WO2003036335A2 - Conditionneur de polarisation pour processeurs a reseaux optiques - Google Patents

Conditionneur de polarisation pour processeurs a reseaux optiques Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2003036335A2
WO2003036335A2 PCT/IL2002/000852 IL0200852W WO03036335A2 WO 2003036335 A2 WO2003036335 A2 WO 2003036335A2 IL 0200852 W IL0200852 W IL 0200852W WO 03036335 A2 WO03036335 A2 WO 03036335A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
polarization
tight
components
light
optical
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IL2002/000852
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO2003036335A3 (fr
Inventor
Haim Eder
Yoav Yadin
Koby Scheuer
Moti Margalit
Original Assignee
Lambda Crossing Ltd.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Lambda Crossing Ltd. filed Critical Lambda Crossing Ltd.
Priority to AU2002347569A priority Critical patent/AU2002347569A1/en
Publication of WO2003036335A2 publication Critical patent/WO2003036335A2/fr
Publication of WO2003036335A3 publication Critical patent/WO2003036335A3/fr

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/26—Optical coupling means
    • G02B6/27—Optical coupling means with polarisation selective and adjusting means
    • G02B6/2706—Optical coupling means with polarisation selective and adjusting means as bulk elements, i.e. free space arrangements external to a light guide, e.g. polarising beam splitters
    • G02B6/2713—Optical coupling means with polarisation selective and adjusting means as bulk elements, i.e. free space arrangements external to a light guide, e.g. polarising beam splitters cascade of polarisation selective or adjusting operations
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/26—Optical coupling means
    • G02B6/27—Optical coupling means with polarisation selective and adjusting means
    • G02B6/2753—Optical coupling means with polarisation selective and adjusting means characterised by their function or use, i.e. of the complete device
    • G02B6/2766—Manipulating the plane of polarisation from one input polarisation to another output polarisation, e.g. polarisation rotators, linear to circular polarisation converters

