摘要:
A switching element defines a transmitting state and a reflecting state for a pair of intersecting waveguides that have a gap at their intersection. In the preferred embodiment, the switching element exhibits total internal reflection at the gap sidewall from one waveguide to the other when not in the transmitting state. In the transmitting state, index-matching liquid fills the gap, enabling light to continue in the original waveguide direction. The switching element may use ink jet techniques or bubble techniques to displace index-matching liquid. The index-matching fluid may be projected from a gap between the waveguides by a jet mechanism, or a vapor or dissolved gas bubble may be formed to fill the gap between the waveguides to provide the reflecting state for the switching element. Using either of the techniques, heaters are employed to initiate the switching operation. In some embodiments, more than one heater is utilized. In the preferred embodiment, waveguides are formed on one substrate and heaters are formed on another. Then the substrates are aligned and bonded together to position the heaters in very close proximity to the intersection between the waveguides. Preferably, the switching element is one element in a matrix of such elements for routing signals between arrays of input and output waveguides.
摘要:
A tunable PM fiber combiner is configured to be accurately alignable with and operative to combine into a single composite beam a pair of non-collimated, orthogonally polarized light beams transported over polarization maintaining (PM) optical fibers, whose mutual spatial separation may vary. The combiner includes birefringent elements, that are linearly or rotationally displaced to realize the composite beam. The resulting composite light beam may then be readily coupled (e.g. via a single mode fiber) to a downstream beam processing device, such as a Raman amplifier.
摘要:
An apparatus for aligning a plurality of optical fibers in predetermined positions with respect to one another. The apparatus includes a top plate and a bottom plate having a first set of alignment groves therein, there being one such grove corresponding to each optical fiber. The alignment groves are positioned such that the optical fibers will be in their correct positions with respect to one another when the optical fibers are forced against the bottom of the groves by the top plate. To reduce reflections from cut fiber ends that would normally be cut and polished, the optical fibers are cut at an angle with respect to the axis of the optical fiber and the cut end is bonded to an optical flat by a glue layer having the same index of refraction as the optical fiber. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the optical flat also includes an anti-reflective material on the non-glued surface thereof. The bottom plate is preferably fabricated using photolithographic etching techniques similar to those used in micro-machining and integrated circuit fabrication. This allows the bottom plates to be mass produced while maintaining the tight tolerances need for high light collection efficiencies. Various optical components can also be mounted on the bottom plates in groves with the aid of further groves in the bottom plates.
摘要:
Interleaver/deinterleaver apparatuses for combining/separating optical channels are described. An interleaver/deinterleaver apparatus is described as folded when an optical signal is directed through a single crystal multiple times. Double-pass refers to the optical signal following a (folded) path through the apparatus twice. When operating as an deinterleaver, the interleaver/deinterleaver separates an optical signal (e.g., WDM signal) into subsets of optical signals (e.g., channels). In one embodiment, deinterleaving optical signals separates an optical signal into even and odd International Telecommunications Union (ITU) channels. When operating as an interleaver, the interleaver/deinterleaver mixes subsets of optical signals (e.g., channels) into a multiplexed (e.g., WDM) optical signal. The interleaver/deinterleaver apparatus can be used to increase the bandwidth of an optical network. For example, the interleaver/deinterleaver can be used to interface components designed for a first channel spacing (e.g., 100 GHz) to components designed for a second channel spacing (e.g., 200 GHz). In one embodiment, interleaveing combines even and odd ITU channels into a single optical signal.
摘要:
A polarization independent acousto-optical tunable filter (AOTF). The AOTF is fabricate with two waveguides formed on a single substrate. An incoming polarization independent beam of light is split into TE and TM optical components with a walk-off crystal wherein each optical component is coupled into a different one of the two waveguides. The AOTF can be formed to provide two stages of filtering. The two stages of filtering can be realized be providing two successive stages or by passing the optical signal through the same filter twice. Various configurations are obtained by placing TM and TE polarizers within the optical path traveled by the incoming beam of light.
