U.S. Philips Corporation

Hans O Dammann

Gert Rabe

Ulrich R Killat

Wolfgang F Tolksdorf

Elke B Pross

Hans-Jurgen Schmitt

Manfred B Zinke

Erhard P Klotz

Claus-Peter Klages

Jens-Peter Krumme

Paul J Patt

Reiner U Orlowski

Klaus B Schildbach

Volker Doormann

Hans J Schmitt

Inske E Bartels

Heinrich Kurz

Jurgen Seidenberg

Ralf-Dieter Boehnke

Norbert Thorweihe

Christian H Velzel

Gunter L Schmitz

A groove is formed in a substrate layer by ion etching. The substrate layer comprises a top layer having an etch rate S1 and a bottom layer having a different etch rate S2, in which first, grooves are formed having an initial depth which differs from the desired depth, after which the etching process is carried out without using a mask until the desired depth of the groove is attained.

Method of forming at least one groove in a substrate layer

The invention relates to a planar optical isolator having a magneto optical gyrotropic layer and an anisotropic birefringent layer which are proportioned so that the non-reciprocal rotation of polarisation of the light (Faraday rotation) resulting from the action of a magnetic field in the forward direction of the isolator is at least substantially negatively equal to the reciprocal rotation of polarisation as a result of the birefringence, so that a TE-mode in the forward direction is guided with low damping, measures being taken for the intensive attenuation of at least one TM-mode. An isolator having a high isolating effect in which magneto optical gyrotropic layers and anisotropic birefringent layers can be connected epitaxially is obtained in that the waveguiding core layer comprises two rare earth-iron garnet (YIG) layers which are differently doped to obtain different specific birefringence.

Planar optical isolator

A device for working a workpiece by means of laser light includes a laser, a beamsplitter for splitting the laserbeam into at least two sub-laserbeams of substantially identical intensities, and a control unit which controls the light intensity of the laser and the movement of a workpiece support and the laserbeam relative to each other. The beamsplitter includes at least one digital-phase grating which divides the laserbeam into a plurality of sub-laserbeams to produce a pattern of laser spots onto the workpiece.

Device for working a workpiece using laser light

A magneto-optical waveguide device for changing the radiation modes propagating in the structure comprises a magneto-optical layer in which the modes propagate and which is externally magnetized. This magneto-optical layer is carried by a substrate and is connected to an optically anisotropic structure. This optically anisotropic structure is an artificially formed phase structure having zones of different refractive indices, the zones and their distances from each other in the direction of propagation of the modes being small relative to the wavelength of the light.

Magneto-optical waveguide device with artificial optical anisotropy

The invention relates to a non-reciprocal optical element, particularly for use an an isolator or circulator, which is connected to at least two monomode optical waveguides and which has a magneto-optical waveguide structure which is subjected to a transversal magnetic field directed perpendicularly to the direction of propagation of the optical wave. This arrangement is simplified by combining the functions of the coupler and the phase shifter, which is achieved by means of the following features:

Non-reciprocal optical waveguide device, particularly for use as an

The invention relates to an optical polarization regulator having a wave-guide structure for converting the polarization state of an optical beam passing through and comprising devices for adjusting the coupling constants K of the TE and TM modes of the optical beam and for adjusting the difference .DELTA..beta. of the propagation constants .beta..sub.TE and .beta..sub.TM of these modes. The wave-guide structure is a magnetooptical element (8, 9, 13). The coupling constant K is adjusted by a magnetic field acting upon the wave-guide structure (8, 9, 13) and the difference .DELTA..beta. is adjusted by a mechanical deformation force exerted on the wave-guide structure.

Optical polarization regulator having a wave-guide structure

An optical path sensor including a filter through which passes a radiation beam comprising light of at least two wavelengths and which filter, as it is moved perpendicularly to the direction of the optical radiation beam, causes the attenuations for the beam components of different wavelengths to change in a different ratio. In a filter constructed in a simple manner with low-cost elements two phase gratings are arranged one after the other in the beam direction, only one of the gratings being movable perpendicularly to the beam direction and in that the zero-order diffraction beams are directed towards a detector.

