An optical device includes an active layer that includes at least two outer barriers and at least one coupled quantum well that is inserted between the at least two outer barriers. Each coupled quantum well includes at least three quantum well layers and at least two coupling barriers that are respectively provided between the at least three quantum well layers. Thicknesses of two quantum well layers disposed at opposite end portions of the at least three quantum well layers are less than a thickness of the other quantum well layer disposed between the two quantum well layers disposed at the opposite end portions. A bandgap of the two quantum well layers disposed at the opposite end portions may be higher than a bandgap of the other quantum well layer disposed between the two quantum well layers.

The object of the invention is a phase modulator including a modulation guide intended to guide die propagation of a light flow, said guide comprising a PN junction extending mainly along the main axis of propagation according to an oscillating continuous function. Advantageously, the oscillating continuous function is defined in such a way that the PN junction covers at least 50% of the light flow between the input and the output of the modulation guide. According to one possibility, the continuous function is sinusoidal. The object of the invention is also a switch and an intensity modulator each comprising a phase modulator.

A TOF depth imaging system for providing a depth image of an object is provided comprising a light source configured to illuminate an object with amplitude modulated light characterized by a wavelength and a modulation frequency f, a surface-normal electroabsorption modulator configured to receive and to modulate reflected light from the object with the modulation frequency f, and an image sensor configured to receive and to detect modulated reflected light from the electroabsorption modulator. The electroabsorption modulator comprises a top doped layer of semiconductor, a bottom doped layer of semiconductor having opposite polarity to the top doped layer, and an active layer between the top and bottom doped layers, the active layer configured as a superlattice structure comprising multiple sublayers of semiconductor configured to provide alternating quantum wells and barriers, the active layer comprising quantum wells configured to exhibit delocalized electron-hole behavior.

The object of the invention is a phase modulator including a modulation guide intended to guide die propagation of a light flow, said guide comprising a PN junction extending mainly along the main axis of propagation according to an oscillating continuous function. Advantageously, the oscillating continuous function is defined in such a way that the PN junction covers at least 50% of the light flow between the input and the output of the modulation guide. According to one possibility, the continuous function is sinusoidal. The object of the invention is also a switch and an intensity modulator each comprising a phase modulator.

A laser source or a plurality of laser sources in a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) are provided with an electrical contact that is either segmented or is connected to a series of vernier resistor segments for supply of current to operate the laser source. In either case, at least one segment of the laser contact or at least one vernier resistor segment can be trimmed in order to vary the amount of current supplied to the laser source resulting in a change to its current density and, thus, a change in its operational wavelength while maintaining the current supplied to the laser source constant.

A nonlinear metasurface structure including a multi-quantum-well layer designed for a nonlinear response for a desired nonlinear optical process and an array of nanoantennas coupled to the intersubband transitions of the multi-quantum-well layer. Each nanoantenna in the array is designed to have electromagnetic resonances at or close to all input and output frequencies of a given nonlinear optical process. Nanoantennas allow efficient coupling of any incident and outgoing light polarizations to intersubband transitions. Nanoantennas may further provide significant field enhancement in the multi-quantum-well layer. As a result, the nonlinear metasurface structure can be designed to produce a highly nonlinear response for any polarization and angle of incidence of incoming and outgoing waves in a nonlinear optical process. Due to their very larger nonlinear response, efficient frequency conversion can be produced in these metasurfaces without the stringent phase-matching constraints of bulk nonlinear crystals.

A nonlinear metasurface structure including a multi-quantum-well layer designed for a nonlinear response for a desired nonlinear optical process and an array of nanoantennas coupled to the intersubband transitions of the multi-quantum-well layer. Each nanoantenna in the array is designed to have electromagnetic resonances at or close to all input and output frequencies of a given nonlinear optical process. Nanoantennas allow efficient coupling of any incident and outgoing light polarizations to intersubband transitions. Nanoantennas may further provide significant field enhancement in the multi-quantum-well layer. As a result, the nonlinear metasurface structure can be designed to produce a highly nonlinear response for any polarization and angle of incidence of incoming and outgoing waves in a nonlinear optical process. Due to their very larger nonlinear response, efficient frequency conversion can be produced in these metasurfaces without the stringent phase-matching constraints of bulk nonlinear crystals.