A communication module includes a laser driving unit (LDU) and one or more multifunction illumination units. The one or more multifunction illumination units are be coupled to the LDU with an electrical connection and configured to transmit both electrical power and data.

A transceiver comprises a transmitter including a light source, a modulator coupled to the light source, a driver that drives the modulator according to a set of driving conditions to cause the modulator to output optical signals based on light from the light source, and an output that passes first portions of the optical signals output by the modulator. The transceiver further comprises a first detector that detects second portions of the optical signals output from the modulator, and a receiver including a second detector that detects optical signals from an external transmitter.

An interconnect transceiver for transmitting and receiving optical signals, comprising an electronics module with a transceiver engine, and a photonics module with a laser source, a modulator, a photodetector to monitor the laser, one to receive an external optical signal, and a controller to operate the laser source and the laser source modulator, an electronic switch having two states is proposed. The first state is to allow monitoring of the modulated laser source by the transceiver engine, so as to acquire a reference set of operating parameters, and the second state is where a signal from the modulated laser source is directed to the controller, such as to allow real-time control of the source of the transmitting laser and modulator by the controller.

Materials containing picocrystalline quantum dots that form artificial atoms are disclosed. The picocrystalline quantum dots (in the form of born icosahedra with a nearly-symmetrical nuclear configuration) can replace corner silicon atoms in a structure that demonstrates both short range and long-range order as determined by x-ray diffraction of actual samples. A novel class of boron-rich compositions that self-assemble from boron, silicon, hydrogen and, optionally, oxygen is also disclosed. The preferred stoichiometric range for the compositions is (B.sub.12H.sub.w).sub.xSi.sub.yO.sub.z with 3≤w≤5, 2≤x≤4, 2≤y≤5 and 0≤z≤3. By varying oxygen content and the presence or absence of a significant impurity such as gold, unique electrical devices can be constructed that improve upon and are compatible with current semiconductor technology.

A method or apparatus for narrowing the linewidth of a single mode laser is provided. The linewidth of a single mode laser is narrowed by injecting an optical feedback simultaneously into the first laser cavity mirror and the second laser cavity mirror of the single mode laser.

A short-waveband active optical component based on a vertical emitting laser and a multi-mode optical fiber has an emitting end and a receiving end. In the emitting end, multiple VCSELs generate multiple optical signals of different wavelengths, and multiple photodiodes in the receiving end receive the optical signals emitted by the VCSELs. Both ends use a focusing lens array to collimate and focus the optical signals A Z-block-shaped prism performs a light combining function at the emitting end, while another Z-block-shaped prism performs a light splitting function at the receiving end. Both ends use a focusing lens for collimating and focusing the optical signals at ends of a multi-mode optical fiber, which is used for transmitting the optical signals generated by the VCSELs. The short-waveband active optical component has a small size and a high transmission rate.

A tap coupler includes a mode generation unit, a separation unit, and an output unit. The mode generation unit generates, in accordance with a discontinuous portion disposed on a travelling path of signal light that is propagating, a first mode of the signal light and a second mode that is different from the first mode. The separation unit separates, when the first mode and the second mode are input from the mode generation unit, the first mode and the second mode. The output unit outputs branch light in accordance with a transition of the second mode received from the separation unit.

An optical transmitter device includes a modulator of the Mach-Zehnder type that modulates the optical signal from an emitter and outputs modulated signals; and a phase controller that controls the phase difference of the modulator according to a setting phase amount. The device includes a controller, a sweeper, and an estimator. The controller controls the bias current of the emitter so that the power of the modulated signals detected at the output stage of the modulator during the optical shutdown becomes the target value during the optical shutdown. After the bias current is controlled, the sweeper performs constant-period sweeping of the phase of the modulator. The estimator estimates, while sweeping the phase, the transmission characteristics of the modulator from the power of the optical signal detected at the input stage of the modulator; and, from the estimated characteristics, calculates the optimum phase amount to be set in the phase controller.

A coherent transmitter includes a first beam splitter that splits an input first optical signal to obtain a second optical signal and a third optical signal, a first modulator that modulates the second optical signal to obtain a first modulated signal, a phase shift adjustment unit that adjusts a phase of a first sub-signal in the first modulated signal and adjusts a phase of a fourth sub-signal in the phase-adjusted first sub-signal, a first beam combiner that combines a second sub-signal in the first modulated signal and the phase-adjusted fourth sub-signal to obtain a first combined signal, a first PD that performs optical-to-electrical conversion on the first combined signal to obtain a first electrical signal, and a controller that controls, based on the first electrical signal, a voltage applied to the phase shift adjustment unit.

A smart light source configured for visible light communication. The light source includes a controller comprising a modem configured to receive a data signal and generate a driving current and a modulation signal based on the data signal. Additionally, the light source includes a light emitter configured as a pump-light device to receive the driving current for producing a directional electromagnetic radiation with a first peak wavelength in the ultra-violet or blue wavelength regime modulated to carry the data signal using the modulation signal. Further, the light source includes a pathway configured to direct the directional electromagnetic radiation and a wavelength converter optically coupled to the pathway to receive the directional electromagnetic radiation and to output a white-color spectrum. Furthermore, the light source includes a beam shaper configured to direct the white-color spectrum for illuminating a target of interest and transmitting the data signal.