AU2005291855A1 - An optical signal processing device - Google Patents

Description

WO 2006/037181 PCT/AU2005/001539 AN OPTICAL SIGNAL PROCESSING DEVICE Field of the Invention 5 The present invention broadly relates to an optical signal processing device. Background of the Invention Modulator based photonic filters are frequently used 10 for processing photonic signals. Such filters often include a range of wavelength specific time delay lines which result in a predetermined filter transfer function. Using an incoherent approach and modulators having positive modulation gain coefficients, low-pass filters 15 having positive impulse response coefficients have been designed. Other types of filter, such as pass-band filters, are more difficult to design as they have an impulse response function that also has negative parts. For example, the 20 impulse response function of a pass-band filter having a "square" transmission function is a sinc-type function having positive and negative parts which may be approximated by a sequence of negative and positive impulse response coefficients. 25 In general, even modulator-based photonic processing devices that have a function which is simpler than that of such a pass-band filter are often technologically complex and bulky and consequently there is a need for technological advancement. 30 Summary of the Invention The present invention provides in a first aspect an WO 2006/037181 PCT/AU2005/001539 -2 optical processing device comprising: an optical light guiding arrangement having an input and an output and at least two arms between the input and the output, the at least two arms being coupled so that 5 light guided through one arm will interfere with light guided through the or each other arm, an optical modulator being arranged to impart a modulation on at least some of the light guided through at least one arm and 10 a polarisation rotator for rotating the polarisation of at least a portion of the guided light so as to control a modulation gain coefficient of the device. The polarisation rotator may be arranged for at least 15 partial inversion of the polarisation which would enable signal processing with negative modulation gain coefficients. In this case the polarisation rotator typically is arranged to rotate the polarisation by any angle in the range i(2n+1)/2 to 7c(n+1) (n: integer) . 20 The polarisation rotator may also be suitable for rotating the polarisation by an other angle, and typically is also suitable for rotating the polarisation by an angle by in the range of m*7t to 2(2m+1)/2 (m: integer) which does not invert the polarisation of the guided light. In this 25 case it is possible to design the photonic processing device having positive and negative modulation gain coefficients. For example, optical processing device may be arranged so that in use the optical processing device has a positive modulation coefficient for at least one 30 wavelength of guided light and a negative modulation coefficient for at least one other wavelength of guided light. For example, a filter may be designed having an WO 2006/037181 PCT/AU2005/001539 -3 impulse response function with negative coefficients for some wavelength and positive coefficients for other wavelengths, which would correspond to the negative and positive modulation gain coefficients. 5 The modulator may be an optical phase modulator arranged to impart a phase modulation. Alternatively, the modulator is an optical intensity modulator arranged to impart in intensity modulation. In a first specific embodiment of the invention the 10 modulator and the polarisation rotator are incorporated in respective arms of the light guiding arrangement. In this embodiment the optical modulator is a phase modulator arranged to impart a phase modulation as a function of an applied electrical signal V(t) and/or as a function of an 15 applied bias voltage Vb. Typically the polarisation rotation effected by the polarisation rotator is dependent on a power applied to the rotation polarisator. The device typically is arranged so that output power Pout is proportional to %(1 +cos(Ar)cos(2V(t)+V))where A is 20 proportional to a power applied to the polarisation rotator. In a second embodiment of the invention the device comprises at least one intensity modulator. In a specific embodiment the device comprises at least two intensity 25 modulators and is arranged so that light is guided through the polarisation rotator and respective portions of the light are guided through respective intensity modulators. In this embodiment each intensity modulator is associated with a respective arm of the device. The polarisation 30 rotator may be positioned so that in use the light passes through the polarisation rotator before being split into the at least two arms of the device. In this case the optical light guiding arrangement typically comprises a WO 2006/037181 PCT/AU2005/001539 -4 