National Research Council of Canada

Enablence Inc.

Carleton University

Siegfried Janz

Dan-Xia Xu

Pavel Cheben

Adam Densmore

Richard J Normandin

Boris Lamontagne

Andre Delage

Jens Schmid

Hongxing Dai

Ross Cheriton

Lynden Erickson

Francoise Chatenoud

Sylvain Charbonneau

Michel Maurice Dion

Jean Lapointe

Miroslaw Florjanczyk

Trevor Mischki

Ian Powell

Matt Pearson

Daniel Poitras

Winnie N Ye

John Miller

Dan Dalacu

Philip Waldron

Hughes Lafontaine

Przemek J Bock

Greg Lopinski

Bill Sinclair

Kokou Dossou

Chan Fernando

Edward Frlan

Daniele Melati

Shahrzad Khajavi

Yuri Grinberg

Mohsen Kamandar-Dezfouli

Przemek Bock

A method for detecting and identifying a remote gas, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a light wave associated with the remote gas; coupling the light wave into a single mode fibre; transmitting the light wave via the single mode fibre into a filter comprising a fibre-based tunable cavity; modulating the cavity length of the filter transmission window to cause a detected modulated signal that is proportional to the spectral feature; and processing the signal using a lock-in amplifier capable of low-pass filtering and out-of-frequency noise rejection.

Fibre optic filter remote gas correlation sensor

An antenna device for performing off-chip light coupling comprising an array of radiating elements whose thickness is larger than λ/2, the radiating elements being chosen such that the length of the array is smaller than 10λ, where λ is the wavelength of light in the material chosen for the radiating elements. An advantage of this method is that, unlike in conventional waveguide grating antenna, by reducing the number of the radiating elements in the array, the dependence of the off-chip emission angle on the wavelength of light can be greatly reduced. Another advantage is that by using thick radiating elements the antenna efficiency can be greatly enhanced, thereby compensating for the reduced efficiency occurring as a consequence of using only a small number of radiating elements in the array.

Waveguide antenna device

An integrated optical sensor enables the detection and identification of one or more remote gases using a transmission filter that matches specific absorption features of a remote gas and is detected using a single photodetection element. The sensor comprises an integrated optical component that is characterized by its transmission spectrum which corresponds to absorption or emission features of a target gas over a defined spectral bandpass, and the ability to have a reversibly tunable transmission spectrum. The change in the optical power output from the sensor as the transmission spectrum is tuned is proportional to the optical depth of the target gas absorption lines when viewed with a background light source. The optical power output from the integrated optical component is therefore related to the absorption spectrum of the input light Physical properties of the sensor are tailored to produce a quasi-periodic transmission spectrum that results in a stronger signal contrast for a specific gas. The sensor is preferably a waveguide ring resonator with a free spectral range that matches the absorption spectrum of a gas over a finite spectral bandpass.

Integrated filter remote gas correlation sensor

A technique for high sensitivity evanescent field molecular sensing employs a detection scheme that simultaneously couples a polarized beam to a single mode of a waveguide, and couples the polarized beam out of the waveguide to specularly reflect the beam by the same grating. Strong interaction with the single (preferably TM) mode is provided by using a silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer having a waveguide thickness chosen between 10-400 nm so that the majority of the mode field strength spans the evanescent field. Well known, robust techniques for producing a grating on the waveguide are provided. Interrogation from a backside of the SOI wafer is taught.

Grating-based evanescent field molecular sensor using a thin silicon waveguide layer

A waveguide cores consisting of a subwavelength grating permits transmission of light without diffraction in a discontinuous manner, wherein the energy is provided by field hopping between subwavelength material segments of higher index. The use of alternating segments permits design of waveguides having desired effective index, mode confinement factor, birefringence, polarization mode or mode dispersions, polarization dependent loss, thermal sensitivity, or nonlinear optical coefficient. An optical system comprises a waveguide having such a core, clad on at least one side, extending between two ends, and wavelength-limiting optical components in optical communication with the ends.

Composite subwavelength-structured waveguide in optical systems

A spectrometer has a multi-input aperture for admitting an input wavefront and an array of multiple waveguide structures terminating at the multi-input aperture. The input wavefront is incident on each of the waveguide structures, which provide a dispersive function for the input wavefront. Interferometers are formed by elements of the waveguide structures. The interferometers have different optical path length differences (OPDs). The interferometers provide a wavelength responsive output for spatially extended light sources. The output of the interferometers is detected with a detector array. The spectrometer has an improved etendue, and in some embodiments very high resolution.

