Opto-electrical systems having electrical and optical interconnections formed in thin layers with thin-film active devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, optical connections are made between the edge of one substrate and the surface of another substrate with the use of photorefractive materials. In another embodiment, the optical connection is made by separating a optical film from the first substrate and coupling the first substrate and the optical film to separate receptacles located on the second substrate. Film optical link modules employing aspects of the invention are also disclosed.

Systems based on opto-electronic substrates with electrical and optical interconnections and methods for making

An optoreflective structure for reflecting an optical signal following a path defined by an optical waveguide comprising a first cladding layer having a first planar cladding surface; a waveguide disposed on the first cladding layer; and a second cladding layer disposed on the waveduide and having a second planar cladding surface. The first cladding layer, the second cladding layer and the waveguide terminate in a generally dove-tailed structure having a beveled planar surface. An optoreflector is disposed on the beveled planar surface for a changing direction of an optical signal passing through the waveguide. A method for producing an optoreflective structure comprising providing a substrate supporting a first cladding layer having a first planar cladding surface; disposing a waveguide material on the first cladding layer; and forming on the waveguide material a second cladding layer having a second planar cladding surface. The method also comprises forming a beveled planar surface in the first cladding layer, in the waveguide material, and in the second cladding layer; and depositing an optical signal-changing surface on the beveled planar surface.

Single and multilayer waveguides and fabrication process

The invention relates to a projection system, comprising a radiation source, an illumination system operable to illuminate a structured mask, and a projection objective for projecting an image of the mask structure onto a light-sensitive substrate, wherein said projection system comprises an optical system comprising an optical axis or a preferred direction given by the direction of a light beam propagating through the optical system; the optical system comprising a temperature compensated polarization-modulating optical element described by coordinates of a coordinate system, wherein one preferred coordinate of the coordinate system is parallel to the optical axis or parallel to said preferred direction; said temperature compensated polarization-modulating optical element comprising a first and a second polarization-modulating optical element, the first and/or the second polarization-modulating optical element comprising solid and/or liquid optically active material and a profile of effective optical thickness, wherein the effective optical thickness varies at least as a function of one coordinate different from the preferred coordinate of the coordinate system, in addition or alternative the first and/or the second polarization-modulating optical element comprises solid and/or liquid optically active material, wherein the effective optical thickness is constant as a function of at least one coordinate different from the preferred coordinate of the coordinate system; wherein the first polarization-modulating optical element comprises optically active material with a specific rotation of opposite sign compared to the optically active material of the second polarization-modulating optical element.

Polarization-modulating optical element

An optical apparatus including an optical substrate having an embedded waveguide and an optical device adapted to receive light transmitted from an end of the waveguide. The optical apparatus includes a coupling structure for coupling the optical device to the substrate. The coupling structure has a thin metallic layer with an aperture. At least a portion of the optical device is disposed in the aperture. A method for making an optical apparatus comprising forming an optical substrate having a waveguide embedded therein; depositing a metal layer over an end of the waveguide; and depositing a polymeric layer over the metal layer. An aperture is formed in the metal layer and in the polymeric layer by removing a portion of the metal layer and a portion of the polymeric layer disposed over the end of the waveguide. The method for making an optical apparatus also comprises inserting at least a portion of an optical device within the aperture so that the optical device is positioned to receive light from the first end of the waveguide.

Optical coupling structures and the fabrication processes

An optical system is described consisting of reflection birefringent light valves, polarizing beam splitter, color image combining prisms, illumination system, projection lens, filters for color and contrast control, and screen placed in a configuration offering advantages for a high resolution color display. The system includes a quarter wave plate positioned to suppress stray reflection from the projection lens. The system also includes a second quarter wave plate disposed on the screen and a polarizing film disposed on the second quarter wave plate to suppress ambient light from illuminating the screen and entering the system.

Efficient optical system for a high resolution projection display employing reflection light valves

A coherent laser beam having a possibly non-uniform spatial intensity distribution is transformed into an incoherent light beam having a substantially uniform spatial intensity distribution by homogenizing the laser beam with a light tunnel (a transparent light passageway having flat internally reflective side surfaces). It has been determined that when the cross-section of the tunnel is a polygon (as preferred) and the sides of the tunnel are all parallel to the axis of the tunnel (as preferred), the laser light at the exit of the light tunnel (or alternatively at any image plane with respect thereto) will have a substantially uniform intensity distribution and will be incoherent only when the aspect ratio of the tunnel (length divided by width) equals or exceeds the contangent of the input beam divergence angle θ and when W.sub.min =L.sub.coh (R+(1+R.sup.2).sup.1/2)>2RL.sub.coh, where W min is the minimum required width for the light tunnel, L coh is the effective coherence length of the laser light being homogenized and R is the chosen aspect ratio for the light tunnel.

