The prism coupling methods disclosed herein are directed to determining a stress characteristic of an original IOX article having a buried IOX region with a buried refractive index profile that is problematic in the sense that it prevents the original IOX article from being measured using a prism coupler system. The methods include modifying the buried IOX region of the original IOX article in a surface portion of the buried IOX region to form a modified IOX article having an unburied refractive index profile that allows the modified IOX article to be measured using a prism coupler. The methods also include measuring a mode spectrum of the modified IOX article using the prism coupler system. The methods further include determining one or more stress characteristic of the original IOX article from the mode spectrum of the modified IOX article.

A method of aligning a first and a second structure, the first structure comprising one or more first surface relief features and a channel system communicating with a surface of the first structure at one or more of the first surface relief features, the second structure comprising one or more second surface relief features shaped complementarily to the first surface relief features; the method comprising: generating suction in the channel system to draw the first and second structures together in a drawing direction; wherein, when the first and second structures are drawn together, the interaction between one or more of the first surface relief features and one or more of the second surface relief features aligns the structures in a plane perpendicular to the drawing direction such that the first and second surface relief features mate.

The prism coupling methods disclosed herein are directed to determining a stress characteristic of an original IOX article having a buried IOX region with a buried refractive index profile that is problematic in the sense that it prevents the original IOX article from being measured using a prism coupler system. The methods include modifying the buried IOX region of the original IOX article in a surface portion of the buried IOX region to form a modified IOX article having an unburied refractive index profile that allows the modified IOX article to be measured using a prism coupler. The methods also include measuring a mode spectrum of the modified IOX article using the prism coupler system. The methods further include determining one or more stress characteristic of the original IOX article from the mode spectrum of the modified IOX article.

A system for passive alignment of fibers to an interface of a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) includes an input frame, an actuator, and an output frame. The actuator arranged to apply force along a force axis to the input frame. The output frame including a tip for picking up a plate and transferring the force thereto, the output frame being connected to the input frame such that the output frame may tilt relative to the input frame and the output frame is elastically biased relative to the input frame into a position wherein the tip is aligned on the force axis.

An optical module is provided with a columnar protrusion over the entire pickup area (EP) for automatic suction by a mounting device at the center of the upper surface of a fiber holding carrier. The protrusion secures a dedicated pickup area (EP1) on a top surface. When an extra length of an optical fiber extending from an optical device is routed and held between a pair of wall portions, the extra length including a tip portion is held in a storage area of the fiber holding carrier by a restoring force caused by being pressed against the wall portions.

A component and chip assembly apparatus includes an assembly stage configured to support a chip, the chip including grooves defining a first pitch, the grooves including a first groove opening configured to receive a plurality of optical fibers and to align the plurality of optical fibers. A picker brings a fiber component including a plurality of optical fibers having a second pitch into contact with the chip such that each optical fiber is aligned with a respective groove. At least one of the assembly stage and the picker includes a comb having a plurality of teeth that define individual cavities therebetween, the cavities having a first cavity opening to receive the optical fibers and isolate each optical fiber from one another and pre-align the optical fibers so as to adjust the second pitch to substantially match the first pitch.

Prism-coupling systems and methods for characterizing large depth-of-layer waveguides formed in glass substrates are disclosed. One method includes making a first measurement after a first ion-exchange process that forms a deep region and then performing a second measurement after a second ion-exchange process that forms a shallow region. Light-blocking features are arranged relative to the prism to produce a mode spectrum where the contrast of the mode lines for the strongly coupled low-order modes is improved at the expense of loss of resolution for measuring characteristics of the shallow region. Standard techniques for determining the compressive stress, the depth of layer or the tensile strength of the shallow region are then employed. A second measurement can be made using a near-IR wavelength to measure characteristics of the deeper, first ion-exchange process. Systems and methods of measuring ion-exchanged samples using shape control are also disclosed.

System and method for performing fiber optic alignment and attachment of an industry standard single fiber optic cable or fiber array to the facet of an optical chip. The proposed invention provides a means to gently hold and release a single fiber or fiber array while maintaining tolerance restrictions created by the presence of neighboring fibers or chip carriers via an inverted vacuum system.

To assemble a donor part to a receiver part, place the receiver part on a stage; provide at least one compliant elastomeric member associated with at least one of the stage and a vacuum element; and use the vacuum element to lift the donor part and assemble it to the receiver part on the stage. Misalignment of the receiver part and the donor part is tolerated by the at least one compliant elastomeric member.