Abstract:
An optical transmitter comprises a monolithic transmitter photonic integrated circuit (TxPIC) chip that includes an array of modulated sources formed on the PIC chip and having different operating wavelengths approximating a standardized wavelength grid and providing signal outputs of different wavelengths. A wavelength selective combiner is formed on the PIC chip having a wavelength grid passband response approximating the wavelength grid of the standardized wavelength grid. The signal outputs of the modulated sources optically coupled to inputs of the wavelength selective combiner to produce a combined signal output from the combiner. A first wavelength tuning element coupled to each of the modulated sources and a second wavelength tuning element coupled to the wavelength selective combiner. A wavelength monitoring unit is coupled to the wavelength selective combiner to sample the combined signal output. A wavelength control system coupled to the first and second wavelength tuning elements and to said wavelength monitoring unit to receive the sampled combined signal output. The wavelength control system adjusts the respective wavelengths of operation of the modulated sources to approximate or to be chirped to the standardized wavelength grid and for adjusting the optical combiner wavelength grid passband response to approximate the standardized wavelength grid.
Abstract:
A method is disclosed for optimizing optical channel signal demultiplexing in a monolithic receiver photonic integrated circuit (RxPIC) chip by providing an integrated channel signal demultiplexing with multiple waveguide input verniers provided to an WDM signal demultiplexer. The RxPIC chip may optionally include an integrated amplifier in at least some of the waveguide input verniers. The RxPIC chip may be comprised of, in monolithic form, a plurality of optional semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) at the input of the chip to receive a WDM signal from an optical link which is provided along a plurality of waveguide input verniers to an integrated optical demultiplexer, such as, but not limited to, an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG), as a WDM signal demultiplexer. Thus, optical outputs from the respective semiconductor laser amplifiers are provided as vernier inputs to the optical demultiplexer forming a plurality of input verniers at the input to the optical demultiplexer. One of the vernier inputs to the chip is selected for operation in the RxPIC chip that corresponds to an optimum performance in matching a WDM channel signal wavelength grid of the received WDM signal to a wavelength grid of the on-chip optical demultiplexer.
Abstract:
A method of operating an array of laser sources integrated as an array in a single monolithic chip where the steps include designing the laser sources to have different target emission wavelengths so that together they form a spectral emission wavelength grid, coupling outputs from the laser sources to an array of gain/loss elements also integrated on the single monolithic chip, one each receiving the output from a respective laser source; and adjusting the outputs with the gain/loss elements so that the power levels across the laser source array are substantially uniform.
Abstract:
A method is disclosed for monitoring and controlling the bit error rate (BER) in an optical communication network where an optical receiver in the optical transmission network is a monolithic photonic integrated circuit (RxPIC) chip. The method includes the steps of decombining on-chip a combined channel signal received from the network and then monitoring a real time bit error rate (BER) of a decombined channel signal. The determined BER is then communicated, such as through an optical service channel (OSC) to an optical transmitter source that is the source of origin of the channel signal. Based upon the determined BER, the chirp of a channel signal modulator at the optical transmitter source that generated the monitored channel signal is adjusted by, for example, adjusting its bias. The same channel signal received at the RxPIC chip can be monitored again to determine if an acceptable level for the BER has been achieved by the previous chirp adjustment.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to an optical modulator array that uses stepped-well continuously tunable quantum well infrared modulators in order to accomplish electronic beam modulating. The present invention involves a coherent optical beam modulating device to steer an optical beam comprising: an optical modulator array, where said optical modulator array includes a stepped quantum well doped with electrons, wherein the modulator array affects operates as at least one of a phase modulator and a light intensity modulator base upon a voltage bias applied across the modulator array. The continuous tunable quantum well modulator includes asymmetry of the unit cell that allows transitions from the ground state to the second excited state that are normally forbidden in symmetrical quantum well infrared photodetectors.
Abstract:
Opto-electronic integrated waveguide devices are provided using a tilted valence band quantum well semiconductor double heterostructure with one growth of the same waveguide material, that operate simply by their normal operating forward bias for active waveguides with optical gain and operating in a reverse or no bias for active waveguide without optical gain or passive waveguides. The optical waveguides comprise a substrate, a bottom cladding layer, a core layer having a quantum well optical waveguiding double heterostructure and a top cladding layer. The quantum well optical waveguiding double heterostructure includes an InGaPAs first barrier layer atop the bottom cladding layer, a quantum well layer constructed of InxGa1.sub.-x-y Al.sub.y As is stacked on top of the first barrier layer which is graded from one side to the other forming a linearly increasing quantum well energy bandgap and an In.sub..52 AlGaAs second barrier layer is stacked on top of said quantum well core layer. The quantum well layer provides a first conduction band offset ratio at a first interface point smaller than a second conduction band offset ratio at a second interface point, as well as a valence band being tilted, with the first barrier layer energy bandgap being greater than the quantum well energy bandgap, and the quantum well energy bandgap being lesser than said second barrier layer energy bandgap. The first barrier layer, quantum well layer and second barrier layer can be coextensive with one another.
Abstract:
A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) chip comprising an array of modulated sources, each providing a modulated signal output at a channel wavelength different from the channel wavelength of other modulated sources and a wavelength selective combiner having an input optically coupled to received all the signal outputs from the modulated sources and provide a combined output signal on an output waveguide from the chip. The modulated sources, combiner and output waveguide are all integrated on the same chip.
Abstract:
A digital optical network (DON) is a new approach to low-cost, more compact optical transmitter modules and optical receiver modules for deployment in optical transport networks (OTNs). One important aspect of a digital optical network is the incorporation in these modules of transmitter photonic integrated circuit (TxPIC) chips and receiver photonic integrated circuit (TxPIC) chips in lieu of discrete modulated sources and detector sources with discrete multiplexers or demultiplexers.
Abstract:
An optical transmitter comprises a monolithic transmitter photonic integrated circuit (TxPIC) chip that includes an array of modulated sources formed on the PIC chip and having different operating wavelengths approximating a standardized wavelength grid and providing signal outputs of different wavelengths. A wavelength selective combiner is formed on the PIC chip having a wavelength grid passband response approximating the wavelength grid of the standardized wavelength grid. The signal outputs of the modulated sources optically coupled to inputs of the wavelength selective combiner to produce a combined signal output from the combiner. A first wavelength tuning element coupled to each of the modulated sources and a second wavelength tuning element coupled to the wavelength selective combiner. A wavelength monitoring unit is coupled to the wavelength selective combiner to sample the combined signal output. A wavelength control system coupled to the first and second wavelength tuning elements and to said wavelength monitoring unit to receive the sampled combined signal output. The wavelength control system adjusts the respective wavelengths of operation of the modulated sources to approximate or to be chirped to the standardized wavelength grid and for adjusting the optical combiner wavelength grid passband response to approximate the standardized wavelength grid.