A fiber optic probe is provided with a distal sampling end, a proximal end, and light delivery and collection paths therethrough. The probe includes a window disposed at the distal sampling end of the fiber optic probe, the window having a distal end and a proximal end, the window having a light blocking material that reduces a surface area that receives light rays. A lens is disposed near the proximal end of the window, the lens having a distal end, a proximal end, and an aperture. A light delivery optical fiber is provided having a distal end and a proximal end, the light rays being directed through the aperture. A collection optical fiber is provided in optical communication with the lens and the window. The probe may include a lens collection filter disposed between the window and the lens.

An integrated apertured micromirror is provided in which the micromirror is monolithically integrated with a micro-optical bench fabricated on a substrate using a lithographic and deep etching technique. The micromirror has an aperture therein and is oriented such that the micromirror is optically coupled to receive an incident beam having an optical axis in a plane of the substrate and to at least partially transmit the incident beam therethrough via the aperture.

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a planer-lightwave-circuit filter with low loss and a filter shape with a high degree of rectangularity. A planer-lightwave-circuit filter for multiplexing signal-light beams of different wavelengths includes input waveguides, a multiplex circuit, and at least one output waveguide. The multiplex waveguide has an asymmetric MZI circuit cascaded in stages. The asymmetric MZI circuit has an input-side coupler, an output-side coupler, and two waveguides connecting an output of the input-side coupler to an input of the output-side coupler and having an optical path length difference. Two of the input waveguides are connected to inputs of the input-side coupler of each MZI circuit arranged in a first stage. The planer-lightwave-circuit filter is configured so that a signal-light beam in which the signal-light beams output from the output-side coupler of the MZI circuit arranged in a final stage are multiplexed is coupled to the output waveguides.