Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) are provided that include silicon photonic structures such as a network of horizontal and vertical bus waveguides and micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) actuated switching elements configured to selectively couple light between selected horizontal and vertical bus waveguides. The PICs of the present disclosure can be applied or used in a wide variety of fields including but not limited to fiber-optic communication, photonic computing, and light detection and ranging (LiDAR). The MEMS actuated switching elements can comprise piezoelectric actuators.

An optical fiber positioner having an elongated base with sidewalls and a longitudinally extending throughbore. A flexible optical fiber extends through the throughbore and has one end protruding outwardly from an end surface of the base. A plurality of actuators are secured to the sidewalls of the base so that an end of each actuator is positioned adjacent the end of the base. A crossbeam is then connected to the ends of each actuator so that the crossbeam moves laterally relative to the base in unison with the deflection of the actuators. The crossbeam has an opening through which the optical fiber extends so that the optical fiber deflects in unison with the lateral movement of the crossbeam. Various fixtures for assembly of the optical fiber positioner are also shown.

A photonic switch system includes an optical chip having an optical input configured to receive an optical signal into the optical chip and an optical output configured to output the optical signal from the optical chip in an ON state. The optical chip defines an optical path from the optical input to the optical output in the ON state. A moveable member is included in the optical path proximate the optical input and a stationary member is included in the optical path proximate the optical output. In the ON state, the optical path runs from the optical input, into the moveable member, through the moveable member, into the stationary member, though the stationary member, and to the optical output. In an OFF state, the optical path diverts away from the optical output.

An optical fiber positioner having an elongated base with sidewalls and a longitudinally extending throughbore. A flexible optical fiber extends through the throughbore and has one end protruding outwardly from an end surface of the base. A plurality of actuators are secured to the sidewalls of the base so that an end of each actuator is positioned adjacent the end of the base. A crossbeam is then connected to the ends of each actuator so that the crossbeam moves laterally relative to the base in unison with the deflection of the actuators. The crossbeam has an opening through which the optical fiber extends so that the optical fiber deflects in unison with the lateral movement of the crossbeam. Various fixtures for assembly of the optical fiber positioner are also shown.

A system comprising: an actuator; a signal generator configured to apply an electric signal to the actuator to expand and contract the actuator; an optical fibre associated with the actuator, the optical fibre configured to lengthen when the actuator expands and shorten when the actuator contracts; a coherent light source configured to transmit a coherent light through the optical fibre to provide illumination during the lengthening and shortening of the optical fibre.

A MEMS switch that can be integrated with waveguides to switch transmission of terahertz electromagnetic waves between the waveguides.

A large-scale, high-performance hybrid fiber optic switching system is comprised of a multiplicity of fast optical circuit switch (OCS) units with high-speed reconfiguration capabilities, wherein the fibers of each fast OCS unit are spliced to a large-scale robotic patch-panel system that enables nonblocking, any-to-any connectivity between thousands of ports without adding insertion loss. Integrated diagnostics to validate the optical performance of each fiber connection are also disclosed.

An optical device may include a set of signal inputs, a set of pilot path inputs, a set of signal outputs, and a set of pilot path outputs. A pilot path output may be coupled to a pilot path input to form a pilot path. The optical device may include a set of elements on the pilot path and on a set of signal paths formed among the set of signal inputs and the set of signal outputs. The optical device may include a photodiode to convert a pilot signal on the pilot path output to an electrical signal, and a controller to selectively adjust one or more elements based at least in part on the electrical signal to compensate for a difference in a current state associated with the set of elements relative to an original state associated with the set of elements.

A cantilever that includes a first dielectric layer with a first intrinsic stress, a second dielectric layer overlaying the first dielectric layer, in which the second dielectric layer has a second intrinsic stress that is different than the first intrinsic stress, the cantilever including a first piezoelectric segment disposed between the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer at a first position with respect to a first dimension parallel to the first dielectric layer, the cantilever including a second piezoelectric segment disposed between the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer at a second position with respect to the first dimension, and the cantilever including one or more waveguides patterned in the second dielectric layer.