The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to non-planar waveguide structures and methods of manufacture. The structure includes: a first waveguide structure; and a non-planar waveguide structure spatially shifted from the first waveguide structure and separated from the first waveguide structure by an insulator material.

A photonic integrated device includes a first waveguide and a second waveguide. The first and second waveguides are mutually coupled at a junction region the includes a bulge region.

A photonic integrated device includes a first waveguide and a second waveguide. The first and second waveguides are mutually coupled at a junction region the includes a bulge region.

An optimized SOI 2×2 multimode interference (MMI) coupler is designed by use of the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) simulation shows that, within a footprint of 9.4×1.6 μm.sup.2, <0.1 dB power unbalance and <1 degree phase error are achieved across the entire C-band. The excess loss of the device is <0.2 dB.

An optimized SOI 2×2 multimode interference (MMI) coupler is designed by use of the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) simulation shows that, within a footprint of 9.4×1.6 μm.sup.2, <0.1 dB power unbalance and <1 degree phase error are achieved across the entire C-band. The excess loss of the device is <0.2 dB.

A system comprises a first optical component comprising a component body; at least a first waveguide formed in the component body, wherein the first waveguide is substantially mirror-symmetrical in shape relative to a line at or near the center of the first waveguide; and a self-alignment feature configured to assist in optically-coupling the first waveguide with a second waveguide located outside of the component body.

A system comprises a first optical component comprising a component body; at least a first waveguide formed in the component body, wherein the first waveguide is substantially mirror-symmetrical in shape relative to a line at or near the center of the first waveguide; and a self-alignment feature configured to assist in optically-coupling the first waveguide with a second waveguide located outside of the component body.

Embodiments described herein relate to a large area lens-free imaging device. One example is a lens-free device for imaging one or more objects. The lens-free device includes a light source positioned for illuminating at least one object. The lens-free device also includes a detector positioned for recording interference patterns of the illuminated at least one object. The light source includes a plurality of light emitters that are positioned and configured to create a controlled light wavefront for performing lens-free imaging.

An optical waveguide includes a first waveguide core, a second waveguide core, a first subwavelength multilayer cladding, a second subwavelength multilayer cladding and a third subwavelength multilayer cladding. The first waveguide core and the second waveguide core have a width (w) and a height (h). The first waveguide core is disposed between the first subwavelength multilayer cladding and the second subwavelength multilayer cladding. The second waveguide core is disposed between the second subwavelength multilayer cladding and the third subwavelength multilayer cladding. Each subwavelength multilayer cladding has a number (TV) of alternating subwavelength ridges having a periodicy (A) and a filling fraction (p). A total coupling coefficient (|/c|) of the first waveguide core and the second waveguide core is from 10 to 0.

A method and system of determining a z-distance between an optical fiber and a substrate are presented. The method can include, for instance: obtaining an image that includes an end of the optical fiber and a reflection of the end of the optical fiber from a surface of the substrate, and processing the image to determine a z-distance along a z-axis between the end of the optical fiber and the substrate.