Laser beam homogenizer

A structure comprising a layer of polymeric material containing epoxy groups having preselected regions of different degrees of polymerization and different refractive indices; and a method for forming a structure comprising a layer of polymeric material containing epoxy groups having preselected regions of differing degrees of polymerization and differing refractive indices which comprises providing a polymeric material containing epoxy groups on a support and selectively modifying the refractive index in said material.

Polymeric optical waveguides and methods of forming the same

An optical clock system for high-performance computing systems uses unique methods of clock generation, delay timing, and electrical clock conversion to eliminate clock skew due to passive circuit elements. There is provided a direct optical connection to active devices in the computing system thereby eliminating the transmission of electrical clock signals through passive transmission elements. The optical clock system eliminates several stages of clock drivers and, as a result, is capable of reducing clock skew due to active circuit skew as well. In one embodiment, an optical pulse timing operator (10) produces ultrashort pulses which are equally divided by an 1-by-N splitter (16) into N optical fibers (18), where N depends on the number of clock signals required. Each fiber has a different length, resulting in different propagation times for the optical pulses. The light from each of the N fibers are again split into M fibers by N 1-by-M splitters (20), where M depends upon the number of distribution points for the clock. The N×M fibers are regrouped to form a bundle of N fibers, and these M fiber bundles are then coupled to each module (22) where the delayed optical signals are converted into the appropriate electrical clock signals.

Optical clock system with optical time delay means

Summary The challenges for introducing optical waveguides into the high performance computer packaging environment are formidable. Polymers may be well suited for meeting this challenge. In this work, progress was shown using an epoxy material vT hich has been fabricated into ridge waveguides which exhibit low propagation loss (0.3 dB/cm at 1.3 jum), high environmental stability (low sensitivity to moisture), have smooth walls (100 nm sidewall roughness), and high temperature stability (275°C). Further work needs to be done on improving the materials set, especially in the area of high temperature stability. This problem is being pursued at this as well as many other laboratories. In addition, low loss, high density optical wiring structures such as sharp corner bends and waveguide intersections were fabricated. References 1. P.K. Tien, R. Ulrich, and RJ. Martin, Appl. Phys. Lett., 14, 291 (1969).2. Two excellent texts reviewing the subject matter are:a) H. Nishihara, M. Haruna, and T. Suhara, Optical Integrated Circuits (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1989).

Polymeric Optical Waveguides

A closed-cycle gas scrubbing or purification system is described for noble gas and fluorine mixtures, such as are typically used in rare-gas fluoride (excimer) lasers. In a first reaction zone, the fluorine in the gas mixture is converted to titanium tetrafluoride vapor by reaction with titanium at a temperature above 150 degrees C., preferably at about 300 degrees C. The TiF 4 vapor is then removed without passivating the titanium by condensing the TiF 4 vapor in a separate condensation zone held at a temperature below the temperature of the first reaction zone, preferably at about room temperature. After condensing the TiF 4 from the gas mixture, any silicon tetrafluoride in the mixture is chemically removed by contacting the gas mixture with an alkaline earth oxide (preferably either CaO or MgO) in a second reaction zone. Residual contaminants (i.e., contaminants other than SiF 4 ) are removed from the gas mixture by contacting the gas mixture with a metal getter (preferably titanium of zirconium) at a temperature above 600 degrees C., preferably about 900 degrees C. or more. The hot metal gettering preferably is done in the second reaction zone by mixing or layering the metal getter with the alkaline earth oxide and heating the second reaction zone to a temperature above 600 degrees C. Fresh halogen gas is added to the purified rare-gas mixture before it goes back to the laser. Since SiF 4 is specifically removed, it is acceptable to use industrial grade titanium to remove the fluorine and as a hot metal getter for residual contaminants.

Bunsen Fan

Papers

Laser beam homogenizer

Polymeric optical waveguides and methods of forming the same

Optical clock system with optical time delay means

Polymeric Optical Waveguides

Gas purifier for rare-gas fluoride lasers