Pacific Wave Industries, Inc.

University of Southern California

California Institute of Technology

Northrop Corporation

Oewaves, Inc.

William H Steier

Joseph Michael

Harold R Fetterman

Cheng Zhang

Min-Cheol Oh

Aaron W Harper

Fang Wang

Larry R Dalton

Chuanguang Wang

Albert S Ren

Lutfollah Maleki

Anatoliy A Savchenkov

Eddy A Stappaerts

Nan Yu

Seh-Won Ahn

Gabriel G Lombardi

Serge Dubovitsky

Thanh M Le

Hua Zhang

Hyun-Chae Song

Techniques and devices based on transverse magnetic (TM) and transverse electric (TE) modes in an optical resonator or interferometer to provide sensitive optical detection with insensitivity to a change in temperature. A shift in a difference between a first resonance wavelength of a TE optical mode and a second resonance wavelength of a TM optical mode is measured to measure a change in a sample that is in optical interaction with the optical resonator or interferometer. For example, the detected shift can be used to measure a change in a refractive index of the sample.

Optical sensing based on overlapping optical modes in optical resonator sensors and interferometric sensors

An electro-optic modulator is formed from all flexible materials, to form a flexible electro-optic modulator. The formation process uses a photoresist which selectively adheres to one material more than it adheres to another material. This allows selective liftoff, where only parts of the substrate are lifted off. For example, this allows silicon ends on the modulator, thereby facilitating pig tailing and also facilitates handling. Another aspect describes testing the bending radius.

Low-voltage flexible optic polymer modulators

A tapered electrooptic (EO) polymer waveguide interconnection structure coupling an EO polymer waveguide and a passive polymer waveguide and a method of fabricating the same.

Tapered waveguide interconnection structure and method of fabricating the same

A method for suppressing distortion in a multi-wavelengths system which uses a Mach Zehnder optical modulator includes adjusting an internal path length mismatch of the modulator and changing an applied voltage, V , such that the combination biases the modulator to the required &pgr;/2 phase bias.

Method for suppressing distortion in mach-zehnder optical modulators with a chirped or variable operating wavelength

Polymers containing polyene-bridged second-order nonlinear optical chromophores and devices incorporating the same are disclosed. The chromophores are functionalized and incorporated into a series of polymers ranging from linear polyesters, linear poly&lsqb;ester-imide&rsqb;s, chain-crosslinked polyesters/poly&lsqb;ester-imide&rsqb;s, to crosslinked star-shaped/dendritic macromolecules. An exemplary preferred polymer is a linear chain polymer formed from a dihydroxy-functionalized polyene-bridged chromophore, a diacid or diacid dichloride, and a diol. In a preferred embodiment, the diol structure also includes at least one imide group. Another exemplary preferred polymer is a crosslinked polymer comprised of a linear chain polymer formed from a dihydroxy-functionalized polyene-bridged chromophore, a diacid or diacid dichloride and a diol. The crosslinking is realized by thermally induced cyclolization of trifluorovinylethers which are attached to the diol co-monomer and/or chromophore in the linear chain polymer chain. In a preferred embodiment, the diol structure also includes at least one imide group. Another exemplary preferred polymer is a crosslinked polymer made from crosslinkable star-shaped high molecular weight (larger than 2,000) structure containing polyene-bridged chromophores. In a preferred embodiment, the crosslinking groups are multiple trifluorovinylether groups located at the periphery of the star-shaped structure. Another exemplary preferred polymer is a crosslinked polymer made from crosslinkable dendritic structure having a chromophore core and one or more dendrons. In a preferred embodiment, the crosslinking groups are multiple trifluorovinylether groups located at the periphery of the dendritic structure.

Polymers containing polyene-based second-order nonlinear optical chromophores and devices incorporating the same

Sterically stabilized second-order nonlinear optical chromophores and devices incorporating the same are embodied in a variety of chromophore materials. An exemplary preferred chromophore includes an electron donor group, an electron acceptor group and a ring-locked bridge structure therebetween, with the bridge structure being directly connected to the electron donor via a single bond. Another exemplary preferred chromophore includes an electron donor group, an electron acceptor group and a ring-locked bridge structure between the electron donor group and the electron acceptor group, with two free double bonds, one located between the donor and the bridge and the other located between the (fused) ring bridge and the acceptor. Another exemplary preferred chromophore includes an electron donor group, an electron acceptor group, and a bridge structure therebetween, with the chromophores having no carbon-carbon double bond between the donor and the (fused) ring bridge. In this class, there is only one unlocked carbon-carbon double bond between the (fused) ring bridge and the acceptor. Another exemplary preferred chromophore includes an electron donor group, an electron acceptor group, and a ring-locked bridge structure therebetween, with a built-in electron-withdrawing cyano group on the last ring of the (fused) bridge. Another exemplary preferred chromophore includes any electron donor group, an electron acceptor group including a linear conjugated triene bearing four cyano groups, and any bridge structure therebetween.