Planar waveguide wavelength dispersive devices with multiple waveguide input aperture

Methods and devices relating to a sensor for use in detecting and monitoring molecular interactions. A silicon waveguide sensing element is provided along with a layer of silicon. A silicon oxide layer is also provided between the waveguide element and the layer of silicon. The sensing element is adjacent to an aqueous solution in which the molecular interactions are occurring. A light beam travelling in the silicon waveguide creates an evanescent optical field on the surface of the sensing element adjacent to the boundary between the sensing element and the aqueous medium. Molecular interactions occurring on this surface affect the intensity or the phase of the light beam travelling through the waveguide by changing the effective refractive index of the medium. By measuring the effect on the intensity, phase, or speed of the light beam, the molecular interactions can be detected and monitored in real time.

Silicon photonic wire waveguide biosensor

An interface device for performing mode transformation in optical waveguides includes an optical waveguide core for propagating light of a particular wavelength or a plurality of wavelengths. The optical waveguide core terminates in a subwavelength grating configured to change the propagation mode of the light. The subwavelength grating has a pitch sufficiently less than the wavelength of the light to frustrate diffraction. The device can thus serve as an optical coupler between different propagating media, or as an anti-reflective or high reflectivity device.

Interface device for performing mode transformation in optical waveguides

An Echelle grating has alternate first () and second () sets of facets (). The first set of facets () is operative to reflect incident light () for diffraction and the second set of facets () extends between adjacent facets of the first set (). Only the first set of facets () is metallized to enhance reflection. The second set of facets () is left unmetallized. This configuration reduces polarization dependent loss (PDL).

Echelle gratings with low Polarization Dependent Loss (PDL) using metal coating on the reflecting facets only

The multichannel waveguide device includes an array of waveguides located in a plane. Each waveguide channel has a redirecting element for redirecting a guided wave out of said plane, or vice versa. The redirecting elements are staggered in the direction of the waveguides so as to transform a one-dimensional array of in-plane waves into a two-dimensional array of out-of-plane waves, or vice versa.

Optical off-chip interconnects in multichannel planar waveguide devices

A spectroscopic method and system for the spectral analysis of an optical signal directed to a wavelength dispersive component having two interleaved dispersive devices. For a single wavelength, the optical signal exiting the interleaved dispersive devices includes two wavefronts generally disposed at an angle to one another and producing an interference pattern. The interference pattern is detected and subsequently analyzed via a Fourier transform to produce the optical spectrum of the input beam. The method and system are applicable in a planar waveguide environment, in reflection and transmission geometries.

Wavelength dispersive fourier transform spectrometer

An optical performance monitor for measuring the performance of optical networks has an echelle grating for demultiplexing an input beam into a plurality of wavelengths that are focused onto an array of divided output waveguides. Each divided output waveguide is positioned to receive a corresponding demultiplexed wavelength from the echelle grating or other waveguide multiplexer device. The divided output waveguides laterally separate the corresponding demultiplexed wavelength into a first and second portions. A detector array is positioned to receive the respective portions of the demultiplexed wavelengths and by comparing their relative intensity it is possible to detect any drift in the nominal wavelengths of the channels.

Optical performance monitor

In order to make a photonic device incorporating a waveguide, a waveguide is formed with a predetermined geometry. Birefringence is then controlled by determining the amount of stress induced within the waveguide.

Stress-induced control of polarization dependent properties in photonic devices

According to this invention, silicon-based photodetectors using waveguides formed with silicide regions can have high speed and high efficiency for near IR applications. Utilizing the unique properties of silicides, the proposed method provides a simple and elegant way to implement a photodetector design in which photogenerated carriers travel perpendicular to the direction of light propagation. Therefore, the speed and quantum efficiency of the photodetector may be optimized independently. This device configuration may be implemented in one of the two approaches: (a) waveguides formed through surface silicidation of a silicon-based layer of a substrate (b) waveguides formed through silicidation of ridge waveguide side-walls of a silicon-based layer of a substrate; The use of mature silicon technology promises low cost of production and other benefits.

High speed and high efficiency Si-based photodetectors using waveguides formed with silicide for near IR applications

According to this invention, silicon-based photodetectors using waveguides formed with silicide regions can have high speed and high efficiency for near IR applications. Utilizing the unique properties of suicides, the proposed method provides a simple and elegant way to implement a photodetector design in which photogenerated carriers travel perpendicular to the direction of light propagation. Therefore, the speed and quantum efficiency of the photodetector may be optimized independently. This device configuration may be implemented in one of the two approaches: (a) waveguides formed through surface silicidation of a silicon-based layer of a substrate (b) waveguides formed through silicidation of ridge waveguide side-walls of a silicon-based layer of a substrate; The use of mature silicon technology promises low cost of production and other benefits.

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Ottawa, Canada

Siegfried Janz