polarisation splitter that is arranged to split at least some of the guided light into the respective portions for guiding through the respective modulators. Further, the output typically comprises, or is connected to a 5 polarisation combiner. In a third specific embodiment of the invention the device comprises at least two modulators for modulating respective portions of the light guided through respective arms of the device. Further, the device may comprise at 10 least two polarisation rotators for rotation the polarisation of respective portions of the light guided through respective arms of the device. In this embodiment the input typically comprises, or is connected to, an adiabatic Y-splitter and the output typically comprises, 15 or is connected to, a directional coupler such as a polarisation directional coupler. In a variation of this embodiment one modulator and/or one polarisation rotator is associated with both arms of the device. 20 The polarisation rotator typically is arranged so that the rotation of the polarisation is possible in a wavelength specific manner. For example, the device may be arranged so that the simultaneous (or sequential) modulation of different wavelength ranges of a photonic 25 signal is possible and each wavelength range may be modulated with a specific modulation index. The device may therefore allow processing of individual channels of a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) photonic signal without the need to separate the channels. For example, 30 processing of the WDM photonic signal may include to weight individual channels using both positive and negative impulse response coefficients. In a specific example the polarisation rotator may be WO 2006/037181 PCT/AU2005/001539 -5 an acoustic-optic polarisation rotator such as a device in which a surface acoustic wave generates a refractive index variation that functions like a grating and therefore has wavelength specific properties. In some materials, such as 5 LiNbO 3 , the velocities for TE and TM polarisation modes are different which may be utilised to rotate the polarisation of guided light. Alternatively, the polarisation rotator may for example be an electro-optic polarisation rotator. The modulator typically has a terminal for receiving 10 an ac electrical signal and typically comprises an electro-optic material arranged so that light is guided through or adjacent the electro-optic material and in use the ac electrical signal generates a phase modulation of the light guided through at least a portion of the light 15 guiding arrangement. The terminal for receiving the ac electrical signal typically comprises at least one rf cavity. The present invention provides in a second aspect a 20 method of processing a photonic signal, comprising the steps of: guiding light through at least two arms of an optical light guiding arrangement, modulating at least some of the guided light, 25 rotating the polarisation of at least a portion of the guided light to determine a modulation coefficient of the modulation and thereafter interfering the light guided through the or each arm. 30 The step of rotating the polarisation typically is performed in a wavelength specific manner so that for at least-one wavelength of the guided light a positive modulation is effected and for at least one other WO 2006/037181 PCT/AU2005/001539 -6 wavelength of the guided light a negative modulation coefficient is effected. The invention will be more fully understood from the following description of specific embodiments of the 5 invention. The description is provided with reference to the accompanying drawings. Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 shows a photonic processing device according 10 to a first specific embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 shows (a) power versus drive voltage plots and (b) the derivative of the plots shown in Figure 2(a) for the device according to the first specific embodiment, Figure 3 shows a photonic processing device according 15 to a second specific embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 shows a photonic processing device according to a third specific embodiment of the present invention, Figure 5 shows a diagram illustrating the operation of a directional coupler, 20 Figure 6 shows a balanced bridge modulator, Figure 7 shows power versus coupling length plots for a polarisation splitter, and Figure 8 shows power versus coupling length plots for a polarisation diverse 3dB splitter. 