British Telecommunications Public Limited Company

Huawei Technologies Co., Limited

David C Rogers

Graeme Douglas Maxwell

Alistair James Poustie

David Cotter

Richard Wyatt

Kevin Smith

Julian Kazimierz Lucek

Ian Lealman

Ramsey Selim

Karl Boylan

Sebastien Lardenois

Alistair James

Graeme Maxwell

Sébastien Lardenois

A multi-channel tunable laser includes: a frequency selective optical multiplexer comprising: a plurality of channel terminals for receiving/transmitting light; a plurality of channel waveguide blocks, each channel waveguide block comprising at least one reflectively terminated channel waveguide; and an optical coupling element optically coupling the plurality of channel terminals with the plurality of channel waveguide blocks, each of the channel waveguides of the plurality of channel waveguide blocks having a different length; a plurality of channel paths, each channel path coupled to a respective channel terminal of the plurality of channel terminals and comprising a gain element, a phase element and a reflective element; and a plurality of optical tuners, each one configured to tune the channel waveguides of a respective channel waveguide block of the plurality of channel waveguide blocks.

Multi-channel tunable laser

The present invention provides an assembly () of integrated optical components and methods of producing thereof wherein the assembly () of optically linked optical components comprises a motherboard () having one or more primary lateral reference features () and a sub-assembly () comprising an optical component () mounted on a daughterboard (), said sub-assembly () having one or more secondary lateral reference features (). The primary lateral reference features may be optical alignment features. The daughterboard () may be mounted on the motherboard () such that the optical component () may extend into a motherboard recess (). The lateral alignment of the component () with the motherboard () is provided by aligning the primary () and secondary lateral reference features (). The daughterboard () may further comprise tertiary lateral reference features () which in combination with the secondary lateral reference featuresform a self correcting alignment system.

Hybrid integrated optical elements

A method of producing a planar waveguiding device having a core &lsqb; &rsqb; and a cladding &lsqb; &rsqb;. The cladding has groves &lsqb; &rsqb; directly interfacing &lsqb; &rsqb; with the core &lsqb;10&rsqb;. A layer of core glass &lsqb; &rsqb; is deposited on the surface of a substrate &lsqb; &rsqb;. This layer is etched to produce a shaped layer which includes a first core portion &lsqb; &rsqb; having the same configuration as the intended core &lsqb; &rsqb; and an expanded core portion &lsqb; &rsqb; wherein the core glass extends beyond the intended core boundary. A glass covering layer &lsqb; &rsqb; is deposited over the etched core glass and grooves &lsqb; &rsqb; are produced by etching through the covering layer &lsqb; &rsqb; and into said expanded core portion &lsqb; &rsqb;. This removes the core glass &lsqb; &rsqb; extending beyond the intended core &lsqb; &rsqb; boundary to produce interfaces &lsqb; &rsqb; between the core &lsqb; &rsqb; and the grooves &lsqb; &rsqb;. All of the glasses are silica with additives to adjust the refractive index and/or the melting point.

Making grooves in planar waveguides

A planar waveguiding device includes at least on section of core which is located between and adjacent to two grooves. The refractive index within the grooves is substantially equal to one and the grooves are located so that the evanescent fields of optical signals travelling in the core extend into the grooves. Preferably the grooves have a direct interface with the core and they extend through a layer located above the core into a layer located below the core. Where the cores have bends, e.g. bends with radii of curvature below 2 mm the grooves are located both inside and outside the bends.

Planar optical waveguides with double grooves

An arrayed waveguide grating &lsqb;WDG&rsqb; comprises I/O slabs ( ) interconnected by a grating region ( ). The grating region ( ) comprises many, e.g. at least 25 and preferably 50 to 500, individual cores ( ), which have different lengths so as to provide wavelength selectivity by causing phase changes in light conveyed between the I/O slabs ( , ). There are bends ( ) for providing the different lengths and, to improve optical guidance round the bends, empty (R.I.&equals;1) grooves ( ) are located adjacent to the inside ( ) and outside radii ( ) so that the evanescent fields extend into the grooves ( ). In order to keep the dimensions small, which improves the optical accuracy, tight bends (preferred radii of curvature of less than 2 mm and especially less than 500 &mgr;m) are desirable. The grooves conveniently have tapered ends and they extend into straight portions adjacent to the bends. The WDG is preferably implemented in silica glass with dopants to adjust the refractive index and/or the melting point.

Arrayed waveguide gratings

Optical packet processing

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Ipswich, United Kingdom

David C Rogers