Definitions

  • This invention is in the field of optical devices and relates to a device for adjusting the polarization condition of multi-channel tight propagating to or from an optical processor system.
  • optical systems that receive light signals from and output processed signals to optical fibers.
  • the system may have one or more inputs and one or more outputs.
  • an input port may also serve as an output port, in which case the signal flows through the fiber coupled thereto in both directions.
  • signals arriving over a fiber are randomly polarized.
  • Placing a polarizer (polarization rotator or converter) at the input of an optical device would result in undesirable loss of power.
  • a solution known in the art is to split the incoming randomly polarized tight signal into two tight components of orthogonal polarizations, process each of the two components separately by means of a pair of polarization optimized optical processing units of a similar function, and then combine each pair of the output signals to produce a single randomly polarized output signal.
  • optical transmission systems that are based on wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), e.g., add and drop multiplexers, switching devices, tunable filters, etc., achieve high information capacities by aggregating many optical channels onto a signal strand of optical fiber. These systems thus involve inputting and outputting a plurality of optical fibers which are usually realized as co-planar light guides.
  • processor systems including an array of processing units, each for processing a corresponding one of the channels, can be used (e.g. WO 0073842, US 2002/0097957).
  • Such an array device is inherently more economical to fabricate, compared to an equivalent number of discrete processors.
  • the device of the present invention can be economically fabricated as a single assembly and can be easily coupled between such an optical processor system and a transmission system carrying multi-channel light.
  • the present invention provides a polarization adjusting device that may be coupled, at one end, to a transmission system having an array of N light-guides (e.g., fibers) carrying N randomly polarized light signals, respectively, and at the other end - to 2N light-paths (e.g., arranged in one or two linear arrays) and carrying linearly polarized light signals.
  • N light-guides e.g., fibers
  • 2N light-paths e.g., arranged in one or two linear arrays
  • the 2N tight-paths may be associated with an optical processor system, being ports of processing units therein, or they may be light-guides that couple to such processor units.
  • the device of the invention For signals flowing from the N-array to the 2N- array (which become input signals to the optical processor system) the device of the invention acts as a polarization splitter, while for signals flowing from the 2N-array to the N-array (which are output signals from the processor system) the device of the invention acts as a polarization combiner. In the case of bi-directional processors, the device acts as both a splitter and combiner. In its basic configurations, the device of the present invention comprises a single polarization sptitting/combining element for transmitting N-channel tight between a transmission system and an optical processor system, a first collimator array of N collimators, and a second collimator array of 2N collimators.
  • the first array is designed and disposed so that the light emanating from each collimator forms a collimated beam, and all such beams are substantially parallel to one another.
  • the polarization sptitting/combining element is designed and disposed so as to intercept all the collimated beams and so that each beam is split into a pair of collimated beams with mutually orthogonal directions of linear polarization. All pairs of beams are polarized along the same set of orthogonal directions and all beams polarized in any one direction are mutually parallel.
  • the construction is such that all the linearly polarized beams are mutually parallel, that is - the array of beams of one linear polarization is parallel to the array of beams of the other linear polarization.
  • the second collimator array is designed and disposed so that each collimator focuses a corresponding polarized beam onto a corresponding one of 2N tight-paths (e.g., a corresponding port of an optical processor system).
  • the 2N tight-paths may consist physically or logically of two linear arrays, e.g., for two linear polarizations, respectively, and in some configurations - of more than two linear arrays.
  • polarization sptitting/combining element for accommodating between the optical processor system and a light transmission system, the polarization sptitting/combining element having predetermined dimensions and orientation to cany out at least one of the following: concurrently receiving all randomly polarized light beams of the multi-channel tight coming from the transmission system and producing from each of the received beams a pair of tight components of orthogonal linear polarizations; and concurrently receiving all tinearly polarized light components of the multi-channel tight coming from the optical processor system and for each channel combining a pair of orthogonally polarized light components into a randomly polarized light beam; - a first array of coltimators for accommodating between the multi-channel transmission system and the polarization sptitting/combinii g element, the collimators of the first array being optically coupled to light guides, respectively, of the transmission system, to produce collimated beams substantially parallel to each other; and - a second array of collimators for accommodating between the polarization s
  • the polarization sptitting/combining element may be of any known type, based on diverse physical principles. Two specific types are used in embodiments disclosed herein: One type comprises a cubic beam splitter/combiner, which may be formed from of a pair of right-angle prisms with their diagonal facets coupled by a thin polarizing layer. The two linearly polarized light components of each pair emerge in mutually orthogonal directions.
  • a light deflector element e.g., a right-angle prism
  • the other type of polarization sptitting/combining element comprises a birefringent medium (crystal).
  • the first group configurations provide the propagation axes of all polarized light components lying in the same plane, which is usually also the plane in which the unpolarized beams tie. Such configurations are particularly suitable for coupling the polarization adjusting device to a single planar processor system.
  • the second group configurations provide the propagation axes of all tight components of one linear polarization lying in a plane different from, though preferably parallel to, the plane of propagation of the axes of light components of the other polarization.
