GB2336048A - Amplifying optical receiver with filter to remove unwanted modulations - Google Patents

Abstract

An optical receiver is designed to suppress an unwanted intensity modulation component present in the optical signal at a polarization scrambling frequency or a monitoring control signal frequency, usually at about 10 kHz. It comprises an optical-to-electrical converter 2 for converting an optical main signal to an electrical signal; an optical amplifier 1 for amplifying the optical main signal to the optical to electrical converter; an electrical amplifier 3 for amplifying the converted electrical signal from the optical-to-electrical converter to produce a main signal and capacitors 8 and 9 connected to or in the electrical amplifier and forming part of a filter with a low cut-off frequency, higher than the polarization scrambling frequency or the monitoring control signal frequency.

Description

2336048 1_ is OPTICAL RECEIVER The present invention relates to an optical

receiver having a function for suppressing useless or unwanted intensity-modulation components. More particularly, but not exclusively, it relates to an optical receiver provided in a transmitting terminal in a system for amplifying an optical signal to perform multi-repeating.

In a system which amplifies and repeats optical signals by multi-stage amplifying repeaters, it is well-known that the signal to noise (SN) ratio of the optical signals received in a receiver terminal deteriorates in the case where there is a polarization dependency in the gain of an optical amplifier provided at each repeater.

An optical Amplifier employing an Erbium-Doped Fibre (EDFA), which is a type of rare-earth doped fibre amplifier, exhibits the Polarization Hole Burning (PHS) effect of an EDFA, as a main factor in gain polarization dependency.

To suppress the SN ratio deterioration, polarization scrambling for changing the input polarization at a speed higher than the response speed of the PHB, i.e., modulating polarization, can be performed in order to reduce the effect of PHB.

However, it is known that polarization modulation is converted to intensity modulation to generate useless (spurious) intensity modulation components because of polarization dependency loss in passive parts employed in the optical amplifier, when the polarization scrambling is performed. This problem is described, for example, in "Polarization HoleBurning in Erbium-Doped Fibre-Amplifier Transmission Systems" in ECOC 194, Proceedings Vol. 2, P621-628.

on the other hand, in an optical amplifying multirepeater system, a monitoring control signal is transmitted to each repeater from a transmitter terminal to perform a monitoring control for the system. To realize the transmission system, a monitor control signal is applied to a main signal at a level of a few percent of the intensity modulation.

Figs. 1 and 2 are diagrams for explaining the structure of a conventional optical receiver and the above-described problems.

In Fig. 1, an optical receiver is formed of an optical pre-amplifier 1, an optical-to-electrical converter 2 for a main signal, electrical amplifiers 3 and 4, a timing extracting circuit 5, and an identifying device 6. The optical pre-amplifier 1 includes a laser optical source 10 for excitation and a rare-earth-doped fibre 11, for example, an Erbium- doped fibre.

The rare-earth doped fibre 11 is formed as a travelling-wave type laser, in which a rare earth element ion undergoes an optical excitation according to the difference of an energy level. A semi-conductor laser having a high output power is preferably employed as the laser optical source 10.

A received optical signal amplified in the optical pre-amplifier 1 is input to the optical-to-electrical converter 2 for a main signal and converted to an electrical signal. The electrical signal, converted in the optical-to-electrical converter 2 to produce a main signal, is amplified by a predetermined factor in electrical amplifiers 3 and 4 arranged in series, and input to the identifying device 6.

The timing extracting circuit 5 extracts a signal timing from the electrical signal branched from the amplifier 3. The identifying device 6 identifies the electrical signal, synchronizing the extracted signal timing.

Fig. 2 shows the frequency band characteristic of the optical receiver shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 2, the abscissa shows the intensity-modulating frequency of an input optical signal, and the ordinate shows the signal gain. In Fig. 2, (1) shows the f requency gain characteristic of the main signal.

There is a cut-off frequency in the frequency gain characteristic of the main signal, which is set to be about 0.7 times the bit rate of the main signal. Meanwhile, (II) shows the spectrum of the above,described modulating frequency fscr for polarization scrambling and the monitor control signal modulati--ng frequency fsv. The modulating frequency fscr for-polarization scrambling and monitor control signal modulating frequency fsv are around 10 KHz, for example, for a 10 GHz bit rate of the main signal. Accordingly, in Fig. 2, the spectrum for the fscr and fsv is shown as one common spectrum.

