Exemplary methods and apparatus may provide optical gates and optical switches using such optical gates. Each optical gate may include a semiconductor optical amplifier that is placed in a substrate. The semiconductor optical amplifier may be coupled to input and output couplers to receive and selectively output optical signals into and out of the substrate.

Aspects of the present disclosure describe systems, methods and structures for providing semiconductor amplifiers exhibiting a low polarization-dependent gain.

An optical apparatus comprises a semiconductor substrate and an optical waveguide emitter. The optical waveguide emitter comprises an input waveguide section extending from a facet of the semiconductor substrate, a turning waveguide section optically coupled with the input waveguide section, and an output waveguide section extending to the same facet and optically coupled with the turning waveguide section. One or more of the input waveguide section, the turning waveguide section, and the output waveguide section comprises an optically active region.

The present invention provides an optical amplification apparatus for amplifying light from a light source, comprising: a combiner configured to output light received at a first input port from the light source as first light, and output light received at a second input port as second light; an optical amplifier configured to amplify an intensity of each of the first light and the second light output from the combiner; a splitter configured to output the received first light from a first output port, and output the received second light from a second output port; and an optical modulator configured to attenuate an intensity of light output from the first output port of the splitter, wherein the light output from the first output port of the splitter is received at the second input port of the combiner via the optical modulator.

A multi-wavelength light source has a laser region that includes a gain medium with a reflective end facet and two or more diffraction gratings optically connected to a second end facet opposite to the reflective end facet of the gain medium, an optical amplifier configured to amplify a laser beam emitted from the reflecting end facet of the laser region and containing multiple wavelengths, the multiple wavelengths being amplified collectively, an optical demultiplexer configured to demultiplex an amplified laser beam output from the optical amplifier, and output waveguides connected to the optical demultiplexer and configured to output light beams with the multiple wavelengths.

The present disclosure relates to an optical amplifier configured for an image capturing device. The optical amplifier may include a substrate. The optical amplifier may also include an optical amplification region formed over the substrate. The optical amplification region may include a first optical amplification layer and a second optical amplification layer. The first optical amplification layer may be configured to amplify light at a first wavelength range, and the second optical amplification layer may be configured to amplify light at a second wavelength range. The optical amplifier may further include at least one electrode layer electrically contacting the optical amplification region.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor optical amplifier, the semiconductor optical amplifier including: a plurality of optical amplification regions arranged in series; a passive waveguide region provided between optical amplification regions; and first and second electrodes provided on an upper surface of each of the optical amplification regions. The passive waveguide region electrically insulates between the first electrodes and between the second electrodes of the adjacent optical amplification regions and optically connects the adjacent optical amplification regions. The semiconductor optical amplifier electrically connects the first electrode and the second electrode of the respective adjacent optical amplification regions so that the plurality of optical amplification regions are electrically connected in cascade, and feeds power to the optical amplification regions at both ends of arrangements of the plurality of optical amplification regions thereby driving the plurality of optical amplification regions.

Systems and methods of undersea optical communication are provided. An undersea optical amplifier assembly can include a water-tight housing and a photonic integrated circuit disposed within the housing. The photonic integrated circuit includes a plurality of optical fiber inputs, each configured to receive an end of a respective optical fiber of a first fiber optic cable bundle, and a plurality of optical fiber outputs. Each optical fiber output corresponds to a respective optical fiber input to form a fiber optic input-output pair, and is configured to receive an end of a respective optical fiber of a second fiber optic cable bundle. The photonic integrated circuit includes an optical amplifier optically coupled to each respective fiber optic input-output pair. The housing includes a first water-tight access port configured to receive the first fiber optic cable bundle, and a second water-tight access port configured to receive a second fiber optic cable bundle.

The embodiments herein describe an optical transmitter that integrates a SCOWA into a photonic chip that includes a modulator. The embodiments herein place the SCOWA between the laser and the modulator. To accommodate the large mode size of the waveguide in the SCOWA, the photonic chip includes a pair of spot size converters coupled to the input and output of the SCOWA. Rather than amplifying a modulated signal as is typical with an inline amplifier, the SCOWA amplifies a continuous wave (CW) optical signal generated by the laser which introduces less noise and improves the OSNR of the transmitter.

Examples disclosed herein relate to quantum-dot (QD) photonics. In accordance with some of the examples disclosed herein, a QD semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) may include a silicon substrate and a QD layer above the silicon substrate. The QD layer may include an active gain region to amplify a lasing mode received from an optical signal generator. The QD layer may have a gain recovery time such that the active gain region amplifies the received lasing mode without pattern effects. A waveguide may be included in an upper silicon layer of the silicon substrate. The waveguide may include a mode converter to facilitate optical coupling of the received lasing mode between the QD layer and the waveguide.