25 Specific Embodiments of the Present Invention Referring initially to Figure 1 a photonic signal processing device and a method of processing a photonic signal according to the first specific embodiment of the 30 invention is now described. Figure 1 shows the photonic signal processing device 10 which comprises an input 12 and an output 14 connected by two arms, 16 and 18 of the device 10. The arm 16 comprises a polarisation rotator 20 WO 2006/037181 PCT/AU2005/001539 -7 which in this case is a acousto-optic polarisation rotator. The arm 18 comprises a phase modulator 22 and two adiabatic Y splitters 24 and 26 connect the arm 16 and 18 of the device 10 with the input 12 and the output 14 5 respectively. The modulator 22 comprises a terminal for receiving an rf electrical signal. The modulator 22 also comprises an electro-optic active material which changes its refractive index in response to the electrical field 10 associated with an applied rf signal. In this embodiment, light is guided through the electro-optic active material and the modulation of the refractive index effects a phase modulation of the light guided through arm 18. In a variation of this embodiment light is guided directly 15 adjacent to the electro-optic active material which also results in a phase modulation of the guided light. In use polarised light is received by the input 12. The adiabatic Y-splitter 24 equally splits both polarisations between the two arms 16 and 18. In this 20 embodiment the power in the lower arm is phase modulated by modulator 22. In a variation of this embodiment the power in either or both arms can be phase modulated. The power of.the light guided in the arm 16 is polarisation rotated by the polarisation rotator 20 which in this 25 embodiment is a wavelength selective polarisation rotator (WSPR). In this example the WSPR is an acousto-optic polarisation rotator (AOPR) but in a variation of this embodiment the WSPR may also be an electro-optic polarisation rotator (EOPR). 30 If a suitable power is applied to the WSPR 20, then no polarisation rotation occurs and the device 10 behaves as a Mach Zehnder modulator. If power is applied to the WSPR 20, then polarisation rotation will occur. A WO 2006/037181 PCT/AU2005/001539 -8 rotation from TE to TM results in the light portions guided through the two arms becoming orthogonal. There is thus no constructive interference at the output and the modulator will not modulate, providing instead a constant 5 3dB attenuation to the input light. If more power is applied to the WSPR 20, the power in the arm 16 will convert from TE to TM and back to TE again. During this process it will accumulate a n phase shift. Interference will occur at the output, but the response will be shifted 10 by 7r. If the device is biased at quadrature, this n phase shift will result in conversion from a positive slope to a negative slope for the gain of the modulation. In this way, negative coefficients can be realised. Mathematically, the output optical power (I) as a 15 function of applied voltage (V) can be expressed as: I = %(1 +cos(Ai)cos(2V+V)) eq.] Where A is proportional to the power applied to the WSPR 20 and Vb is a bias voltage. The gain of the photonic link will be proportional to the derivative of this expression. This can be expressed: G oc cos(A )sin(2V+Vb)) eq.2 25 Figure 2 (a) shows optical power versus drive voltage plots illustrating Equation (1) for several values of A. Figure 2 (b) shows the derivative of the plots shown in Fig. 2(a) illustrating the gain of Equation (2). It is 30 evident that if the modulator is biased at i/4,then the optical power at the output will not change, but the gain WO 2006/037181 PCT/AU2005/001539 -9 will vary from +1 to -1 as the drive power to the WSPR is varied. Each optical wavelength may be set with a different value of A in order to realise a WDM signal processing 5 system. As indicated above, in this embodiment the WSPR is an acousto-optic polarisation rotator 20 which comprises a piezoelectric material, such as LiNbO 3 , and a strip of reduced acoustic velocity material that forms a waveguide 10 for light. The LiNbO 3 material is coupled to integrated transducer electrodes which receive an rf electrical signal which generate, due to the piezoelectric properties of the LiNbO 3 material, surface acoustic waves. The polarisation rotator 20 is arranged so that the surface 15 acoustic waves are directed along the waveguiding strip. Along the strip the surface acoustic waves therefore form a periodic refractive index variation which effectively functions as a grating assisted polarisation coupler and therefore is wavelength specific. The device is arranged 20 so that the propagation velocities of the TM and TE polarisation modes are different which is utilised to rotate the polarisation of guided light by any angle. A range of different rf electrical signals may be applied to the transducer electrodes, either sequentially 25 or in parallel, and it is therefore possible to either simultaneously or sequentially rotate the phase of the guided light in a wavelength specific manner. Further details of the acousto-optic polarisation rotator which is used in this embodiment as WSPR are disclosed in H. 30 Mendis, A.Mitchell, I. Belski, M. Austin, 0. A. Peverini, Journal of Applied Physics B 73, 1-5 (2001).

