Optical bus for optical signal broadcasting

A method for forming an optical bus for broadcasting optical signals, comprising:

• fabricating a plurality of input optical waveguides on a substrate;
• fabricating a first set of output optical waveguides formed on the substrate;
• fabricating a second set of output optical waveguides formed on the substrate;
• disposing a plurality of optical power splitters on the substrate having an input and a plurality of outputs;
• coupling the plurality of optical power splitters to the plurality of input optical waveguides;
• fabricating a waveguide shuffle network on the substrate, including intersecting optical waveguides;
• coupling at least one of the plurality of outputs from each of the plurality of optical power splitters to the first set of output optical waveguides;
• and
• coupling a different one of the plurality of outputs from each of the plurality of optical power splitters to the second set of output optical waveguides.

An optical bus for broadcasting optical signals, comprising:

• a substrate;
• an input optical waveguide formed on the substrate;
• a first output optical waveguide formed on the substrate;
• a second output optical waveguide formed on the substrate;
• an optical power splitter on the substrate having an input and a plurality of outputs, the optical power splitter being optically coupled to the input optical waveguide and configured to split an input optical beam into a plurality of output optical beams directed to the first and second output optical waveguides;
• and
• a trench etched into a surface of the substrate for at least one of the input optical waveguide, the first output optical waveguide, and the second output optical waveguide, the trench being operable to align fibers from a fiber ribbon with the at least one of the input optical waveguide, the first output optical waveguide, and the second output optical waveguide.