  • Those configurations of the first group, in which the polarization sptitting/combining element is based on a birefringent medium may be further divided into those in which orthogonally polarized light components of each pair emerge adjacent to each other and those in which all light components polarized in one direction emerge spatially separate from the light components polarized in the other direction.
  • the polarization adjusting device of the invention also includes a polarization rotator assembly (e.g., including one or a plurality of half- wave plates), which is designed and disposed in the path of all the tight components of one linear polarization so as to apply a 90 degree rotation to the plane of polarization of these light components.
  • a polarization rotator assembly e.g., including one or a plurality of half- wave plates
  • the polarization adjusting device of the invention may include a front coupling section, which comprises an array of tight guides, one end of each being at the focal plane of a corresponding collimator in the first array, and the other end of each being directly coupled to a corresponding light guide in the transmission system.
  • the invention may include a back coupling section (also called delivery section), which comprises an array of tight guiding fibers, one end of each being at the focal plane of a corresponding collimator of the second array and the other end of each being optically coupled to a corresponding port of the processor system.
  • the back coupling section serves to geometrically match the arrangement of the points of convergence to the arrangement of the ports of the processor system.
  • the delivery section may also serve as a polarization rotator, by making half the tight guides therein of polarization maintaining fiber sections, each twisted by 90 degrees.
  • the invention is of a system for processing multi-channel light, the system comprising:
  • optical processor system having a plurality of processing units, each pair of for processing units being operable to process linearly polarized light of a corresponding one of the multiple channels;
  • an optical device for adjusting a polarization condition of the multi-channel tight said optical device being accommodated between the optical processor system and a tight transmission system for transmitting randomly polarized multi-channel light, and comprising a polarization sptitting/combining element; a first array of collimators accommodated between the multi-channel transmission system and the polarization sptitting/combining element such that each first collimator is optically coupled to a corresponding one of tight guides of the transmission system; and a second array of collimators accommodated between the optical processor system and the polarization sptitting/combining element such that each second collimator is optically coupled to a respective one of the processing units, the optical device carrying out at least one of the following:
  • the system may have many configurations, wherein input- and output ports of processing units are variously associated with signal supply light guides and signal detivery light guides, respectively, in the various transmission systems.
  • all processing units are logically grouped in pairs, each pair of processing units serving for processing a corresponding one of the tight channels (e.g., wavelength band) wherein the two units of each pair may be designed to process light of the same linear polarization or of the orthogonal linear polarizations, respectively.
  • Each pair of input ports of the processor system is coupled through a polarization adjusting device to a corresponding supply tight guide, and/or each pair of output ports is coupled through a polarization adjusting device to a corresponding delivery tight guide.
  • a method for adjusting a polarization condition of multi-channel tight to be processed by an optical processor system having a plurality of processing units for processing linearly polarized light comprising:
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an optical system utilizing the optical device according to the invention
  • Figs. 2A and 2B show top and side views of the optical device according to two embodiments of the invention, respectively, that utilize a cubic beam splitter/combiner and a polarization rotator;
  • Fig. 3 shows top and side views of the device according to another embodiment of the invention that utilizes a birefringent crystal and a polarization rotator;
  • Fig. 4 shows top and side views of the device according to yet another embodiment of the invention that utilizes a birefringent crystal and a polarization rotator;
  • Fig. 5 shows top and side views of a modified version of the embodiment of Fig. 4;
  • Fig. 6 shows top- and side views of an example of a coupling section suitable to be used in the device according to the invention.
  • Fig. 7 shows top and side views of another example of a coupling section suitable to be used in the device according to the invention.
  • the system 1 comprises an optical processor system 30 including a plurality of processing units PU, and a tight transmission system 20 in the form of a fiber array each for transmitting a respective one of the multiple channels (e.g., a specific wavelength band different from that of the other channels), and utilizes a polarization adjusting device 10 according to the invention.
  • an optical processor system 30 including a plurality of processing units PU, and a tight transmission system 20 in the form of a fiber array each for transmitting a respective one of the multiple channels (e.g., a specific wavelength band different from that of the other channels), and utilizes a polarization adjusting device 10 according to the invention.
  • the polarization adjusting device is designed to adjust a polarization condition of multi-channel tight that come from the transmission system and is to be processed by the optical processor system, to adjust a polarization condition of multi-channel tight processed by the optical processor system and to be transmitted through a transmission system, or to adjust both the polarization condition of tight to be processed and the processed light to be further transmitted. This enables polarization independent operation of the entire system 1.
  • the system 1 is designed for using the device 10 for adjusting the polarization condition of the input multi-channel light propagating from the fibers 20 towards the optical processor system 30. It should, however, be understood that the same device 10 can be used for adjusting the polarization condition of the output of the processor(s) 30 prior to entering the fiber array 20, provided the processor units have bi-directional ports. Alternatively, an additional similar polarization adjusting device and an output multi-fiber transmission system can be used at the output of the processor system 30.