Optical path sensor including a filter

The invention relates to an optical wavelength multiplexing and/or demultiplexing device. The device comprises a digital phase grating having at least four steps. The grating diffracts light of at least three different wavelengths in different central diffraction orders. Since the grating period may be high in comparison with the wavelengths light-emitting diodes may be used as light sources.

Optical wavelength-multiplexing and/or demultiplexing device

The invention relates to a magnetooptical waveguide device for the conversion of modes of propagation of the device. The device comprises layers (1, 4, 5, 6, 7) which are epitaxially applied to a substrate layer (8) and of which at least the waveguide layer (1) in which the modes propagate consists of a transparent magnetooptical material for which mode conversion can be induced by a magnetic field. For more accurate matching of the phase velocity of the TE and TM modes this structure is disposed in an apparatus (14, 15) by which an adjustable mechanical deformation force (24, 25) is exerted on the wave guide structure.

Phase-matched magnetooptical mode converter

Planar optical waveguide having a crystal body consisting of a nonmagnetic substrate having a first magnetooptical layer epitaxially provided on the substrate and a second magnetooptical layer epitaxially provided on the first mangetooptical layer. The two magnetooptical layers consist of a material based on iron garnet. The second magnetooptical layer has a refractice index n.sub.2 which is approximately 1.times.10.sup.-3 to 1.times.10.sup.-2 higher than the refractive index n.sub.1 of the first magnetooptical layer. A layer of a material based on iron garnet and absorbing radiation in the wavelength range of 1.0.ltoreq..lambda..ltoreq.2.5 .mu.m is provided between the substrate and the first magnetooptical layer, said iron garnet-based layer having a refractive index n.sub.A which is higher than the refractive index of the first magnetooptical layer.

Planar optical waveguide and method of manufacturing same

The invention relates to a compound blazed optical phase grating. The grating comprises at least two grating sections which are disposed opposite each other in parallel planes. The gratings have grooves which extend parallel to each other. The grating sections have equal grating periods and are movable relative to each other within their planes and perpendicular to the grooves. Over one grating period, the optical path length varies at least substantially parabolically and symmetrically relative to the grating period. The path length varies in such a manner that when both grating sections are symmetrically arranged relative to a common line perpendicular to the grating planes, the optical path length through the compound grating is uniform across the grating. Various optical switches and switching matrixes can be formed by using such compound phase gratings.

Compound optical phase grating and optical switch

An optical power divider for use with one incoming and a plurality of outgoing glass fibers includes an imaging device arranged on an optical axis between the incoming and outgoing glass fibers. At least one plane binary phase grating is disposed in the pupil of the imaging device. The grating is one-dimensional, has a duty factor of at least substantially 1:1, and has an optical path difference of at least substantially

Optical power divider

A device for coupling a first optical signal of a first wavelength into a transmission glass-fiber and for coupling a second optical signal, which has a second wavelength which differs from the first wavelength, out of the fiber. The two signals travel in the transmission glass-fiber in opposite directions. The optical signals also travel in other, spatially separated glass fibers. The device includes an imaging device arranged between the transmission glass-fiber and the other glass fibers. In the pupil of the imaging device, a binary optical grating is disposed. Other glass fibers receive the second optical signals which have been diffracted into the diffractions orders of the grating. The grating is a phase grating and is arranged on an optical axis of the imaging device. It has a duty factor of at least substantially 1:1 as well as an optical path difference, H=(n-1)h, which is substantially

Coupling device for coupling signals into and out of a transmission

A device for spacially separating specific spectral regions, preferably of color components from a wideband spectrum which is actively and/or passively radiated by objects. The spectral regions, or color components, are derived from the diffraction orders of a diffraction grating (phase grating), which is disposed in the pupil of an imaging lens and whose groove profile consists of several steps, which produce path length differences which are integral multiples of a specific wavelength.

Diffraction grating and system for the formation of color components

The invention relates to a method of eliminating errors in images of patterns which consist of periodically arranged individual images by optical filtering, only certain selected diffraction orders of the regular pattern to be imaged in the form of a ring or parts of a ring being employed for further imaging.

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Tangstedt, Germany

Hans O Dammann