WO 2006/037181 PCT/AU2005/001539 -10 As indicated above, the WSPR The alternative ESPR is disclosed in R. Alferness, IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, Vol. QE-17, No. 6, pp. 965-969 (1981. For example a pass-band filter has a sinc-type 5 impulse response function having positive and negative regions. This function may be approximated by a sequence of positive and negative coefficients. By operating the device 10 in a predetermined manner, it is possible to rotate the polarisation of guided light in a manner so 10 that a predetermined impulse response having positive and negative coefficients is effected and therefore it is possible to design a filter having a pass-band transmission function. It will be appreciated that any other type of filter may also be realised, such as low 15 pass and high pass filters or multiple pass-band filters. For example, the device may be used for processing wavelength division multiplex (WDM) optical signals. By rotating the polarisation of light associated with specific channels and by applying an rf signal to the 20 electrode of predetermined band width and intensity distribution within the bandwidth, it is possible to define the modulation depth of each channel individually. Further, it is possible to separately weight multiple channels, either simultaneously or sequentially, without 25 the need to separate the channels. For example, the device 10 may be used as a transversal filter or, for example, for sign correlation, channel equalisation and signal transformation. Figure 3 shows a device according to a second 30 specific embodiment. The device 30 comprises two intensity modulators 23 associated with respective arms 16 and 18. In this embodiment the WSPR 20 is positioned at the input 12 of the device 30 and before a polarisation splitter. At WO 2006/037181 PCT/AU2005/001539 -11 the output 14 of device 30 light is guided from both arms 16 and 18 into a polarisation combiner 34. The device further comprises two polarisation rotators 36 and 38. The WSPR 20 rotates the polarisation of received light such 5 that a proportion is in the TE state and a proportion is in the TM state. These two polarisations are then incident on the polarisation splitter 32 and the polarisations are split into separate arms 16 and 18. If the electro-optical material of the intensity 10 modulators 23 is LiNbO 3 , only one axis will have a strong electro-optic coefficient and thus only one polarisation can be modulated efficiently. Hence to ensure both polarisations are modulated efficiently, one polarisation is rotated prior to modulation. The light guided through 15 the two arms the 16 and 18 is then modulated by identical modulators driven with identical signals, but biased at opposing quadratures. Biasing in this manner ensures one modulator has a positive gain, while the other has a negative gain. 20 After intensity modulation, the polarisation of the signal guided through arm 18 is rotated to ensure that the signals guided through arms 16 and 18 are orthogonal at the output and will thus combine incoherently. This combination is achieved through polarisation combiner 34. 25 With no power applied to the WSPR 20, no polarisation rotation occurs at the input and thus all of the power is transferred to the upper modulator 20 and a modulation coefficient (gain) of +1 is achieved. If sufficient power is applied to the WSPR 20 to rotate the input polarisation 30 from TE to TM all of the power will be transferred to the lower modulator and the modulation (gain) of -1 is achieved. If some intermediate polarisation state is achieved then a weighted sum of positive and negative WO 2006/037181 PCT/AU2005/001539 -12 modulations will be achieved. If for example the polarisation is rotated to exactly M TE and % TM, then no modulation will result at the output. An advantage of this embodiment is that only half the 5 power is required at the WSPR 20 to convert the coefficient from +1 to -1. A disadvantage is that the RF power is split between the two modulators and this will reduce efficiency. Figure 4 shows a device according to a third specific 10 embodiment. The device 40 comprises two phase modulators 22 associated with respective arms 16 and 18. In this embodiment two WSPR's 20 are positioned in sequence with respective modulators 22 on respective arms 16 and 18. The, device 40 comprises an adiabatic Y-split 24 which splits 15 light from input 12 into the arms 16 and 18. A polarisation diverse 3dB splitter 42 is positioned between the arms 16 and 18 and outputs 14a and 14b. To further illustrate the operation of the device 40 it is useful to consider the operation of directional 20 couplers, balanced bridge modulators and polarisation splitters which will be described in section " Detailed description of directional couplers, balanced bridge modulators and polarisation splitters used in specific embodiments of the present invention". 25 The device 40 is related to a balanced bridge modulator in that polarised light is introduced at the input. The light is split adiabatically by adiabatic Y split 24 into two arms 16 and 18 and is phase modulated by modulators 22 with complimentary signals in a push-pull 30 configuration. In this embodiment, the polarisation of the two optical signals are then both rotated by identical WSPR devices 20. The polarisation rotation in each arm is identical. The two signals are then incident on the WO 2006/037181 PCT/AU2005/001539 -13 polarisation divers 3dB splitter 42. This component 42 is a variant of a polarisation splitter directional coupler that implements inverted 3dB couplers for TE and TM polarisations which is described in section "Directional 5 couplers, balanced bridge modulators and polarisation splitters". If the polarisation is not rotated, the device operates as a balanced bridge Mach-Zehnder modulator. In this example the modulation has a positive modulation 10 coefficient for arm 16 and a negative coefficient for arm 18. If the polarisation is converted completely from TE to TM then the device 40 will also behave as a balanced bride modulator, but with a negative coefficient on arm 16 and a positive coefficient on arm 18. If the polarisation 15 is only partially converted, then the TE and TM components will be modulated with opposing coefficients and these will cancel one and other. In this way continuous adjustment of the modulation coefficient from +1 to -1 is achieved. 20 In a variation of this embodiment the device 40 comprises one modulator for both arms 16 and 18 and has only one rf electrode positioned so that light guided through arms 16 and 18 will be modulated. This variation has the advantage of a more efficient use of the available 25 rf power. It also only requires conversion from TE to TM to change the coefficient from +1 to -1 and thus makes efficient use of the acousto-optic power. Since the two WSPR's 20 are identical, they could both be implemented using only a single acoustic waveguide and transducer set. 30 The specific embodiments shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4 have in common that it is possible to individually process multiple channels of an applied WDM signal. By rotating the polarisation of light associated with specific WO 2006/037181 PCT/AU2005/001539 -14 channels and by applying an rf signal to the modulator(s) of predetermined band width and intensity distribution within the bandwidth, it is possible to define the modulation depth of each channel and therefore process 5 each channel individually. The modulation with negative and positive modulation coefficients allows the design of a processing device having an impulse response function with negative and positive coefficients. The devices 10, 30 and 40 shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4 10 may be integrated devices comprising planar waveguiding structures. Alternatively or additionally, the devices may comprise optical fibres. Although the invention has been described with reference to particular examples, it will be appreciated 15 by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms. For example, the device may comprise any number of arms. The device may also comprise any number and type of modulation devices and polarisation rotators. For example, the modulation device may not be 20 arranged to receive an RF signal but may be arranged to receive any ac electrical signal. The reference that is being made to the prior art citation is not an admission that this prior art citation forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia or 25 in any other country.