In this respect, in the conventional optical receiver, the intensitymodulating component due to the modulating signal for polarization scrambling fscr or the monitor control signal fsv is within the frequency characteristic band of the optical receiver. This gives rise to noise in the main signal. Therefore, becomes a factor in the deterioration of the transmission characteristics.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an optical receiver for improving the receiving characteristic by blocking or suppressing unwanted intensity-modulating components for a main signal; the invention can be applied to an optical receiver of the type which includes an optical-toelectrical converter for converting an optical main signal to an electrical signal, an identifying device for identifying the electrical signal converted by the optical-to-electrical converter, an optical amplifier for amplifying the optical main signal at the stage preceding the optical-to-electrical converter, and an electrical amplifier for amplifying the electrical signal converted from the main signal at the stage after the optical-to-electrical converter.

In one aspect of the invention, in the opticalreceiver, in the stages before or after the electrical amplifier for the abovedescribed main signal, or in the electrical amplifier, one or more capacitors are coupled. The size of the capacitors is set so that the low-frequency cutoff of a low-frequency cutoff characteristic is higher than the polarization scrambling frequency or the signal frequency for monitoring control. Therefore, it becomes possible for useless intensity modulating components to be prevented from passing through the main signal band.

For a better understanding of the invention embodiments of it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a structural block diagram of a conventional optical receiver; Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a frequency band characteristic of the conventional optical receiver; Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining a characteristic of the optical receivers in question; Fig. 5 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 6 is a block diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 7 is a block diagram of a fourth embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 8 is a block diagram of a fifth embodiment of the present invention; 5_ Figs. 9A and 9B show block diagrams of a generalised sixth embodiment of the present invention; Figs. 10A to 1OC show an explanatory diagram of a characteristic of the embodiment shown in Figs. 9A and 9B7 Figs. 11A and 11B show a block diagram of a seventh embodiment of the present invention; Figs. 12A to 12D explain a characteristic of the embodiment shown in Figs. 11A and 11B; Fig. 13 shows a structural block diagram of the level detector 16; Fig. 14 shows an alternative structural blockt diagram of the level detector 16; Fig. 15 shows a structural block diagram of the level detector 17; and Fig. 16 shows another structural block diagram of the level detector 17.

Throughout the following description, the same reference numerals are used to denote and identify corresponding or identical components.

Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a f irst embodiment of the present invention. Further, Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining the frequency characteristics of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3.

In contrast to the structure of the conventional optcal receiver shown in Fig. 1, the structure of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 has the feature that an intermediate amplifier 7 is provided between the optical-toelectrical converter 2 and the amplifier 3, and further, capacitors 8 and 9 are provided on the input and output sides of the intermediate amplifier 7.

The structure of the first embodiment has a characteristic shown as (III) in Fig. 4, as compared with the characteristic (I) of the main signal in the conventional optical receiver. That is, when the capacitors 8 and 9 are provided, the band characteristic (III) can be obtained according to a low-frequency cutoff fc found by the functional expression fc = 1/2 7 CR.

Accordingly, if in a 50 0 group electrical circuit employed as one example, R = 50 0, and C = 0.3 gF are employed as one example, fc becomes 10 kHz. If the polarization scrambling frequency fscr or monitor control signal frequency fsv is lower than the lowfrequency cutoff fc, intensitymodulating components cannot pass through the main signal band. Therefore, it becomes possible to prevent the useless intensity modulation component from acting on the main signal component.

when the electrical circuit is formed by discrete parts having a characteristic impedance of 50 0, it is possible to realize the lowfrequency cutoff characteristic, if a blocking capacitor or the like sold on the market is connected.

In an optical receiver in which a rare-earth doped fibre optical amplifier is employed as the optical preamplifier 1, the amplifying gain can be controlled by increasing and decreasing the exciting optical power output from the exciting laser of the optical preamplifier 1. By employing this function, it is possible to suppress intensity-modulating components by reducing the gain when the detected signals sent from the detector increase, and increasing the gain when the detected signal decreases.

Fig. 5 shows a structural example of a second embodiment of the present invention using this principle. The embodiment shown in Fig. 5 includes a detector of the useless intensity modulation component 13 and a feed-back circuit device 14, as compared with the conventional example shown in Fig. 1.

