Widely tunable and integrated optical system and method

• US 20020159141A1
• Filed: 02/20/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Maryland
• Original Assignee: University of Maryland
• Inventors: Choa, Fow-Sen
• Granted Patent: US 6,657,780 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/349
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12009 comprising arrayed waveguide grating [AWG] devices, i.e. with a phased array of waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/02 Wavelength-division multiplex systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0062 Network aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0075 Wavelength grouping or hierarchical aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0079 Operation or maintenance aspects

Abstract

The present invention provides tunable optical system, and a method for forming the same, that exhibits a broader tuning range with fewer components than prior art tunable optical systems. The tunable optical system of the present invention includes a plurality of wavelength routers, each having a different optical channel resolution, optically coupled to a plurality of optical amplifier arrays. The free spectral range of each of the second and subsequent wavelength routers is equal to a total bandwidth of one of its respective grating orders. The system is tuned by selectively activating optical amplifiers in each of the optical amplifier arrays. The tunable optical system of the present invention can be used to make tunable semiconductor emitters, receivers and filters.

Claims

11-1. A tunable optical receiver comprising the tunable optical system of claim 1.

13. A tunable optical system, comprising:

a first stage, comprising,

a first wavelength router comprising N effective optical channels, and

a first optical amplifier array comprising N optical amplifiers that are each optically coupled to the wavelength router;

a second stage, optically coupled to the first stage, comprising,

a second wavelength router comprising N² effectiveoptical channels, and

a second optical amplifier array comprising N optical amplifiers that are each optically coupled to the second wavelength router; and

a third stage, optically coupled to the second stage, comprising,

a third wavelength router comprising N³ effective optical channels, and

a third optical amplifier array comprising N optical amplifiers that are each optically coupled to the third wavelength router.

23. A method of wavelength tuning an optical system, comprising the steps of:

dividing an input optical signal into a first plurality of optical channels based on wavelength, wherein each of the plurality of optical channels has a first bandwidth;

selectively amplifying one or more of the first plurality of optical channels;

further dividing the amplified optical channels into a second plurality of optical channels based on wavelength, wherein each of the second plurality of optical channels has a second bandwidth that is smaller than the first bandwidth; and

selectively amplifying one or more of the second plurality of optical channels.