WO 2006/037181 PCT/AU2005/001539 -15 Detailed description of directional couplers, balanced bridge modulators and polarisation splitters used in specific embodiments of the present invention Directional couplers 5 Figure 5 shows a diagram illustrating the operation of a directional coupler 50. In this example the directional coupler 50 comprises a pair of closely spaced waveguides that couple. This waveguide pair supports two 'supermodes' as shown in Figure 5. An excitation from one 10 of the optical inputs will excite equal amounts of the two supermodes. If it is the upper waveguide the amplitudes excited will be equal and positive, if it is the lower waveguide the amplitudes will be equal and opposite. The two supermodes travel through the directional coupler 50 15 with different propagation constants and thus a phase difference is accumulated between the two modes along the length of the device. At the output, the two modes are decomposed again into the modes of the output waveguides. The field amplitude emerging from the two waveguides is 20 thus: Aoun = Ai. e*cos(#/2) eq. 3 Aoun = jAj. ej' 2 sin(#/2) eq. 4 25 Where Ai, is the amplitude of the input field (complex) and # is the accumulated phase between the even and odd supermodes. The output power is thus: 30 Iount = Iin cos 2 (#/2) eq. 5 Iout 2 = Iin sin 2 (4/2) eq. 6 WO 2006/037181 PCT/AU2005/001539 - 16 The accumulated phase # is proportional to the length of the coupling region. The coupling length La can be defined as 5 *=iL/Le eq. 7 The coupling length is primarily determined by the waveguide spacing within the coupling region. The waveguide parameters (such as waveguide width, diffusion 10 length etc.) will also impact the coupling length. To make a directional coupler with a 3dB power split L3dB = Lc/2 eq. 8 15 Balanced bridge modulator Figure 6 shows an example of a balanced bridge modulator 60. A polarised optical carrier is received by input 12. This carrier is split equally between two paths using adiabatic Y-splitter 24. The two arms 16 and 18 of 20 the modulator are electro-optically phase modulated by modulators 22 with signals of opposite polarity. This complimentary phase modulation is called push-pull operation and can be achieved with a single electrode and improves the efficiency of modulation. The phase 25 modulated carriers are then transferred to the output of the device where they are coherently combined in a 3dB directional coupler 62. If it is assumed that equal and opposite phase shifts are introduced in each arm then we will have 30 Aini= 1/2Ained eq. 9 Ain2=1/42Ain ed eq. 10 WO 2006/037181 PCT/AU2005/001539 -17 At the outputs 14 a and 14 b of the directional coupler 62, the signals are superimposed coherently, thus: 5 Aou 1 = Ail ef/ 2 cos(/2) +jAin 2 el' 2 sin(#/2) eq. 11 Aouti = 1/42Ain( 0 'i/ 2 cos(#/2) +je- 6 ei/ 2 sin(#/2)) eq. 12 Thus, the power is: Iouti = 2 Iin [1 - sin(20) sin(#)] eq. 13 10 Or Iouti = 2 Iin [1 - sin(20) sin(7rL/Lc)] eq. 14 Thus, if L = Lc/2, (the case for a balanced bridge modulator) 15 Iouti = %/ Ii [1 - sin(20)] eq. 15 Indicating the device 60 is naturally biased at quadrature. Similarly 20 Iut2 = % Iin, (1+ sin(20) sin(#)) eq. 16 If L = Lc/2, we have Iout2 = 2Iin (1+ sin(20)) eq. 17 This again indicates that the device 60 is naturally 25 biased at quadrature, but with the opposite gain slope. The two outputs are thus the compliment of one and other and this is why the modulator is termed a balanced bridge device. 30 Polarisation splitter Having described how a directional coupler works, an integrated optic polarisation splitter is now described.

