Bulk internal Bragg gratings and optical devices

An optical communications planar integrated waveguide circuit device for operating on communications wavelengths including at least one reflectable wavelength, said device comprising a planar waveguide substrate supporting a waveguiding integrated circuit core and a waveguiding integrated circuit cladding covering said core, said planar waveguide substrate comprised of a transparent photosensitive bulk optical grating medium, said transparent photosensitive bulk optical grating medium containing within it a bulk internal modulated refractive index grating with a grating pattern for reflecting at least one reflectable wavelength, said refractive index grating proximate said core wherein a reflectable wavelength guided by said core is reflected by said refractive index grating.

A method of making an optical planar integrated waveguide circuit, said method comprising:

• providing a transparent photosensitive bulk optical grating medium planar waveguide substrate having a near core side,
• forming a waveguiding integrated circuit core, cladding said core,
• forming a bulk internal modulated refractive index grating in said transparent photosensitive bulk optical grating medium planar waveguide substrate proximate said near core side wherein a waveguided wavelength guided by said core is manipulated by said refractive index grating.

An optical waveguide semiconductor laser device for an optical waveguide communications system, said device comprising:

• an optical waveguide system semiconductor laser for producing a reflectable wavelength λR utilized in an optical waveguide system,
• a bulk internal Bragg laser grating, said bulk Bragg laser grating comprised of a transparent photosensitive bulk optical grating medium including an internal modulated refractive index grating with a grating period for reflecting said wavelength λR,
• a substrate structure for securing said bulk Bragg laser grating relative to said semiconductor laser wherein said wavelength λR produced by said semiconductor laser is reflected by said bulk internal Bragg laser grating back into said semiconductor laser.

A method of making an optical waveguide semiconductor laser device, said method comprising:

• providing a bulk internal Bragg laser grating in a transparent photosensitive bulk optical grating medium,
• providing an optical waveguide system semiconductor laser,
• securely disposing said bulk optical grating medium relative to said semiconductor laser wherein a wavelength produced by said semiconductor laser is reflected by said bulk internal Bragg laser grating back into said semiconductor laser.

An optical communications wavelength optical element for operating on light range bands, said optical element comprised of a transparent photosensitive bulk optical grating medium photosensitive bulk glass, said optical element having at least one optical element optical surface for manipulating light, said bulk glass including an internal modulated refractive index Bragg grating pattern for reflecting at least one wavelength range band.

A multi-mask grating former, said grating former comprised of a first grating phase mask and an opposing second grating phase mask and a phase mask spacing structure, said phase mask spacing structure securing said first phase mask away from said second phase mask to provide a photosensitive optical grating medium receiver space for reception of a photosensitive optical grating medium between said first and second masks with said first phase mask in alignment with said second phase mask.