An optical pick and place machine that includes a self-calibrating optical controller for error feedback based optical placement of optical components using active alignment is described. The optical controller can include a loopback mode to generate a baseline value of light generated by a light source and measured by a photodetector within the optical controller. The optical controller can further include an active alignment mode in which the light is coupled from the pick and place machine to the optical device on which the component is placed. The optical coupling of the placed component can be evaluated against the baseline value to ensure that the optical coupling is within specification (e.g., within a prespecified range).

Provided is aback illuminated photo detector enabling easy determination of whether or not the radius of a beam spot on a light absorption layer is an appropriate size. The back illuminated photo detector includes: a semiconductor substrate having a first surface for receiving light; a semiconductor layer that is laminated on a second surface and includes a light absorption layer; a passivation film so as to expose a contact portion that is part of an upper surface of the semiconductor layer; and an electrode that is in contact with the semiconductor layer in the contact portion, and has a reflectance lower than that of the passivation film. The contact portion includes a center portion located on an optical axis, and an area of the center portion is smaller than a design cross-sectional area of a beam spot.

Optical alignment of optical subassembly and optoelectronic device is achieved using an external source and an external receiver, passing optical signal through a passive waveguide in the optoelectronic device, via alignment reflective surface features provided on the optical subassembly. The optical subassembly is provided with a first alignment reflective surface directing alignment signal from the source to a grating coupler at the input of the waveguide, and a second alignment reflective surface directing to the receiver the alignment signal directed from a grating coupler at the output of the waveguide after the alignment signal has been transmitted from the input to the output through the waveguide. By adjusting the relative position between the optical subassembly and the optoelectronic device, and detecting the maximum optical power of the alignment signal reflected from the second alignment reflective surface, the position of best optical alignment of the optical subassembly and the optoelectronic device can be determined.

An optical coupling efficiency detection assembly includes a first housing accommodating a beam splitter and a fiber port, a second housing accommodating a ferrule enclosing a monitoring fiber, and an attachment block attaching the first housing to the second housing to establish a parfocal arrangement among the beam splitter, the fiber port, and the ferrule. Further, an assembly method for the optical coupling efficiency detection assembly is disclosed. The assembly method may include providing a beam splitter and a fiber port in a first housing, providing a ferrule enclosing a monitoring fiber in a second housing, and attaching the second housing to the first housing via an attachment block to establish a parfocal arrangement among the beam splitter, the fiber port, and the ferrule.

An optical assembly generally having a substrate; a photonic-integrated circuit (PIC) mounted on the substrate, the PIC having a plurality of optical ports; a first structure having a bottom surface connected to the substrate, and a first planar surface extending perpendicularly to the substrate; a second structure having a second planar surface being connected to the first planar surface of the first structure via an adhesive, and a support surface; and a waveguide array having a support surface being connected to the support surface of the second structure, the waveguide array having a plurality of waveguides each defining an optical path, with the optical paths lying in a waveguide plane, the waveguide plane being perpendicular to the first and second planar surfaces, the optical paths being maintained in optical alignment with corresponding ones of the optical ports via the adhered first and second planar surfaces.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) sensing apparatus, including a laser arrangement configured to generate a light beam, a first waveguide configured to receive and output the light beam, and a second waveguide aligned endface to endface with the first waveguide. The second waveguide may be configured to receive at least a portion of the light beam from the first waveguide via optical coupling through the aligned endfaces. Either the first or second waveguide may be configured to be moveable in response to an inertial change of the apparatus, wherein movement of the first or second waveguide causes a corresponding change in light intensity of the portion of the light beam, the change in light intensity indicating a measure of the inertial change. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

A method of calibrating a collimating lens system includes transmitting, using an optical transmitter, a beam out of an optical fiber and through a collimating lens of the collimating lens system. The beam is reflected off a perfect flat mirror positioned at an output of the collimating lens and back towards the collimating lens, and received, via the collimating lens, at a power meter connected to the optical fiber. The method also includes adjusting a position of a tip of the optical fiber proximal to the collimating lens while tracking a power reading using the power meter, selecting a calibration position of the optical fiber corresponding to a highest power reading, and securing the optical fiber relative to the collimating lens using the calibration position.

Plastic optical fiber data communication links. Particularly, plastic optical fiber data communication links for embedded applications. More particularly, unique packaging approaches to constructing a very small, low cost, but high performance optical link, which may operate at 1 gigabits per second (Gbps) or faster.

A multimode interference (MMI) coupler with an MMI region of curved edges, and a method of design and manufacturing by using a computerized optimization algorithm to determine a favorable set of segment widths for the MMI region for a predefined set of coupler design parameters.

Optical alignment between an optical waveguide device and an optical connection part is realized easily and at low cost. An optical circuit in which optical waveguides to be connected to optical fibers are formed includes: an alignment optical waveguide configured to be opposed to, on an optical waveguide edge face to which an optical connection part having guide holes for insertion of core wires of the optical fibers is to be fixed, a guide hole into which an alignment optical fiber is to be inserted; and a light path changing member configured to change a path of light to a vertical direction with respect to the optical axis direction of the core of the alignment optical waveguide.