| CPC G02B 6/126 (2013.01) | 10 Claims |

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1. An integrated circuit comprising:
one or more photonic layers that include a plurality of photonic integrated circuit portions;
a first optical coupler configured to couple an optical mode of an optical wave to a first photonic integrated circuit portion in the one or more photonic layers; and
a second optical coupler configured to couple an optical mode of an optical wave to a second photonic integrated circuit portion that is optically uncoupled to the first photonic integrated circuit portion, the second photonic integrated circuit portion comprising
a polarization-sensitive photonic component that is configured to receive a first mode that has a transverse magnetic (TM) polarization and to couple the first mode over a first optical path length to a port within the second photonic integrated circuit portion, and is configured to receive a second mode that has a transverse electric (TE) polarization and to couple the second mode over a second optical path length to a different port within the second photonic integrated circuit portion, where a difference between the first optical path length and the second optical path length is configured to increase a delay between the first mode and the second mode, and
an optical splitter comprising at least one input port optically coupled to the polarization-sensitive photonic component and at least two output ports including a first output port and a second output port;
where the first output port and the second output port are optically coupled to each other, and the second photonic integrated circuit portion comprises a loop reflector that comprises the optical splitter and an optical waveguide that has a first end abutted against the first output port and a second end abutted against the second output port.
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