CHANNEL-SWITCHED CROSS-CONNECT
First Claim
1. A method of tuning a multifrequency optical channel device, the device having first and second optical waveguide segments coupled to an athermal resonator by first and second frequency selective couplers actuated by a first and second electrode, respectively, said athermal resonator tuned for mode frequency overlap with a plurality of designated frequency channels, the method comprising:
- detuning a first coupling frequency of the first coupler relative to a second coupling frequency of the second coupler to achieve a detuning condition in which the first waveguide is decoupled from the second waveguide at said first and second frequencies;
adjusting the first and second coupling frequencies to a vicinity of a desired frequency channel while maintaining said detuning condition; and
retuning the first coupling frequency relative to the second coupling frequency until the first and second frequencies substantially equal each other and the frequency of the desired channel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The several embodiments of the invention include digitally tunable laser source, add-drop and cross connect devices, a tapered waveguide, a lensed waveguide, an asymmetric waveguide pair, a temperature sensor, and a tunable laser array, as well as methods for making and tuning these devices. The laser source, add-drop, and cross connect devices include materials with negative dependence of refractive index on temperature and temperature independent coincidence between resonator modes and a set of specified frequencies, e.g. for DWDM telecommunications channels. The free spectral range may be adjusted to equal a rational fraction of the specified frequency interval. The operating frequency may be selected by a thermo-optically tuned feedback element without substantially tuning the cavity modes. This can be accomplished by means of a waveguide pair with differential thermal response. The operating frequency may be induced to hop digitally between the specified frequencies. In a particular embodiment, semiconductor amplifier and polymer waveguide segments form a linear resonator with a thermo-optically tuned grating reflector. In a further embodiment, an amplifier and two waveguides from a tunable grating assisted coupler form a ring resonator. Tuning may also be accomplished by applying an electric field across a liquid crystal portion of the waveguide structure within the grating. The differential waveguide pair may also be used as a temperature or electric field sensor, or it may be used in a waveguide array to adjust a phase relationship, e.g. in an arrayed waveguide grating. A tapered waveguide may be used to couple different size waveguides, e.g. in a resonator having both a semiconductor diode amplifier waveguide and a planar waveguide structure for coupling to an optical fiber. A lensed planar waveguide may be used to couple to a different size waveguide, e.g. a semiconductor diode amplifier waveguide.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method of tuning a multifrequency optical channel device, the device having first and second optical waveguide segments coupled to an athermal resonator by first and second frequency selective couplers actuated by a first and second electrode, respectively, said athermal resonator tuned for mode frequency overlap with a plurality of designated frequency channels, the method comprising:
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detuning a first coupling frequency of the first coupler relative to a second coupling frequency of the second coupler to achieve a detuning condition in which the first waveguide is decoupled from the second waveguide at said first and second frequencies;
adjusting the first and second coupling frequencies to a vicinity of a desired frequency channel while maintaining said detuning condition; and
retuning the first coupling frequency relative to the second coupling frequency until the first and second frequencies substantially equal each other and the frequency of the desired channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of tuning a multifrequency optical channel device, the device having first and second optical waveguide segments coupled to an athermal resonator by first and second frequency selective couplers actuated by a first and second electrode, respectively, said athermal resonator tuned for mode frequency overlap with a plurality of designated frequency channels, the method comprising:
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detuning a first coupling frequency of the first coupler relative to a second coupling frequency of the second coupler to achieve a detuning condition in which the first waveguide is decoupled from the second waveguide at said first and second frequencies and at a third coupling frequency of the first coupler and at a fourth coupling frequency of the second coupler;
adjusting the third and fourth coupling frequencies to a vicinity of a desired frequency channel while maintaining said detuning condition; and
tuning the third coupling frequency relative to the fourth coupling frequency until the third and fourth frequencies substantially equal each other and the frequency of the desired channel. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A method of tuning a multifrequency optical channel device, the device having a first optical waveguide segment coupled to an resonator by a first frequency selective coupler actuated by an electrode, said resonator tuned for mode frequency overlap with a plurality of designated frequency channels, the method comprising:
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selecting a desired one of said designated frequency channels; and
actuating said electrode to modify a coupling frequency of said first coupler in order to induce substantial coupling between the first waveguide segment and the resonator at the frequency of said desired channel. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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18. A method of tuning a multifrequency optical channel device, the device having a first optical waveguide segment coupled to an resonator by a first differential waveguide coupler actuated by an electrode, said resonator tuned for mode frequency overlap with a plurality of designated frequency channels, the method comprising:
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selecting a desired one of said designated frequency channels; and
actuating said electrode to modify a coupling strength of said first coupler in order to induce substantial coupling between the first waveguide segment and the resonator at the frequency of said desired channel.
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28. A method of tuning a multifrequency optical channel device, the device having a first optical waveguide segment coupled to an athermal resonator by a first frequency selective coupler actuated by an electrode, said athermal resonator tuned for mode frequency overlap with a plurality of designated frequency channels, the method comprising:
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selecting a desired one of said designated frequency channels;
actuating said electrode to modify a coupling frequency of said first coupler in order to induce substantial coupling between the first waveguide segment and the resonator at the frequency of said desired channel, wherein a mode frequency of the resonator remains substantially constant during said actuating.
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Specification