This disclosure relates to an optical device comprising: a first filter waveguide section having an input for receiving a pump signal, the first filter waveguide section further having an output; an emitter waveguide section having an input coupled to the output of the first filter waveguide section to receive a transmitted pump signal therefrom, the emitter waveguide section supporting at least a first guided lower-order optical mode and a second guided higher-order optical mode, the emitter waveguide section comprising a photon emitter coupled to the first guided mode to emit radiation into the first guided mode and coupled to the second guided mode to allow optical pumping of the photon emitter by pump signal power carried in the second guided mode, the emitter waveguide section further having an output for outputting radiation emitted from the photon emitter; a second filter waveguide section having an input coupled to the output of the emitter waveguide section and having an output, the second filter waveguide section being configured to transmit radiation emitted into the first guided mode with lower loss than radiation emitted into modes other than the first guided mode; the first filter waveguide section being configured to couple pump signal power predominantly into the second guided mode of the emitter section.

A system including wavelength multiplexers. In some embodiments, the system includes: a first multiplexing element, having a first plurality of input waveguides, each configured to receive light at a respective wavelength of a first plurality of wavelengths; and a second multiplexing element, having a second plurality of input waveguides, each configured to receive light at a respective wavelength of a second plurality of wavelengths. A wavelength of the second plurality of wavelengths may fall between a first wavelength of the first plurality of wavelengths and a second wavelength of the first plurality of wavelengths.

The invention is related to devices that couple light into and out of concentric multicore fibers (MCFs). One embodiment of the invention is directed to a multiplexing/demultiplexing coupler, formed using at least two diffractive optical elements, so that light from one of the cores of the concentric MCF exits the coupler along a first axis and the light from another of the cores of the MCF exits coupler along another axis displaced form the first axis. In another embodiment, an add/drop filter includes at least one diffractive optical element, and directs light from one core of the concentric MCF to one fiber and light from one or more other cores of the concentric MCF to another fiber. In another embodiment, a mixing coupler transmits light from inner and outer cores of a first concentric MCF respectively to outer and inner cores of a second concentric MCF.

A multicast exchange optical switch includes an input port device including M input ports, an output port device including N output ports, a diffractive beam splitter, an optical focusing component, and a 1×N array of reflective devices. The diffractive beam splitter diffracts each input signal beam from the input ports into at least N directions. The optical focusing component includes a first focusing lens and a second focusing lens. The first focusing lens focuses sub-beams from the respective input ports along the Y-axis direction having the same diffraction order. The second focusing lens focuses on the X-axis direction sub-beams from the same input port having different diffraction orders. The 1×N array of reflective devices is provided at the focal plane of the optical focusing component and each reflective device reflects a sub-beam from any one of the input ports to any one of the output ports.

Embodiments of this application disclose a spectrum processing apparatus, which includes: a port assembly, a lens assembly, a dispersive assembly, a spatial light modulator (SLM), and a reflective element. Each port in the port assembly is configured to transmit an input first light beam to a lens corresponding to the port. Each lens in the lens assembly is configured to adjust a width of the first light beam to obtain a second light beam. The reflective element is configured to reflect the second light beam to the dispersive assembly. The dispersive assembly is configured to decompose the second light beam into a plurality of sub-wavelength light beams. The reflective element is further configured to reflect the plurality of sub-wavelength light beams to the SLM. The SLM is configured to modulate the plurality of sub-wavelength light beams, and reflect at least one modulated sub-wavelength light beam to the reflective element.

Aspects of embodiments pertain to beam combining devices for coherent and spectral beam-combining. The coherent beam combining (CBC) device may comprise a monolithic body having an input surface and an output surface. The input surface may be configured to direct a plurality of coherent entering optical beams through an optical pathway inside the monolithic body towards the output surface; and a phase mask configured for combining beams, exiting from the output surface of the monolithic body, to form a single combined output beam. The Spectral beam combining (SBC) device may include a monolithic body configured to direct the entering optical beams through a multi-diffraction optical pathway inside the monolithic body by directing the entering optical beams such as to impinge a diffractive surface thereof at least twice, for combining the entering optical beams into a single multispectral combined output optical beam. Embodiments may also include methods for cascaded beam combining, using multiple combining devices in a network configuration.

An optical processing apparatus and an optical system. The apparatus includes an input port, an optical path conversion assembly, an LCoS assembly, and an output port. The input port receives a first light beam. The optical path conversion assembly performs chromatic dispersion on the first light beam to obtain a second light beam, the second light beam being a single-wavelength light beam. The LCoS assembly diffracts the second light beam to obtain diffracted light of the second light beam. The diffracted light of the second light beam includes 0-order diffracted light and +1-order diffracted light. The optical path conversion assembly transmits the diffracted light of the second light beam, and converges the +1-order diffracted light to the output port. The output port collimates and outputs the received +1-order diffracted light.

An optical wavelength dispersion device and manufacturing method therefor are disclosed, wherein the optical wavelength dispersion device includes a waveguide unit and a reflector, wherein the waveguide unit has a first substrate, an input unit, a grating and a second substrate. The input unit is formed on the first substrate and having a slit for receiving an optical signal, a grating is formed on the first substrate for producing an output beam once the optical signal is dispersed, the second substrate is located on the input unit and the grating, and forms a waveguide space with the first substrate, the reflector is located outside of the waveguide unit, and is used for change emitting angle of the output beam.

Methods and systems for mode converters for grating couplers may include a photonic chip comprising a waveguide, a grating coupler, and a mode converter, with the waveguide being coupled to the grating coupler via the mode converter. The mode converter may include waveguide material and tapers defined by triangular regions, where the triangular regions do not have waveguide material. The photonic chip may receive an optical signal in the mode converter from the waveguide, where the received optical signal has a light profile that may be spatially deflected in the mode converter to configure a desired profile in the grating coupler. A long axis of the tapers may be parallel to a direction of travel of the optical signal. The long axis of the tapers may point towards the input waveguide of the grating couplers, which may be linear.

An apparatus, methods, and a system for a photonic biosensor are disclosed. The photonic biosensor includes a substrate having a sample addition zone in fluid communication with a wicking zone and a sample detection zone. The substrate also includes an optical input port configured to optically couple to a light source and an optical output port configured to optically couple to a light detector. The photonic biosensor also includes a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) connected to the substrate. The PIC includes a first grating coupler aligned with the optical input port, a second grating coupler aligned with the optical output port, at least one waveguide between the first grating coupler and the second grating coupler, and at least one detection element disposed within the at least one waveguide.