The intensity modulation component detector 13 is provided between the optical pre-amplifier 1 and the optical - to- electrical converter 2 for a main signal.

7- The detector 13 includes an optical branching section 130, an optical-to- electrical converter 131 for monitoring, and an electrical bandpass filter 132.

A signal output from the optical pre-amplifier 1 is branched by the optical branching section 130 and is converted to a corresponding electrical signal by the optical-to-electrical converter 131 for monitoring. Then, the useless intensity modulation component within a fixed frequency band, generally around 10 kHz, is selected and passed by the electrical filter 132.

S.

The useless intensity modulation component i. led to a feed-back circuit 14. The feed-back circuit-14 controls the frequency in a sense for cancelling the exciting voltage for the exciting laser 10 in correspondence with the useless intensity modulating component frequency.

If the fluctuation in the frequency of the driving current for the exciting laser is set within approximately 1 kHz, when employing an Erbium-Doped Fibre-optical Amplifier, it is recognized by the inventors of the present invention that it is possible to change the gain in accordance with the modulation of the driver current. Therefore, if the intensitymodulating component is within 1 kHz, it is possible to suppress the useless component.

Further, in the second embodiment, as explained above, the intensity modulation component detector 13 is formed of an optical branching section 130, an optical -to-electrical converter 131, and an electrical filter 132. The optical branching section 130 may be formed of a bulk optical part, and more particularly of a fusiontype optical coupler.

A photo-diode can be employed as the optical-toelectrical converter 131. The electrical filter 132 can be of a known type. A low-pass filter may be employed instead of the above-described band-pass filter. However, when a band-pass filter is used, the is central frequency should correspond to the polarization scrambling frequency fscr or the monitor control signal frequency fsv. When a low- pass filter is used, its high cutoff frequency should be higher than the polarization scrambling frequency fscr or the monitor control signal frequency fsv. With a low-pass filter it is possible simultaneously to suppress the optical signal modulation component in a frequency below the high cutoff frequency.

Fig. 6 shows a structural block diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention. It is diffel:-ent from the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 in that the position for detecting the useless intensity modulation component led to the feed-back circuit 14 is different. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, the position, i.e. the detector 15 of useless intensity modulation component, is provided between the amplifiers 3 and 4.

The intensity modulating component detector 15 includes an electrical filter 151, such as a band-pass filter or a low-pass filer. The signal converted by the optical - to- electrical converter 2 to an electrical signal for the main signal is input through the amplifier 3 to the intensity modulating component detector 15. It is then branched in the electrical branching section 150 in the intensity modulation component detector 15, and only the useless intensity modulation component is output through the electrical filter 151.

The useless component of intensity modulation is led to the feed-back circuit 14. Then, similarly to the above-described embodiment shown in Fig. 5, the exciting voltage for the laser 10 is performed in a sense to cancel the unwanted intensity modulating components in correspondence with the size of these components.

In this way, the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 is the same as the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 except that -g- is branching in the electrical branch circuit occurs after converting the main signal to the electrical signal. It is possible to suppress the spurious intensity modulation component by feeding back to the exciting laser of the rare-earth doped fibre-optical preamplifier, similarly to the optical receiver shown in Fig. 5. The structure and function are otherwise the same as those shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a block diagram of a fourth embo - diment of the present invention. The embodiment shown in Fig. 7 is an example with forward feed-back. I n Fig. 7, the intensity modulating component detector 13 is the same as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 5. However, an Adjustable Gain Control (AGC) amplifier is employed as the amplifier 3, the feed-back circuit 14 automatically controls the gain of the AGC amplifier 3 in a sense so as to cancel the useless components in correspondence with the size of these components as detected by the intensity modulation component detector 13. Accordingly, the embodiment shown in Fig. 7 employs a feed-forward type detector.

Fig. 8 shows a structural block diagram of an optical receiver, a fifth embodiment of the present invention, which has similarities to the embodiments of Figs. 6 and 7. The intensity modulation component detector 15 is formed of an electric circuit, similarly to the structure shown in Fig. 6, but an AGC amplifier is employed as the amplifier 3, as in the structure shown in Fig. 7. The output signal detected in the useless intensity modulation component is is fed back to the AGC amplifier 3 through the feed-back circuit 14. Accordingly, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 8, as contrasted to Fig. 7, the gain of the AGC amplifier 3 is controlled by feeding back.