  • the optical processor system 30 may be of the kind capable of separately processing light of different linear polarizations, in which case the processor units include a corresponding number of processing units' pairs (corresponding to the number of input fibers in the array 20), wherein each pair of processing units is for processing a corresponding one of multiple tight channels, and the processing units of each pair operate with the orthogonal polarizations, respectively.
  • the optical processor system 30 may be of the kind capable of processing only light of a specific linear polarization.
  • the polarization adjusting device 10 is thus disposed between the end face of the transmission system 20 in the form of array of N fibers or tight guides, and the end faces of the processor units PU of the processor system 30.
  • the array of tight guides 20 is usually linear, i.e. lying in a single plane, and the embodiments of the invented device described herein are adapted to such a linear array, til general, however, the polarization adjusting device 10 may be configured for any arrangement of tight guides, including a non-planar arrangement, with minor modifications.
  • the optical processor system 30 has multiple processing units (optical functional elements, such as filters, switches, etc.), each unit having input and output ports or a bi-directional port, through which light signals may be both input and output.
  • the polarization adjusting device 10 may be coupled to a plurality of such ports, whether they all be input ports, output ports or bi-directional ports, or whether they include ports of various functions.
  • Any such path that is coupled to input ports carries light signals supplied from the transmission system to the optical processor system and is considered an input path;
  • any such path that is coupled to output ports carries light signals delivered from the optical processor system to the transmission system and is considered an output path;
  • any such path that is coupled to bidirectional ports carries tight signals in both directions and is considered a bidirectional path. All ports are assumed to form one or more regular arrays on a corresponding end face of the processor system.
  • the optical processor system 30 may be realized in a planar lightwave circuit (PLC) technique, which has an inherent advantage in integration of complex optical functions.
  • PLC planar lightwave circuit
  • Many configurations of the processor system are possible, reflecting its type, the relation between input- and output ports and the number of processing units therein; the relation between such processor system configurations and configurations of the polarization adjusting device 10 will be discussed by specific examples further below, the relations with other configurations being readily deducible by persons knowledgeable in the art. hi some systems, a plurality of such polarization adjusting devices may be utilized.
  • the polarization adjusting device of the invention is also applicable in other optical systems, generally characterized by one or more arrays of guides of randomly polarized tight on one side, and one or more arrays of guides of linearly polarized light on the other side, where the invented devices serve to condition or adjust the polarizations between them.
  • the polarization adjusting device 10 basically comprises a single polarization sptitting/combining element (PSCE) 14, a first collimator array 12 which is an array of N collimators disposed to one side 13 of the PSCE, and a second collimator array 16 which is an array of 2N collimators disposed to the other side(s) 17 of the PSCE.
  • the PSCE 14 can thus be simultaneously applied to a plurality of randomly polarized light beams coming from the plurality of fibers 20, and/or be simultaneously applied to a plurality of pairs of specifically polarized tight components emerging from the optical processor 30.
  • the PSCE 14 functions as both the polarization splitter and combiner.
  • the PSCE 14 in its one operational mode, functions as a polarization splitter: receives N collimated, randomly polarized and mutually parallel light beams entering the PSCE through its face 13, and produces 2N linearly polarized light components emerging from the PSCE at its side(s) 17.
  • the tight components of each pair entering the processor system 30 may be of the same linear polarization, or of the orthogonal linear polarizations, in which case a polarization rotator assembly 15 (e.g., utilizing a half-wave plate) is used at the output of the PSCE 14.
  • the PSCE 14 In the other operational mode of the PSCE 14, it functions as a polarization combiner: it receives 2N collimated light components entering the PSCE through its face 17, and produces N randomly polarized beam to enter N fibers, respectively, hi other words, for any such beams in input paths, the PSCE functions as a polarization sptitter. For beams in output paths, it functions as a polarization combiner, and for beams in bi-directional paths, the PSCE functions as both a splitter and a combiner.
  • the descriptions that follow are in terms of an input path; the functions of the devices in an output path, or a bidirectional path, should be readily understood.
  • the polarization rotation assembly 15 which causes the plane of polarization of tight passing therethrough to rotate by 90 degrees is optional, being used in cases when all the processing units in the optical processor system 30 are of the kind operating with tight of one specific linear polarization.
  • Various types and configurations of the PSCE are discussed in the sequel.
  • the array of N collimators 12 consists of a narrow transparent block, one face of which is to be attached to the end face of the fiber array 20 and the other face is to be covered with or fo ⁇ ned into an array of positive lenslets, each to function as a collimator.
  • the lenslets may be based on diffraction or on refraction; in the latter case they may be of the shaped type or of the graded index type.
  • Such lenslets arrays are known in the art and are readily available in the market (for example WO056076, US 2002/0097956, US 2001/0024548), and therefore need not be described in detail.
  • the lenslets arrangement is preferably such that its center-to-center spacing is identical to that of the light guides in the array 20 and their mode field diameter is matched to that of the light guides.
  • the optical width of the block is determined by the focal length of the lenslets. This optical width may consist entirely of solid transparent material, in which case the two faces are coupled by contact (possibly by means of an optical adhesive), or, preferably, the width includes an air gap.
  • a front coupling section 11 consisting of a short array of tight guides, to be termed “coupling tight guides”.
