Patent ID: 8476576

Claim:
An optical device, comprising: a light-transmitting medium positioned on a base; a light sensor positioned on the base, the light sensor including a continuous light-absorbing medium positioned on the base, the light-transmitting medium defining a waveguide, a portion of the waveguide ending at a facet such that a first portion of a light signal guided by the waveguide is received by the light-absorbing medium after exiting from the waveguide through the facet, and a second portion of the light signal bypasses the facet when traveling from the waveguide into an underlying portion of the light-transmitting medium, the underlying portion of the light-transmitting medium being between the light-absorbing medium and the base, and the light-absorbing medium configured such that the second portion of the light signal is coupled into the light-absorbing medium from the underlying portion of the light-transmitting medium.