As described above, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 8 an electrical AGC amplifier 3, which can control the gain by way of a gain control voltage, is employed is in an electrical device for the main signal in the optical receiver, as it is in the embodiment shown in Fig. 7, to suppress the intensity modulation component by reducing the gain when there is an increase in the signals detected from the useless intensity modulation component detector 15, and increasing the gain when the detected signal decreases.

Figs. 9A and 9B show a structural block diagram of a sixth embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment shown in Figs. 9A and 9B is an example which can correspond to any of the structures shown in Figs. 5 to 8 by switching the input to and output from the feed-back circuit 14.

it is possible to suppress the useless intensity modulation components by employing the intensity component detector 13 in an electrical signal group shown in Figs. 5 and 7, or by employing the intensity modulation component detector 15 shown in Figs. 6 and 8.

Further, in Figs. 9A and 9B, the feed-back circuit 14 comprises an adding circuit 140 to add an offset value to a detected signal. The following configurations can be obtained: the detected signal A is input to the feed-back circuit 14 and the output is B, which corresponds to the embodiment shown in Fig. 5; the input is A' and the output is B, corresponding to the embodiment shown in Fig. 6; the input is A and the output is B', corresponding to the embodiment shown in Fig. 7; and the input is A' and the output is B', corresponding to the embodiment shown in Fig. 8.

There are two cases of structuring the intensity modulation component detector in an optical signal group, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7, and two cases of structuring the detector in an electrical signal group, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8. Further, in terms of methods for feeding back the useless intensity modulation components, there are three patterns of is feeding-back system as shown in Figs'. -5, 6 and 8, and one of a feedingforward system as shown in Fig. 7.

Further, there are two systems for feedback: controlling the driving current of the exciting laser 10 of the optical pre-amplifier 1 as a feedback. destination, and feeding back to control the gain of the electrical AGC amplifier 3.

Four structures of optical receiver can be used with the above-described combination. The feed-back circuit 14 shown in Fig. 9B feeds back a signal F(t), in which an offset is added to the detected signal. Vi(t) (refer to Fig. lOB), back to the input optical signal, as shown in Fig. 10A. The feed-back circuit 14 gives a feed-back signal F(t) (refer to Fig. 1OC), so as that the signal gain is reduced as the useless intensity modulation component of the input signal light increases, and conversely.

Accordingly, the phase of the detected signal V1(t) (refer to Fig. lOB) is the reverse of that of the feed-back signal F(t) (refer to Fig. 1OC). Further, the signal gain of an averaged feed-back signal F(t) is determined by the offset value.

Figs. 11A and 11B show a structural block diagram of a seventh embodiment of the present invention. Figs. 12A to 12D show waveforms explaining the possible modes of operation of the seventh embodiment. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 11A and 11B, a first signal level detector 16 is provided after the useless intensity modulation component detector 13, and a second signal level detector 17 is provided after the useless intensity modulation component detector 15 in addition to the structure of the embodiment shown in Figs. 9A and 9B.

That is, the optical receiver includes an intensity modulation component detector 13 or 15, and the first signal level detector 16 and the second signal level detector 17.

The feed-back circuit 14 in the optical receiver feeds the signal V1 (refer to Fig. 12B) detected from the intensity modulation component detector 13 or 15 back to the input signal light (refer to Fig. 12A), and the feed-back signal F(t) (refer to Fig. 12D) back -to the gain control voltage of the electrical AGC amplifier 3 or the driving current of the exciting laser diode 10 of the optical pre-amplifier 1 according to the signal V2 (refer to Fig. 12C) detected from the signal level detectors 16 and 17.

Accordingly, the feed-back circuit 14 gives C-he feed-back signal so that the signal gain is reduced when the useless intensity modulation component of the input optical signal increases and the signal gain is increased when the useless intensity modulation component decreases; moreover the signal gain is reduced when the signal level increases and the signal gain is increased when the signal level decreases (refer to the relationship between Figs. 12A and 12D) The feed-back circuit 14 controls the signal gain to keep the signal level constant according to the detected signal V2, and to suppress the useless intensity modulation component according to the detected signal V1.

Fig. 13 shows a structural example of the signal level detector 16 shown in Figs. 11A and 11B. The optical -to -electrical converter 162 converts the branched optical signal or the optical signal after cutting off the Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) which is an amplified component caused by optical amplification in the optical filter, to an electrical signal. Thereby the electrical signal can be extracted in proportion to the signal level.