摘要:
Interleaver/deinterleaver apparatuses for combining/separating optical channels are described. When operating as a deinterleaver, the interleaver/deinterleaver separates an optical signal (e.g. WDM signal) into subsets of optical signals (e.g. channels). In one embodiment, deinterleaving optical signals separates an optical signal into even and odd International Telecommunications Union (ITU) channels. The interleaver/deinterleavers may include isolator components to route optical signals to and from input/output ports. A variety of reflective elements, e.g. quarter wave mirrors, reflective prisms, etalons, can be used for double passing the signals through a birefringent crystal assembly.
摘要:
Described are various optical devices having at least two optical waveguides for inputting and outputting optical beams coupled thereto by a single collimating lens. Located proximate to the lens is a polarization dependent beam directing device that deflects orthogonally polarized optical beams in opposite directions by a first and second angle, respectively, when the beams are propagating in the same direction. The polarization dependent beam director compensates for an angle between a first beam input via a first of the two waveguides and a second beam input via a second of the two waveguides. The polarization dependent beam director also deflects a first beam propagating towards the waveguides in a first direction so that it is output via the first of the two waveguides and deflects a second beam propagating towards the waveguides in a second direction opposite the first so that it is output via the second of the two waveguides. Disclosed are three and four port interleavers and a four port circulator.
摘要:
Interleaver/deinterleaver apparatuses for combining/separating optical channels are described. An interleaver/deinterleaver apparatus is described as folded when an optical signal is directed through a single crystal multiple times. Single-pass refers to the optical signal following a (folded) path through the apparatus a single time. When operating as an deinterleaver, the interleaver/deinterleaver separates an optical signal (e.g., WDM signal) into subsets of optical signals (e.g., channels). When operating as an interleaver, the interleaver/deinterleaver mixes subsets of optical signals (e.g., channels) into a multiplexed (e.g., WDM) optical signal. The interleaver/deinterleaver apparatus can be used to increase the bandwidth of an optical network. For example, the interleaver/deinterleaver can be used to interface components designed for a first channel spacing (e.g., 100 GHz) to components designed for a second channel spacing (e.g., 200 GHz).
摘要:
Interleaver/deinterleavers for combining/separating optical channels. An interleaver/deinterleaver is “folded” when an optical signal follows an optical path that passes through a birefringent element multiple times. Double-pass refers to optical signals following a (folded) path through the birefringent element twice. Multi-pass refers to optical signals following a (folded) path through the birefringent element multiple times. When operating as a deinterleaver, the interleaver/deinterleaver separates an optical signal (e.g., WDM signal) into subsets of optical signals (e.g., even and odd ITU channels). When operating as an interleaver, the interleaver/deinterleaver mixes subsets of optical signals into a multiplexed optical signal. The interleaver/deinterleaver can be used to increase the bandwidth of an optical network. For example, the interleaver/deinterleaver can be used to interface components designed for a first channel spacing (e.g., 100 GHz) to components designed for a second channel spacing (e.g., 200 GHz). Folded interleaver/deinterleavers cause dispersion because the speed at which the ordinary beam of an optical signal passes through the birefringent element is different that the speed at which the extraordinary beam of the optical signal passes through the birefringent element. In order to reduce or eliminate dispersion, the polarization of the optical signal is reversed for alternating passes through the birefringent crystal. For example, if a signal is horizontally polarized for a first pass through the birefringent crystal, the signal is rotated to be vertically polarized for a second pass through the birefringent crystal. For a third pass through the birefringent element, the signal is rotated to be horizontally polarized.
摘要:
An optical nonreciprocal apparatus, preferably an optical isolator, and a method of isolating propagation of light signals from multiple input optical fibers to multiple output optical fibers utilize compact isolator chips formed by a nonreciprocal rotator assembly that is sandwiched between two walk-off crystals. The nonreciprocal rotator assembly provides 90.degree. rotation of polarization components of forward propagating light beams, while providing 0.degree. rotation for rearward propagating light beams. In one embodiment, the optical nonreciprocal apparatus includes two isolator chips between an array of lenses to provide two-stage optical isolator. Preferably, the walk-off crystals in the second isolator chip provide displacement of aligned polarization components of forward propagating light beams in a direction that is perpendicular to the walk-off directions of the walk-off crystals in the first isolator chip. In another embodiment, the array of lenses are replaced by two converging lenses that are arranged in optical series. The first lens inversely project parallel light beams onto the second lens, in a diverging manner.