WO 2006/037181 PCT/AU2005/001539 -18 For example, LiNbO 3 is a highly birefringent material and thus the waveguiding characteristics can be quite different for the two polarisations. In particular, it is possible to achieve a relatively strongly guiding, well 5 isolated mode for the TE polarisation and a weakly guided, easily coupled waveguide for the TM polarisation. It is thus possible to obtain different coupling lengths for the two polarisations in the same directional coupler over the same length and a polarisation splitter 10 can be realised where LCTE = 2 LCTM eq. 18 A diagram illustrating properties of the polarisation splitter is shown in Figure 7. Figure 7 shows power 15 versus coupling length plots for such a polarisation coupler. It will be appreciated, however, that a range of materials other than LiNbO 3 may be used for this device. Polarisation diverse 3dB splitter 20 Since it is possible to adjust the relative coupling lengths of the TE and TM modes, it is possible to realise a directional coupler that has LcTE 3LcTM eq. 19 25 The coupling characteristics of this structure are shown in Figure 8. If the coupler length is made to be L = LCTM/2 eq. 20 Then the result will be a 3dB coupler for both TE and TM components. Figure 8 shows power versus coupling length 30 plots for such a polarisation coupler. It is worth noting that the trends for the TE and TM components are reversed at the output.

Claims (21)

