A method of processing by controlling one or more beam characteristics of an optical beam may include: launching the optical beam into a first length of fiber having a first refractive-index profile (RIP); coupling the optical beam from the first length of fiber into a second length of fiber having a second RIP and one or more confinement regions; modifying the one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam in the first length of fiber, in the second length of fiber, or in the first and second lengths of fiber; confining the modified one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam within the one or more confinement regions of the second length of fiber; and/or generating an output beam, having the modified one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam, from the second length of fiber. The first RIP may differ from the second RIP.

The optical fiber coupler array can be capable of providing a low-loss, high-coupling coefficient interface with high accuracy and easy alignment between a plurality of optical fibers (or other optical devices) with a first channel-to-channel spacing, and an optical device having a plurality of closely-spaced waveguide interfaces with a second channel-to-channel spacing, where each end of the optical fiber coupler array can be configurable to have different channel-to-channel spacing, each matched to a corresponding one of the first and second channel-to-channel spacing. Advantageously, the refractive indices and sizes of both inner and outer core, and/or other characteristics of vanishing core waveguides in the optical coupler array can be configured to reduce the back reflection for light propagating from the plurality of the optical fibers at the coupler first end to the optical device at the coupler second end, and/or vice versa.

An optoelectronic device includes a photonic component. The photonic component includes an active side, a second side different from the active side, and an optical channel extending from the active side to the second side of the photonic component. The optical channel includes a non-gaseous material configured to transmit light.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described for modifying a beam parameter product of a laser beam. The modified beam parameter product may increase the number of tasks that may be performed using a given laser with its original beam parameter product. By increasing the beam parameter product of a laser, an initial low beam parameter product beam may be used to perform tasks requiring a higher beam parameter product. The beam may be modified to redirect portions of the beam at different angles via one or more non-imaging refracting optical components or by one or more Fiber Bragg gratings.

Disclosed herein are methods, apparatus, and systems for providing an optical beam delivery system, comprising an optical fiber including a first length of fiber comprising a first RIP formed to enable, at least in part, modification of one or more beam characteristics of an optical beam by a perturbation assembly arranged to modify the one or more beam characteristics, the perturbation assembly coupled to the first length of fiber or integral with the first length of fiber, or a combination thereof and a second length of fiber coupled to the first length of fiber and having a second RIP formed to preserve at least a portion of the one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam modified by the perturbation assembly within one or more first confinement regions. The optical beam delivery system may include an optical system coupled to the second length of fiber including one or more free-space optics configured to receive and transmit an optical beam comprising the modified one or more beam characteristics.

A method of processing by controlling one or more beam characteristics of an optical beam may include: launching the optical beam into a first length of fiber having a first refractive-index profile (RIP); coupling the optical beam from the first length of fiber into a second length of fiber having a second RIP and one or more confinement regions; modifying the one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam in the first length of fiber, in the second length of fiber, or in the first and second lengths of fiber; confining the modified one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam within the one or more confinement regions of the second length of fiber; and/or generating an output beam, having the modified one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam, from the second length of fiber. The first RIP may differ from the second RIP.

An optical dispersion compensator integrated with a silicon photonics system including a first phase-shifter coupled to a second phase-shifter in parallel on the silicon substrate characterized in an athermal condition. The dispersion compensator further includes a third phase-shifter on the silicon substrate to the first phase-shifter and the second phase-shifter through two 22 splitters to form an optical loop. A second entry port of a first 22 splitter is for coupling with an input fiber and a second exit port of a second 22 splitter is for coupling with an output fiber. The optical loop is characterized by a total phase delay tunable via each of the first phase-shifter, the second phase-shifter, and the third phase-shifter such that a normal dispersion (>0) at a certain wavelength in the input fiber is substantially compensated and independent of temperature.

Disclosed herein are methods, apparatus, and systems for providing an optical beam delivery system, comprising an optical fiber including a first length of fiber comprising a first RIP formed to enable, at least in part, modification of one or more beam characteristics of an optical beam by a perturbation assembly arranged to modify the one or more beam characteristics, the perturbation assembly coupled to the first length of fiber or integral with the first length of fiber, or a combination thereof and a second length of fiber coupled to the first length of fiber and having a second RIP formed to preserve at least a portion of the one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam modified by the perturbation assembly within one or more first confinement regions. The optical beam delivery system may include an optical system coupled to the second length of fiber including one or more free-space optics configured to receive and transmit an optical beam comprising the modified one or more beam characteristics.

In a method for depositing a layer of amorphous hydrogenated silicon carbide (SiC:H), a gas mixture comprising a reactive gas to inert gas volume ratio of 1:12 to 2:3 is introduced into a reaction chamber of a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatus. The reactive gas has a ratio of Si of 50 to 60, C of 3 to 13, and H of 32 to 42 at %. The inert gas comprises i) a first inert gas selected from helium, neon and mixtures; and ii) a second inert gas selected from argon, krypton, xenon and mixtures. The reaction plasma is at a power frequency of 1-16 MHz at a power level of 100 W to 700 W. The resulting layer exhibits a refractive index of not less than 2.4 and a loss of not more than 180 dB/cm at an indicated wavelength within 800 to 900 nm.

When a grating is inscribed in a section of optical fiber through a coating of the optical fiber, using a light modulation mask to modulate the light beam that writes the grating, a fluid can be situated between the section of optical fiber and the back side of a mask component carrying the light modulation mask (e.g., on its front side) to reduce the refractive-index discontinuity encountered at the surface of the coating. In various embodiments, rather than running the fiber through a vessel containing the fluid, the fluid is run across the back side of the mask component or retained by capillary action between the fiber section and the mask component.