation levels are improved, and the production costs are reduced.

An optical switch includes a bus waveguide supported by a substrate, an actuation electrode supported by the substrate, the actuation electrode having fins that protrude in a direction perpendicular to the substrate and to the bus waveguide, and a reaction electrode having interdigitated fins configured to form a comb drive with the actuation electrode. When a voltage difference between the reaction electrode and the actuation electrode is less than a lower threshold, the reaction electrode is positioned a first distance from the bus waveguide, when the voltage difference between the reaction electrode and the actuation electrode is greater than an upper threshold, the reaction electrode is positioned a second distance from the bus waveguide, and the second distance is less than the first distance.

An optical switch is configured by providing a planar lightwave circuit layer on a top surface of a Si substrate. The circuit layer forms, on the top surface of the substrate, an optical waveguide including an underclad layer, an optical waveguide core, and an overclad layer. The optical waveguide is provided to have a structure configuring a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. A heater is provided at a position just above an arm of the core on the top surface of the clad layer, and power supply electric wires are electrically connected to both ends of the heater. In a local portion including an interface between the clad layer and the top surface of the substrate, trench structure portions as concave grooves are provided.

The present disclosure provides a MEMS-based variable optical attenuator (VOA) array, sequentially including an optical fiber array, a micro-lens array, and a MEMS-based micro-reflector array to form a VOA array having several optical attenuation units. The MEMS-based micro-reflectors can change the propagation direction of a beam, causing a misalignment coupling loss to the beam and thereby achieving optical attenuation, with a broad range of dynamic attenuation, low polarization dependent loss and wavelength dependent loss, good repeatability, short response time (at the millisecond level), etc. Arrayed device elements are used as assembly units of the present disclosure, and the assembly of arrayed elements facilitates tuning in batches. Accordingly, automation levels are improved, and the production costs are reduced.

For waveguide type optical switch circuits, there is a problem in that both reduction in time required for switching and switching-back and reduction in power consumption cannot be achieved. One embodiment of a waveguide type optical switch circuit includes: a waveguide that has a clad layer stacked on a substrate and a waveguide core embedded in the clad layer; a heater that is formed on an upper surface of the clad layer above the waveguide core; and a groove that is obtained by removing the clad layer in a vertical direction of the substrate and has a surface parallel to a side surface of the waveguide core. A distance X between the waveguide core and the heater is designed to be equal to or greater than a distance Y between the heater and the groove (X≥Y)

Periscope assemblies are provided which have a light path that travels in a first plane along the first waveguide, a second plane along the second waveguide that is parallel to the first plane, and along a third plane along the third waveguide that intersects the first plane and the second plane. In some examples the periscope assembly includes first and second carriers comprising respective first and second waveguides and defining respective first and second cavities in which a third carrier comprising a third waveguide is disposed and optionally includes an optical component. In some examples, the cavities are defined in one or more carriers on a mating surface, on a side opposite to the mating surface, or on a side perpendicular to a mating surface.

A compact micro electrical mechanical actuated ring-resonator includes a bus waveguide disposed on a platform; a ring resonator disposed on the platform, including at least a first optical coupler, wherein the ring resonator is optically coupled with the bus waveguide; and a selective waveguide disposed on a piezoelectric cantilever mounted in a trench defined in the platform, wherein the selective waveguide includes a second optical coupler and is controllable to selectively adjust a coupling ratio between the first optical coupler with the second optical coupler by physically changing a distance between the first optical coupler and the second optical coupler.

The invention provides methods and devices for generating optical pulses in one or more waveguides using a spatially scanning light source. A detection system, methods of use thereof and kits for detecting a biologically active analyte molecule are also provided. The system includes a scanning light source, a substrate comprising a plurality of waveguides and a plurality of optical sensing sites in optical communication with one or more waveguide of the substrate, a detector that is coupled to and in optical communication with the substrate, and means for spatially translating a light beam emitted from said scanning light source such that the light beam is coupled to and in optical communication with the waveguides of the substrate at some point along its scanning path. The use of a scanning light source allows the coupling of light into the waveguides of the substrate in a simple and cost-effective manner.