1. An optical processing device comprising: an optical light guiding arrangement having an input 5 and an output and at least two arms between the input and the output, the at least two arms being coupled so that light guided through one arm will interfere with light guided through the or each other arm, an optical modulator being arranged to impart a 10 modulation on at least some of the light guided through at least one arm and a polarisation rotator for rotating the polarisation of at least a portion of the guided light so as to control a modulation gain coefficient of the device. 15

2. The optical processing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the polarisation rotator is arranged for at least partial inversion of the polarisation. 20

3. The optical processing device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the polarisation rotator is arranged to rotate the polarisation by an angle in the range 7c(2n+1)/2 to 7c(n+1) (n: integer). 25

4. The optical processing device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the polarisation rotator is also suitable for rotating the polarisation by an angle in the range of m*7c to 7c(2m+1)/2 (m: integer) . 30

5. The device as claimed in claim 1 to 4 wherein the modulator is an optical phase modulator arranged to impart a phase modulation. WO 2006/037181 PCT/AU2005/001539 -20

6. The device as claimed in claim 1 to 4 wherein the modulator is an optical intensity modulator arranged to impart ain intensity modulation. 5

7. The optical processing device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims being arranged so that in use the optical processing device has a positive modulation coefficient for at least one wavelength of guided light and a negative modulation coefficient for at least one 10 other wavelength of the guided light.

8. The optical processing device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the modulator and the polarisation rotator are incorporated in respective arms 15 of light guiding arrangement.

9. The optical processing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 comprising at least two modulators and 20 being arranged so that light is guided through the polarisation rotator and respective portions of the light are guided through respective modulators.

10. The optical processing device as claimed in claim 9 25 comprising two modulators and wherein each modulator is associated with a respective arm of the device.

11. The optical processing device as claimed in claims 9 or 10 wherein the polarisation rotator is positioned so 30 that the light passes through the polarisation rotator before being split into the at least two arms of the device. WO 2006/037181 PCT/AU2005/001539 -21

12. The optical processing device as claimed in claim 11 wherein the optical light guiding arrangement comprises a polarisation splitter that is arranged to split at least some of the guided light into the respective portions for 5 guiding through the respective modulators.

13. The optical processing device as claimed in claim in claims 11 or 12 wherein the output comprises, or is connected to, a polarisation combiner. 10

14. The optical processing device as claimed in claims 9 comprising at least two modulators for modulating respective portions of the light guided through respective arms of the device and at least two polarisation rotators 15 for rotation the polarisation of respective portions of the light guided through respective arms of the device.

15. The optical processing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein one modulator is associated with 20 both arms of the device.

16. The optical processing device as claimed in claim 15 or any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein one polarisation rotator is associated with both arms of the device. 25

17. The optical processing device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the polarisation rotator is arranged for rotation of the polarisation in a wavelength specific manner. 30

18. The optical processing device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the polarisation rotator is an acoustic-optic polarisation rotator. WO 2006/037181 PCT/AU2005/001539 -22

19. The optical processing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17'wherein the polarisation rotator is an electro-optic polarisation rotator. 5

20. A method of processing a photonic signal, comprising the steps of: guiding light through at least two arms of an optical light guiding arrangement, 10 modulating at least some of the guided light, rotating the polarisation of at least a portion of the guided light to determine a modulation coefficient of the modulation and thereafter interfering the light guided through the or each arm. 15

21. The method as claimed in claim 20 wherein the step of rotating the polarisation is performed in a wavelength specific manner so that for at least one wavelength of the guided light a positive modulation is effected and for at 20 least one other wavelength of the guided light a negative modulation coefficient is effected.