A high-brightness squeezed light source includes a plurality of light squeezing elements and a photonic summing device. The light squeezing elements each output respective squeezed light responsive to receipt of unsqueezed light. The photonic summing device receives the squeezed light output by each of the light squeezing elements and coherently adds the squeezed light to generate a high-brightness squeezed light output. The high-brightness squeezed light output has a greater brightness than the outputs of the light squeezing elements, and a same degree of squeezing as one or more of the outputs of the light squeezing elements.

Systems and methods for steering an optical beam in two dimensions are disclosed. The system includes a substrate comprising an acousto-optic antenna array and an acoustic transducer. Each antenna of the antenna array includes a high-confinement surface waveguide carrying a light signal. The acoustic transducer imparts acoustic energy into each surface waveguide as a mechanical wave. Interaction of the light signal and mechanical wave in each surface waveguide induces light to scatter into free space. The light scattered out of the plurality of waveguides collectively defines the output beam. The longitudinal angle of output beam, relative to the substrate, is determined by the relative frequencies of the mechanical waves and the light signals. The transverse angle of the output beam is controlled by controlling the relative phases of the mechanical waves and/or light signals across the surface-waveguide array.

Provided herein is a photonic modulator and methods for controlling a photonic modulator that can control the phase and/or amplitude of photons being transmitted through the modulator to minimize photonic loss while remaining power efficient and operating at high speeds. The photonic modulator can include a substrate with a pair of piezoelectric cantilevers spaced apart from one another by a gap, with a photonic waveguide disposed in the substrate that extends across the modulator and bridges the gap between the piezoelectric cantilevers. In one or more examples, the piezoelectric cantilevers can be configured to move away from the substrate in response to an electrical signal, such that a refractive index of the photonic waveguide is altered.

Apparatus is provided including an acoustic sensor (50) having an optical waveguide (20). The optical waveguide (20) includes a waveguide core (202) having a waveguide core refractive index and a waveguide core photo-elastic coefficient, and an over-cladding layer (204) coupled to the waveguide core (202) and including an optically transparent polymer having an over-cladding refractive index and an over-cladding photo-elastic coefficient. The waveguide core refractive index is greater than the over-cladding refractive index, and the over-cladding photo-elastic coefficient is greater than the waveguide core photo-elastic coefficient. Other applications are also described.

A head-up display system includes a display control component, a polarization conversion member, a birefringent lens component, a scattering component, and a reflecting component; the display control component is configured to alternately output a first to-be-displayed image and a second to-be-displayed image to the polarization conversion member; the polarization conversion member is configured to convert light having different polarization states; the birefringent lens component is configured to image light of a P-polarization state and a S-polarization state; the scattering component is configured to scatter formed images onto the reflecting component, respectively; and the reflecting component is configured to reflect the images to an eye of a user.

Systems and methods for steering an optical beam in two dimensions are disclosed. The system includes a substrate comprising an acousto-optic antenna array and an acoustic transducer. Each antenna of the antenna array includes a high-confinement surface waveguide carrying a light signal. The acoustic transducer imparts acoustic energy into each surface waveguide as a mechanical wave. Interaction of the light signal and mechanical wave in each surface waveguide induces light to scatter into free space. The light scattered out of the plurality of waveguides collectively defines the output beam. The longitudinal angle of output beam, relative to the substrate, is determined by the relative frequencies of the mechanical waves and the light signals. The transverse angle of the output beam is controlled by controlling the relative phases of the mechanical waves and/or light signals across the surface-waveguide array.

A pupil-replicating waveguide suitable for operation with a coherent light source is disclosed. A waveguide body has opposed surfaces for guiding a beam of image light. An out-coupling element is disposed in an optical path of the beam for out-coupling portions of the beam at a plurality of spaced apart locations along the optical path. Electrodes are coupled to at least a portion of the waveguide body for modulating an optical path length of the optical path of the beam to create time-varying phase delays between the portions of the beam out-coupled by the out-coupling element.

A phase modulator for a light beam comprising a waveguide having a longitudinal axis, and a piezoelectric actuator to apply a mechanical stress within said waveguide in response to an electrical bias, said actuator comprising a first part covering a first side of the waveguide and having a first axis of symmetry essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The actuator comprises a second part covering a second side of the waveguide, said second part having a second axis of symmetry essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis.

An EO phase shifter for modulating an electrical signal onto an optical wave is manufactured using CMOS process tools whereby a waveguide core made of EO material has intimate contacts with its electrodes. Specifically, the waveguide core is made of a Silicon-Rich Silicon Nitride (SRN) material which has a high linear refractive index n and a high third order nonlinear susceptibility. The electrodes are made of P or N doped silicon. Also, polarization of the optical wave is oriented normal to interfaces between the waveguide core and the electrodes. With this combination, the EO phase shifter exhibits high optical confinement, low propagation loss, and a high electro-optic overlap integral for modulation.

An optical element for transmitting a light beam includes a waveguide configured to transmit the light beam from an input end to an output end and having an optical property that can be modified by deformation of the waveguide. A phase-shifter is affixed to the waveguide and is operable in response to a control signal to mechanically deform the waveguide sufficient to induce a phase shift in the light beam transmitted therethrough. The phase-shifter can include a PZT layer.