Sterically stabilized second-order nonlinear optical chromophores with improved stability and devices incorporating the same

Method for manufacturing an electro-optic polymer waveguide device including the step of electrode poling an electro-optic polymer material of the device in an oxygen-free environment. In a preferred embodiment, the electrode poling is performed at a temperature close to a glass transition temperature of the electro-optic polymer material.

Techniques for electrode poling of electro-optic polymers to eliminate poling induced optical loss and poling induced damage to electro-optic chromophores

Second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) polyene-based chromophores sterically stabilized with a dioxine ring and NLO chromophores containing bithiophene derivatives, and devices incorporating the same, are disclosed. An exemplary preferred chromophore includes an aminophenyl electron donor group and a dioxine-containing bridge structure. Another exemplary preferred chromophore includes a ring-locked bridge structure with a dioxine unit and a bithiophene unit. Another exemplary preferred chromophore includes a bridge structure with a bithiophene unit and an isophorone-derived cyclohexene unit.

Second-order nonlinear optical chromophores containing dioxine and/or bithiophene as conjugate bridge and devices incorporating the same

Sterically stabilized second-order nonlinear optical chromophores and devices incorporating the same are embodied in a variety of chromophore materials. An exemplary preferred chromophore includes an electron donor group, an electron acceptor group and a bridge structure therebetween, with the electron acceptor group being double bonded to the bridge structure. In a preferred embodiment, the bridge structure also includes at least one bulky side group. Another exemplary preferred chromophore includes an electron donor group, an electron acceptor group and a ring-locked bridge structure between the electron donor group and the electron acceptor group. The bridge structure comprises, for example, two protected alicyclic rings or ring-locked trienone. Another exemplary preferred chromophore includes an electron donor group, a ring-locked tricyano electron acceptor group, and a bridge structure therebetween. In a preferred embodiment, the electron acceptor group comprises an isophorone structure.

Sterically stabilized second-order nonlinear optical chromophores and devices incorporating the same

Sterically stabilized polyene-bridged second-order nonlinear chromophores and devices incorporating the same are embodied in a variety of chromophore materials, and particularly in chromophore materials are configured within an oxygen-free operating environment. An exemplary preferred chromophore includes an electron donor group, an electron acceptor group and a &pgr;-conjugate bridge structure therebetween. The bridge is a polyene structure having a five-, six- or seven-membered ring to lock one carbon-carbon double bond. The bridge contains an unlocked conjugate diene unit which connects the bridge ring and the acceptor. Another exemplary preferred chromophore includes an electron donor group, an electron acceptor group and a ring-locked bridge structure between the electron donor group and the electron acceptor group. The bridge structure includes a fused double-or triple-ring structure which functions to lock two or three double bonds. The bridge also contains an unlocked conjugate diene unit to connect the the bridge ring and the acceptor. Another exemplary preferred chromophore includes an electron donor group, an acceptor, and a bridge structure therebetween, wherein the acceptor is a five- or six-membered ring locked tricyano electron acceptor. Another exemplary preferred chromophore includes an electron donor group, an electron acceptor group, and a bridge structure therebetween, with the bridge structure including a bithiophene unit. A preferred host polymer for the chromophores is poly&lsqb;bisphenol A carbonate-co-4,4&prime;-(3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexylidene)diphenol carbonate&rsqb;.

Sterically stabilized polyene-bridged second-order nonlinear optical chromophores and devices incorporating the same

A new class of high hyperpolarizability organic chromophores and a process for synthesizing the same. The chromophores incorporate at least one organic substituent and are formed in consideration of molecular shapes and a spatial anisotropy of intermolecular interactions. The chromophores are processed into hardened material lattices to lock-in poling induced electric-optic activity. Preferred organic substituents are alkyl, aryl, and isophorone groups. A composite including the organic chromophore, in a preferred embodiment, includes a polymer such as a poly(methylmethacrylate), polyimide, polyamic acid, polystyrene, polycarbonate or polyurethane. The optimized chromophores result in hardened electro-optic polymers suitable for electro-optic modulators and other devices such as optical switches. These modulators can be configured to work at high frequencies and in arrays for applications in communications and network connections. In addition, they can be implemented in series and parallel combinations in phased array radar, signal processing and sensor technology applications.

Class of high hyperpolarizability organic chromophores and process for

A spatial light modulator comprises a plate of non-ferroelectric PLZT ceramic. An array of pixels is formed by depositing a reflecting coating in the desired array on one side of the plate. A longitudinal electric field is applied so that the light entering the plate from the side opposite the reflecting coating experiences a polarization-independent refractive index change when the electric field is applied as it propagates parallel to the electric field. The required voltages may be decreased when a partially reflecting coating is deposited on the side opposite the reflecting coating. Grooves in the plate effectively isolate the pixels from electrical and mechanical crosstalk.

Growing community of inventors

San Marino, CA, United States of America

William H Steier