If an error in the detected signal level according to the ASE optical signal becomes larger, the ASE optical signal is cut off as a result of the presence of the optical filter 161 between the optical branching section 160 and the optical-to-electrical converter 162, so that only the optical signal is passed.

The optical branching section 160 may be formed of a bulk optical component device or a fusion-type optical coupler. It is possible to use a photo-diode as an optical - to- electrical converter 162.

Fig. 14 shows another structural example of the level detector. More particularly, it shows a circuit, which commonly uses the optical branching section 160 and the optical-to-electrical converter 162 in the optical receiver shown in Fig. 13. This circuit dan be employed to use the optical branching section 160 and the 0/E converter 162 in common.

The signal output from the optical-to-electrical converter 162 in a common section is employed as a signal level detection signal V2 (t). The useless intensity component detecting signal Vi(t) is obtained by branching and passing the signal V2(t) through the electrical filter 132.

Fig. is is a structural example of a level detector 17. The level detector 17 is formed of an electrical branching section 170 and an envelope detector 171. The signal level detecting signal V2(t) can be obtained by branching the signal in the electrical main signal group and extracting the envelope level of the electrical signal, i.e., an electrical signal proportional to the signal amplifier.

Fig. 16 is another structural example of a level detector 17. The example shown in Fig. 16 is constructed by combining the signal level detector 17 shown in Fig. 15 and the useless intensity modulation component detector 15 shown in Fig. 8 in common. After branching from the main signal group by the common electrical branching section 170, the signals are branched by the electrical branching circuit. It is possible to form the circuit so that one end is led to an envelope detector 171 as a signal level detector and -14 the other end is input to the electrical filter 151 as the useless intensity modulation component detector.

Therefore, the useless intensity modulation component detecting signal vi(t) and the signal level detecting signal V2(t) can be obtained from the commonly-used circuit.

As explained, embodiments of the present invention can block or suppress an unwanted intensity modulation component. Therefore, the receiving characteri.stics of the optical receiver can be improved.

-15 is

Claims (6)

CLAIMS:

1. An optical receiver for suppressing unwanted intensity modulation components present in the optical signal at a polarization scrambling frequency or a monitoring control signal frequency, comprising:

an optical-to-electrical converter for converting an optical main signal to an electrical signal; an optical amplifier for amplifying the optical main signal provided at a stage before the optical-toelectrical converter; and an electrical amplifier for amplifying the converted electrical signal, provided at a stage aher the optical-to-electrical converter; a capacitor connected to or in the electrical amplifier and forming part of a filter with a low cutoff frequency higher than the polarization scrambling frequency or the monitoring control signal frequency.

2. An optical receiver as claimed in claim 1, in which the capacitor is coupled to the output side of the electrical amplifier.

3. An optical receiver as claimed in claim 1, in which the capacitor is coupled to the input side of the electrical amplifier.

4. An optical receiver according to any preceding claim and further comprising an identifying device for identifying the electrical signal converted in the optical to electrical converter.

5. An optical receiver substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.

6. A multi-stage repeater incorporating a receiver as claimed in any preceding claim.

6. A multi-stage repeater incorporating a receiver as claimed in any preceding claim.

Amendments tothe claims have been filed as fobw$ jc.

is CLAIMS:

1. An optical receiver for suppressing unwanted intensity modulation components present in the optical signal at a polarization scrambling frequency or a monitoring control signal frequency, comprising:

an optical-to-electrical converter for converting an optical main signal to an electrical signal; an optical amplifier for amplifying the optical main signal provided at a stage before the optical-to electrical converter; and an electrical amplifier for amplifying the converted electrical signal, provided at a stage after the optical-to-electrical converter; a capacitor connected to or in the electrical amplifier and forming part of a filter with a low cutoff frequency higher than the polarization scrambling frequency or the monitoring control signal frequency.

2. An optical receiver as claimed in claim 1, in which the capacitor is coupled to the output side of the electrical amplifier.

3. An optical receiver as claimed in claim 1, in which the capacitor is coupled to the input side of the electrical amplifier.

4. An optical receiver according to any preceding claim and further comprising an identifying device for determining the level of the electrical signal converted in the optical to electrical converter.

5. An optical receiver substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.