  • the coupling section 11 is by its one end attached to the face (left face) of the collimator array 12 with identical center-to-center spacing, so that the tight guides are on-axis with their corresponding lenslets; and at the other end, is attachable to the end of the fiber array 20 so that the corresponding tight guides in the coupling section 11 and fiber array 20 directly couple, that is - butt-couple, with each other.
  • the coupling section 11 then optically forms an extension of the fiber array 20.
  • the provision of the coupling section 11 facilitates the alignment precision required during coupling to the tight guide array 20 and ensures that the resultant collimated beams emerge normal to the end surface of the block.
  • the back foci of the lenslets ideally tie at the centers of the end facets of the respective tight guides; preferably the mode field diameter of the lenslets matches that of the light guides.
  • the first collimator array 12 is positioned in relation to the PSCE 14 so that all the collimated beams, which preferably travel through air, normally enter the PSCE's left face; the distance between these two elements is not critical.
  • the second collimator array (of 2N collimators) 16 is essentially similar to that described hereabove, however, it is subject to a variety of configurations, which depend on the configurations of the PSCE 14 and of the processor system 30. In general, this array, which could possibly consist of a plurality of linear sections and thus constitute a plurality of arrays, is optically coupled either directly to the ports of the optical processor system 30 or to an optional delivery section 18, to be described below.
  • Polarization splitting and combining elements 114A and 114B of these examples utilize a beam sptitting/combining cube having a polarization sptitting/combining surface, and differ from each other in the orientation of this surface with respect to input light beams.
  • the PSCE 114A thus comprises the beam sptitting/combining cube 22 having a polarization sptitting/combining surface 22A, and preferably also comprises a light deflector element 24 (e.g., a right-angle reflector prism) attached or located close to a facet 28 of the cube 22.
  • the provision of the deflector element simplifies the entire system construction by producing substantially parallel tight component output from the PSCE.
  • the beam sptitting/combining cube 22 preferably consists of two right- angle prisms joined at their diagonal facets by a thin polarizing film presenting the surface 22A.
  • the PSCE 114A operates in the following manner.
  • first polarization component 25A passes through the surface 22A and proceeds in the same direction as the input tight beam 25 to emerge through the facet 27 of the cube 22, while the second polarization component 25B undergoes a 90 degree deflection at the surface 22A in a direction along an axis lying in the same plane as the incoming beam 25 and emerges through the facet 28 of the cube 22.
  • the second polarization component 25B is then deflected by the prism 24 into the original direction (that of the input beam 25), to thereby emerge parallel to the first component 25A.
  • the polarized light components 25A and 25B propagate in the same plane (that of the incoming beams 25), with one group of polarization components lying beside the other.
  • This embodiment is particularly useful for convenient direct coupling to a planar processor system.
  • the deflection (prism 24) may alternatively be applied to the first polarization component 25A (e.g., that passing through the polarization sptitting/combining surface), so that both components 25A and 25B emerge from the polarization adjusting device normal to the original direction of the input light propagation.
  • the provision of the light deflector element is optional, and in certain configurations, the beams of the second group 25B may be allowed to emerge from the PSCE in an orthogonal direction with respect to those of the first group, depending on the processor system configuration.
  • a polarization rotating assembly e.g., a half-wave plate 15
  • the polarization rotating assembly may be associated with facet 27 of the cube.
  • the polarization rotating assembly may be located in the path of light components 25A upstream of the deflector element.
  • the polarization rotating assembly causes 90 degree polarization rotation of tight passing merethrough, and thus the tight components of the two groups become of the same linear polarization. It is noted that with this option, when the PSCE functions as a combiner, all the polarized beams emerging from the optical processor system are assumed to be identically polarized and the use of the polarization rotator causes the polarization of the two groups to become mutually orthogonal, to be then appropriately combined by the cube 22.
  • a beam stilting/combining cube 22' namely its polarization sptitting/combining surface 22A', is oriented with respect to the incoming beams 25 such that the second group of beams 25B is deflected out of the plane of the incoming beams.
  • the light components of the first and second groups 25A and 25B propagate in two spaced-apart parallel planes, one on top of the other.
  • This embodiment has the advantage of a smaller cube 22' and smaller right-angle prism 24', but requires the appropriate orientation of the input ports of the processor system for different linear polarizations (so as to be at two different heights) or the use of a suitable delivery section (to be described below).
  • Figs. 3, 4 and 5 depict three more embodiments, respectively, of the polarization adjusting device, in which a PSCE is typified by a birefringent medium (typically a birefringent crystal), for example made of Yttrium Vanadate (YVO 4 ).
  • a PSCE is typified by a birefringent medium (typically a birefringent crystal), for example made of Yttrium Vanadate (YVO 4 ).
  • YVO 4 Yttrium Vanadate
  • a birefringent crystal 32 is oriented with respect to input beams 25 so that each beam 25 entering the crystal from its facet 32A is split as follows:
  • One polarization component (TE) 33 proceeds through the crystal along the same line as the entering beam;
  • the other component (TM) 34 is refracted in the extraordinary mode, proceeding through the crystal upward at some angle to the original direction, and upon emerging from the facet 32B, it is refracted back to the original direction (that of the input beam 25).
  • TE polarization component
  • TM component
  • a polarization rotating assembly 15 may optionally be used (depending on the type of processing units of the optical processor system) being attached or located close to the facet 32B of the crystal within a respective location so as to be in the path of one of the polarization groups.
  • a birefringent crystal 32' is oriented so that the extraordinary refraction is effected in the plane of the array of incoming beams 25 (here - the horizontal plane).
