摘要:
Early warning failure detetection is provided for an optical amplifier. The optical amplifier is based on a lasing semiconductor optical amplifier, which generates a ballast laser signal in addition to the amplified optical signal. The ballast laser signal exhibits a wavelength shift before failure and this wavelength shift is used as the basis for an early warning of future failure of the amplifier.
摘要:
Optical systems and devices are provided that include or facilitate the ability to provide early detection of the failure of an optical transmitter such as a laser. Such detection may be made with reference to various aspects of the operation and performance of the optical transmitter. For example, some of the optical systems and devices employ wavelength shift information to make determinations concerning potential failure of an optical transmitter. Other optical systems and devices use information concerning the efficiency with which an incoming pump current is converted into the ballast laser signal changes to make determinations concerning potential failure of an optical transmitter.
摘要:
An intergrated optical device comprises a vertically lasing semiconductor optical amplifier (VLSOA) and an optical element integrated onto a common substrate. Example optical elements include waveguides, unguided transparent regions, and active optical devices (including additional VLSOAs). The integrated device may be fabricated using a number of different methods, including based on selective area epitaxy, impurity induced disordering, etch and fill and silicon optical bench.
摘要:
Optical regenerators are disclosed, one of which includes a splitter having an input signal input, and first and second outputs, where the first output is connected to a first input of an optical flip-flop that also includes an output. A first OAND gate includes a first input connected to the output of the optical flip-flop, and also includes a second input and an output. A second OAND gate has a first input connected to the second output of the splitter, and includes a second input and an output. A variable oscillator having an input and an output is arranged so that the output is connected to the second input of the second OAND gate and to the second input of the first OAND gate. Finally, a feedback controller has an input connected to the second OAND gate output, and an output connected to the variable oscillator input.
摘要:
A clock recovery system and related method are disclosed. One example of the clock recovery system includes an optical detector and lasing SOA that are arranged so that the optical detector detects ballast laser light emitted by the lasing SOA. The optical detector includes an output that is connected to a first input of a phase detector that includes both first and second inputs. A filter is included in the clock recovery system as well and has an input and an output, the input being connected to the output of the phase detector. Finally, this example of the clock recovery system includes an oscillator having an input and an output arranged so that the input of the oscillator is connected to the output of the filter, and the output of the oscillator is connected with the second input of the phase detector.
摘要:
A tunable-gain lasing semiconductor optical amplifier comprises a vertical-lasing semiconductor optical amplifier that includes a tunable region which allows the gain of the vertical-lasing semiconductor optical amplifier to be tuned. The tunable region comprises a region whose loss and/or phase may be tuned by adjusting a physical characteristic of the region. For example, the region may comprise a liquid crystal layer whose transmissivity may be adjusted by applying different voltages across the layer to adjust the reflectivity of a cavity mirror, or a cavity mirror whose reflectivity may be adjusted by ion implantation. In an alternative embodiment of this invention, the tunable-gain lasing semiconductor optical amplifier comprises a tunable loss element in series after the gain-clamped semiconductor optical amplifier.
摘要:
An optical signal power monitoring and control system is described. The system comprises at least one lasing SOA that receives, amplifies, and outputs the optical signal. In response to the signal amplification, a ballast laser signal is output through a substrate of the lasing SOA. This ballast laser signal is indicative of the optical signal power. At least one detector converts the ballast laser signal to an electrical signal and transmits this electrical signal to a power monitor circuit. Using the electrical signal, the power monitor signal may determine the power of the electrical signal and the gain across the lasing SOA. A gain control circuit may adjust the gain across a tunable-gain lasing SOA or multi-stage optical amplifier in order to optimize the optical signal's strength. The electrical signal power and lasing SOA gain may be transmitted to a terminal to display this information or a warning may be generated when certain criteria are met.
摘要:
A multi-stage lasing semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) device amplifies an optical signal. The multi-stage SOA includes at least two SOA stages coupled in series. Each SOA stage includes a semiconductor gain medium and a laser cavity including the semiconductor gain medium. The medium is pumped above a lasing threshold for the laser cavity, which clamps the gain of the medium. An optical signal propagating through the medium is amplified by the gain-clamped medium. The SOA stages are characterized by a design parameter which varies from stage to stage. In a preferred embodiment, the design parameter includes a noise figure and a saturable power, with both parameters increasing as the optical signal propagates from stage to stage. As a result, the multi-stage SOA can achieve better noise performance and higher power outputs compared to comparable SOAs of constant noise figure and saturable power.
摘要:
An optical signal power monitor and regulator comprises: a lasing semiconductor optical amplifier for receiving the optical signal and whose laser output is used to monitor a power level of the optical signal; a monitor circuit which receives the laser output and outputs a monitoring signal; a tunable element for receiving a version of the optical signal and whose level of amplification is adjustable and for outputting an amplified optical signal; and a regulator circuit for receiving the monitoring signal and adjusting the amplification of the tunable optical amplifier depending upon the monitoring signal. The tunable element may comprise a tunable gain-clamped semiconductor optical amplifier. Such an embodiment is capable of automatically regulating the tunable element such that a power level of the amplified optical signal is kept stable. In addition, the monitor circuit may be used to send status information regarding the optical signal to a network management system, which in turn may send to the regulator circuit a managing signal affecting the level of amplification to be applied to the optical signal.