Hewlett-packard Company

Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Avago Technologies Fiber IP (singapore) Pte. Ltd

Kent W Carey

Long Yang

John Dwight Larson, Iii

Gary Richard Trott

Richard Keith Karlquist

Herbert L Ko

Mark A Hueschen

John E Bowers

You Kondoh

Tetsuya Hidaka

Dubravko I Babic

James Joseph Dudley

Tsutomu Takenaka

Mitsuchika Saito

Karl Shubert

Karl Salomaa

Methods of optical communication and optical communication systems are described. According to a first aspect, a method of optical communication includes providing an optical signal and providing a plurality of data signals. This aspect also includes passing a plurality of desired portions of the optical signal using a plurality of respective optical modulators, the desired portions individually having at least one predefined wavelength. The method also includes optically modulating the desired portions of the optical signal using the respective optical modulators and responsive to respective ones of the data signals and outputting the desired portions of the optical signal to an optical communication medium after the modulating.

Methods of optical communication and optical communication systems

Pressure-actuated bi-stable optical switching is provided. In this regard, a pressure-actuated bi-stable optical switch includes an optical path and a cavity intersecting the optical path. The cavity defines a first position along the optical path and a second position displaced from the optical path. An index-matching liquid, which exhibits an index of refraction closer to an index of refraction of the optical path than to that of a vacuum, is arranged within the cavity. A pressure generator generates pressure that selective moves the liquid between the first and second positions. Additionally, a potential profile maintains the liquid in the one of the first and second positions to which it was most recently moved while the pressure generator is not generating pressure. Methods, systems and other switches also are provided.

Pressure-actuated bi-stable optical switching

Systems and methods of monitoring thin film deposition are described. In one aspect, a thin film deposition sensor includes an acoustical resonator (e.g., a thin film bulk acoustical resonator) that has an exposed surface and is responsive to thin film material deposits on the exposed surface. A substrate clip may be configured to attach the thin film deposition sensor to a substrate. A transceiver circuit may be configured to enable the thin film deposition sensor to be interrogated wirelessly. A method of monitoring a thin film deposition on a substrate also is described.

Systems and methods of monitoring thin film deposition

The present invention provides a vertical cavity surface emitting laser having high gain and high reflectivity in the desired wavelength range and good thermal and electrical conductivity. The laser structure is comprised of a first mirror region, a second mirror region, and an active region positioned between the first and second mirror regions. Unlike, prior VCSELs, the active region is fused to both the first mirror region and the second mirror region. This allows the laser designer to optimize laser performance for the desired wavelength range by allowing the choice of different materials for the first mirror region, the second mirror region, and the active region.

Surface emitting laser using two wafer bonded mirrors

A method of precisely mounting a planar optical component on a mounting member includes the step of placing a plurality of balls on the mounting member to precisely define a geometric plane. The planar optical component is then placed against each of the balls on the mounting member such that the planar optical component is along the defined geometric plane on the mounting member. In addition, the planar optical component can also be mounted on the mounting member by first forming a groove in the mounting member. An end of the planar optical component is then shaped to match that of at least one wall of the groove. The planar optical component can then be placed in the groove such that the shaped end of the planar optical component is placed against the wall of the groove.

Mounting a planar optical component on a mounting member

A switch for selectively coupling light from an input optical fiber to a selected one of a plurality of output optical fibers. The switch includes a first carriage having one end of the input optical fiber attached thereto and a second carriage having the output optical fibers attached thereto such that one end of each of the output optical fiber lies between first and second distances with respect to the end of the input optical fiber when the output optical fiber is aligned with the input optical fiber. A lens that is fixed with respect to the end of the input optical fiber images light leaving the input optical fiber onto a plane lying between the first and second distances from the end of the input optical fiber. In one embodiment of the present invention, an encoder is integrated into the first and second carriages. The encoder includes an encoding input optical fiber having one end attached to the first carriage, the encoding input optical fiber being a single mode optical fiber. Light leaving the encoder is received by a second single mode optical fiber when the carriages are in a specified relationship to one another. The second single mode optical fiber can either be a fiber on the second carriage or encoding input optical fiber itself. In the later case, the second carriage includes a reflector which images the light from the encoding input optical fiber back into the encoding input optical fiber.

Mechanical fiber optic switch

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Kent W Carey