  • the length of the crystal 32' is preferably such that the ordinary and extraordinary beam components 33 and 34 reach the facet 32B of the crystal in an interleaved fashion.
  • the effect is the emergence of 2N parallel beams 33 and 34 of orthogonal polarizations in a common plane. It is noted that the center- to-center distances of these beams are half those of the incoming beams; thus the lenslets of the matching second collimator array (not shown in Fig. 4) must be designed so that the beams are sufficiently narrow to avoid overlaps.
  • a polarization rotating assembly 15' may optionally be provided, being attached or located close to the respective facet of the crystal.
  • the polarization rotating assembly 15' may be in the form of a half-wave patterned so as to have holes or slots at alternate emerging beam positions; thus beams with one polarization plane will undergo rotation of polarization, while the others will remain unaffected.
  • This allows the direct coupling of the second collimator array (16 in Fig. 1) to a planar optical processor system, if the corresponding ports on the latter are linearly arranged, with the same center-to-center distances. Otherwise, a special delivery section, to be described below, is used.
  • Fig. 5 depicts a polarization adjusting device, which is generally similar to that of Fig.
  • a birefringent crystal 32" is extended so that the two groups of polarization components emerge from the crystal 32" totally spatially separated (rather than interleaved, as in Fig. 4).
  • the effect is similar to that of the embodiment of Fig. 2A (one group of beams on top of the other), albeit with a greater length of the device.
  • a single polarization rotating element (e.g., half-wave plate) 15 may be placed in the path of one of the two groups of beams.
  • a matching second collimator array (16 in Fig. 1), of 2N collimator lenslets, whereby each lenslet is placed at the expected path of the corresponding polarized beam.
  • the second collimator array may consist of two separate arrays, or assemblies, (one for each group of beams of like polarization direction) or a single array that is configured in two segments or two rows.
  • the second collimator array 16 is optically coupled to the corresponding ports on the processor system, so that each light component is coupled into a corresponding port of the processor system (corresponding processing unit).
  • the collimator array (or any sub-array thereof) may be physically attached to a facet of the processor system, if the latter is also suitably configured, so that each tight component is focused onto the corresponding port, i.e. - on the end face of a corresponding tight-guide on the processor system; preferably the mode field diameter of the lenslets matches that of the ports.
  • an intervening back coupling section also called delivery section 18 that converts between the geometric arrangement of the collimator lenslets and that of the corresponding ports on the processor system.
  • Such a delivery section generally consists of 2N fibers, one end of each fiber positioned at the focus of a corresponding lenslet and the other end coupled to the corresponding port; the latter coupling is preferably of the butt-coupling type, to be also referred to as direct coupling.
  • the back coupling section 18 thus also serves to ease the precision required in aligning the polarization adjusting device with the optical processor system.
  • the fibers are preferably of the polarization mamtaining type.
  • half of these fibers are twisted by ninety degrees, thus functioning as polarization rotators, instead of the half-wave plate, mentioned hereabove.
  • Figs. 6 and 7 show schematically two specific examples of back coupling (i.e. delivery-) section 18. Again, the upper drawing in each figure is to be considered a top view and the lower drawing - a side view.
  • lines 38 between the second collimator array 16, on the left, and a processor system 30, on the right represent light-guiding fibers. In practice, however, the fibers are not necessarily configured along straight lines.
  • the example of Fig. 6 is suitable for the polarization adjusting devices of Figs. 2B and 3 and, as clearly seen in the drawings, the light components of different polarizations and emerging at the two planes are directed to two corresponding sections, respectively, of the single planar processor system 30.
  • FIG. 7 is suitable for the polarization adjusting device of Fig. 4 and, as clearly seen in the drawings, the tight components of different polarizations and emerging at alternate positions along the 2N array of lenslets are, again, directed to corresponding sections of the single planar processor system 30.
  • Other embodiments and configurations of the back coupling section are possible - to match various configurations of the second collimator array and of the processor; these should be obvious to a practitioner in the art.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Lasers (AREA)
  • Optical Communication System (AREA)
  • Optical Couplings Of Light Guides (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un dispositif et un procédé optique destinés à régler un état de polarisation de lumière multi-voie associée à un système de processeur optique possédant une pluralité d'unités de traitement destinées à traiter une lumière polarisée linéairement. Le dispositif comprend un élément de division/combinaison de polarisation ainsi que des premier et second réseaux de collimateurs. Le premier réseau de collimateurs est reçu entre un système de transmission de lumière multi-voie et l'élément de division/combinaison de polarisation. Le second réseau de collimateurs est disposé entre l'élément de division/combinaison de polarisation et le système de processeur optique. L'élément de division/combinaison de polarisation présente des dimensions ainsi qu'une orientation prédéterminées pour exécuter au moins une des fonctions suivantes: la réception simultanée de tous les faisceaux de lumière polarisée aléatoirement de la lumière multi-voie provenant du système de transmission et produire, à partir de chacun des faisceaux reçus, une paire de composantes lumineuses de polarisations orthogonales linéaires; et la réception simultanément de toutes les composantes lumineuses polarisées linérairement de la lumière multi-voie provenant du système de processeur optique et pour chaque voie combiner une paire de composantes lumineuses polarisées orthogonalement en un faisceau de lumière polarisée aléatoirement.
PCT/IL2002/000852 2001-10-25 2002-10-24 Conditionneur de polarisation pour processeurs a reseaux optiques WO2003036335A2 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2002347569A AU2002347569A1 (en) 2001-10-25 2002-10-24 Polarization multiplexer/demultiplexer for optical array processors

