Devices and systems to perform optical alignment by using one or more liquid crystal layers to actively steer a light beam from an optical fiber to an optical waveguide integrated on a chip. An on-chip feedback mechanism can steer the beam between the fiber and a grating based waveguide to minimize the insertion loss of the system.

Systems and methods for coupling photonic integrated subcircuits are described herein. The example system can include a first cartridge (4702) including a first photonic integrated subcircuit (4706) and a first alignment feature (4720, 4722). The system can include a second cartridge (4704) including a second photonic integrated subcircuit (4708) and a second alignment feature (4724, 4726), where the first alignment feature (4720, 4722) and the second alignment feature (4724, 4726) can be configured to enable alignment between the first photonic integrated subcircuit (4706) and the second photonic integrated subcircuit (4708). When the first photonic integrated subcircuit (4706) is aligned to the second photonic integrated subcircuit (4708), a first light path of the first photonic integrated subcircuit (4706) can be optically coupled to a second light path of the second photonic integrated subcircuit (4708).

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.

Integrated target waveguide devices and optical analytical systems comprising such devices are provided. The target devices include an optical coupler that is optically coupled to an integrated waveguide and that is configured to receive optical input from an optical source through free space, particularly through a low numerical aperture interface. The devices and systems are useful in the analysis of highly multiplexed optical reactions in large numbers at high densities, including biochemical reactions, such as nucleic acid sequencing reactions. The devices provide for the efficient and reliable coupling of optical excitation energy from an optical source to the optical reactions. Optical signals emitted from the reactions can thus be measured with high sensitivity and discrimination. The devices and systems are well suited for miniaturization and high throughput.

A fiber plug facilitates optical coupling of a light-guiding fiber to a plug receptacle and includes a plug housing for receiving and locking parts of the fiber plug in position relative to one another. The plug housing has: a fiber inlet and a fiber bearing for the spatially fixed reception of the fiber; optically downstream of the fiber bearing along a beam path, an optical lens for collecting light exiting at an end face of the light-guiding fiber and for collimating the collected light; and a coupling surface with an output of the beam path and with a coupling structure for connection to a receptacle structure that is complementary to the coupling structure. An adjustable optical element is arranged optically downstream of the fiber bearing in the beam path and has a first component of a magnetic coupling consisting of two components and a first component of a kinematic coupling.

Systems and methods described herein relate to the manufacture of optical elements and optical systems. An example method includes providing a first substrate that has a plurality of light-emitter devices disposed on a first surface. The method includes providing a second substrate that has a mounting surface defining a reference plane. The method includes forming a structure and an optical spacer on the mounting surface of the second substrate. The method additionally includes coupling the first and second substrates together such that the first surface of the first substrate faces the mounting surface of the second substrate at an angle with respect to the reference plane.

A probe system and a machine apparatus thereof are provided. The machine apparatus can be configured for optionally carrying at least one probe assembly. The machine apparatus includes a temperature control carrier module, a machine frame structure and a temperature shielding structure. The temperature control carrier module can be configured for carrying at least one predetermined object. The machine frame structure can be configured for partially covering the temperature control carrier module, and the machine frame structure has a frame opening for exposing the temperature control carrier module. The temperature shielding structure can be disposed on the machine frame structure for partially covering the frame opening, and the temperature shielding structure has a detection opening for exposing the at least one predetermined object. The temperature shielding structure has a gas guiding channel formed thereinside for allowing a predetermined gas in the gas guiding channel.

An OSFP optical transceiver having split multiple fiber optical port using reduced amount of MPO terminations is provided that includes two adjacent sockets integrated into the optical port of the OSFP optical transceiver. The two adjacent sockets are vertically oriented with respect to the mounting baseplate of the OSFP optical transceiver, and each of the two adjacent sockets is adapted to receive an MPO receptacle that terminates the proximal end of a bundle of fibers. The OSFP optical transceiver also includes an optical connection between each socket and a corresponding lens in the OSFP optical transceiver, for transmitting optical signals received from other transceivers into the OSFP optical transceiver and optical signals generated in the OSFP optical transceiver to other transceivers.

Various embodiments and method relating to an optical fiber curvature measurement system are described herein. The optical fiber curvature measurement system includes a controller and a rotation stage. The rotation stage includes a central axis, a first end, and a second end. The central axis extends from the first end to the second end of the rotation stage. The rotation stage includes an optical fiber channel extending from the first end of the rotation stage to the second end of the rotation stage. The rotation stage is operationally coupled with the controller and configured to rotate about the central axis of the rotation stage. An optical fiber may be positioned within the optical fiber channel. The optical fiber curvature measurement system also includes a light source positioned to emit light onto the optical fiber channel at an oblique angle from the central axis of the rotation stage.

The invention relates to a method and to an assembly (200) for localizing an optical coupling point (11) and to a method for producing a microstructure (100) at the optical coupling point (11). The method for localizing an optical coupling point (11) comprises the following steps: a) providing an optical component (10), which comprises an optical coupling point (11), the optical coupling point having an interaction region (15) lying outside of a volume encompassed by the optical component (10); b) producing optical radiation in a production region (120), the production region (120) overlapping at least partly with the interaction region (15) of the optical coupling point (11), light being applied to a medium (19) located in the production region (120), which light is modified by the medium (19) in such a way that the optical radiation is thereby produced; c) sensing at least part of the produced optical radiation in a sensing region (130), the sensing region (130) overlapping at least partly with the interaction region (15) of the optical coupling point (11), and determining a spatially resolved distribution of the sensed part of the produced optical radiation; and d) determining the localization of the optical coupling point (11) from the determined spatially resolved distribution of the sensed part of the produced optical radiation, the optical radiation being produced or at least the part of the produced optical radiation being sensed through the optical coupling point (11). The optical coupling point (11) can thereby be precisely localized with a relative positioning tolerance of better than 1 μm. Thus, low coupling losses of an optical connection to the optical component (10) can be achieved and microstructures (100) can be precisely placed at the optical coupling point (11).