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US33060001P 2001-10-25 2001-10-25
US60/330,600 2001-10-25

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2003036335A2 true WO2003036335A2 (fr) 2003-05-01
WO2003036335A3 WO2003036335A3 (fr) 2004-03-18

Family

ID=23290476

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IL2002/000852 WO2003036335A2 (fr) 2001-10-25 2002-10-24 Conditionneur de polarisation pour processeurs a reseaux optiques

Country Status (2)

Country Link
AU (1) AU2002347569A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2003036335A2 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2021183792A1 (fr) * 2020-03-11 2021-09-16 Nubis Communications, Inc. Interconnexion de fibre optique à puce
US11982848B2 (en) 2021-03-11 2024-05-14 Nubis Communications, Inc. Optical fiber-to-chip interconnection

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5689367A (en) * 1995-10-13 1997-11-18 E-Tek Dynamics, Inc. Polarization beam splitter
US5740288A (en) * 1995-02-22 1998-04-14 E-Tek Dynamics, Inc. Variable polarization beam splitter, combiner and mixer
WO1998035251A1 (fr) * 1997-02-07 1998-08-13 Tellium, Inc. Commutateur optique double a cristaux liquides selecteur de longueur d'ondes
US6166838A (en) * 1997-03-24 2000-12-26 Chorum Technologies, Inc. Optical add/drop wavelength switch
US6212313B1 (en) * 2000-01-31 2001-04-03 Oplink Communications, Inc. Optical interleaver

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH06118344A (ja) * 1992-10-07 1994-04-28 Oki Electric Ind Co Ltd 偏光ビームスプリッタモジュール

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5740288A (en) * 1995-02-22 1998-04-14 E-Tek Dynamics, Inc. Variable polarization beam splitter, combiner and mixer
US5689367A (en) * 1995-10-13 1997-11-18 E-Tek Dynamics, Inc. Polarization beam splitter
WO1998035251A1 (fr) * 1997-02-07 1998-08-13 Tellium, Inc. Commutateur optique double a cristaux liquides selecteur de longueur d'ondes
US6166838A (en) * 1997-03-24 2000-12-26 Chorum Technologies, Inc. Optical add/drop wavelength switch
US6212313B1 (en) * 2000-01-31 2001-04-03 Oplink Communications, Inc. Optical interleaver

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 018, no. 402 (P-1777), 27 July 1994 (1994-07-27) & JP 06 118344 A (OKI ELECTRIC IND CO LTD), 28 April 1994 (1994-04-28) *

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2021183792A1 (fr) * 2020-03-11 2021-09-16 Nubis Communications, Inc. Interconnexion de fibre optique à puce
US11287585B2 (en) 2020-03-11 2022-03-29 Nubis Communications, Inc. Optical fiber-to-chip interconnection
US11567273B2 (en) 2020-03-11 2023-01-31 Nubis Communications, Inc. Optical fiber-to-chip interconnection
US11982848B2 (en) 2021-03-11 2024-05-14 Nubis Communications, Inc. Optical fiber-to-chip interconnection

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2003036335A3 (fr) 2004-03-18
AU2002347569A1 (en) 2003-05-06

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US6859573B2 (en) Double pass arrangement for a liquid crystal device
CA2486725A1 (fr) Module, systeme et procede optique d'insertion extraction reconfigurable
US4923269A (en) Bidirectional optical space switch
EP2639611B1 (fr) Interrupteur sélectif de longueur d'onde
CN107407779B (zh) 用于管理波长选择开关中各端口之间的分集和隔离的光学装置
US6587266B2 (en) Bi-directional isolator
US6188817B1 (en) Photonics system
US6614573B1 (en) Switchable interleaved channel separator devices and systems
US6044187A (en) Multi-port fiber optical device
US6941072B2 (en) Compact optical multiplexer/demultiplexer
KR20010085963A (ko) 다중 포트 광섬유 절연체
US6860644B2 (en) Dual fiber collimator assembly pointing control
JP2020514797A (ja) 波長選択スイッチにおける帯域外クロストークを抑制するための光学配置
US6792175B2 (en) Optical crossbar switch
US6658212B1 (en) Polarization-independent, configurable optical multiplexer
US7693364B2 (en) Apparatus, system and method for a tunable optical filter
US6842239B2 (en) Alignment of multi-channel diffractive WDM device
US6404958B1 (en) Intergrated optical coupler
WO2010146589A1 (fr) Routeur multiport à sélection de la longueur d'onde
US6947628B1 (en) Dynamic wavelength-selective optical add-drop switches
US20020181876A1 (en) Reconfigurable optical add/drop module
US20020118434A1 (en) Switchable interleaved optical channel separator and isolator device and optical systems utilizing same
JPH11194301A (ja) 光サーキュレータ
WO2003036335A2 (fr) Conditionneur de polarisation pour processeurs a reseaux optiques
WO2010099339A1 (fr) Commutateur optique à cristaux liquides pour un signal optique ayant une polarisation arbitraire

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AK Designated states

Kind code of ref document: A2

Designated state(s): AE AG AL AM AT AU AZ BA BB BG BR BY BZ CA CH CN CO CR CU CZ DE DK DM DZ EC EE ES FI GB GD GE GH GM HR HU ID IL IN IS JP KE KG KP KR KZ LC LK LR LS LT LU LV MA MD MG MK MN MW MX MZ NO NZ OM PH PL PT RO RU SD SE SG SI SK SL TJ TM TN TR TT TZ UA UG US UZ VC VN YU ZA ZM ZW

AL Designated countries for regional patents

Kind code of ref document: A2

Designated state(s): GH GM KE LS MW MZ SD SL SZ TZ UG ZM ZW AM AZ BY KG KZ MD RU TJ TM AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LU MC NL PT SE SK TR BF BJ CF CG CI CM GA GN GQ GW ML MR NE SN TD TG

121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application
122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase
NENP Non-entry into the national phase in:

Ref country code: JP

WWW Wipo information: withdrawn in national office

Country of ref document: JP