DELAY INTERFEROMETER

• US 20090303491A1
• Filed: 06/09/2009
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Hihara, Mamoru, Iemura, Koki, Asano, Junichiro
• Application Number:
  US12/481,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20090303491A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/477
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/29349 Michelson or Michelson/Gires-Tournois configuration, i.e. based on splitting and interferometrically combining relatively delayed signals at a single beamsplitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/677 for differentially modulated signal, e.g. DPSK signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/223 Demodulation in the optical domain optical demodulation H04B10/676

Abstract

In a delay interferometer in which a Michelson delay interferometer unit is mounted in a package having first and second sidewall portions that are perpendicular to each other, the delay interferometer includes: a Michelson delay interferometer unit in which first interference output light obtained by processing input light that is received through an input port disposed in the first sidewall portion is output through a first output port disposed in the first sidewall portion, and second interference output light is output from a second output port disposed in the second sidewall portion; and a first optical axis shifting member which shifts an optical axis position of the first interference output light in parallel to the first sidewall portion, to cause the light to be supplied into the first output port.

Claims

1. A delay interferometer comprising:

a package including first and second sidewall portions which are perpendicular to each other, an input port disposed in the first sidewall portion, through which an input light is received, a first output port disposed in the first sidewall portion, which outputs a first interference output light, and a second output port disposed in the second sidewall portion, which outputs a second interference output light;

a Michelson delay interferometer unit, which is mounted in the package and processes the input light to form the first interference output light and the second interference output light; and

a first optical axis shifting member which shifts an optical axis position of the first interference output light in parallel to the first sidewall portion, to cause the light to be supplied into the first output port.

2. A delay interferometer according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second optical axis shifting member which shifts an optical axis position of the second interference output light in parallel to the second sidewall portion, to cause the light to be supplied into the second output port.

5. A delay interferometer according to claim 1, wherein the first optical axis shifting member is a parallel prism.

7. A delay interferometer according to claim 2, wherein the first optical axis shifting member and the second optical axis shifting member are parallel prisms.

9. A delay interferometer according to claim 1, wherein the Michelson delay interferometer unit includes a beam splitter and reflectors which are integrally structured by a same material.

3. A delay interferometer comprising:

a package including first and second sidewall portions which are perpendicular to each other, an input port disposed in the first sidewall portion, through which an input light is received, an A-channel first output port disposed in the first sidewall portion, an A-channel second output port disposed in the second sidewall portion, a B-channel first output port disposed in the first sidewall portion, and a B-channel second output port disposed in the second sidewall portion, the A-channel first output port and the A-channel second output port outputting an A-channel interference output light, the B-channel first output port and the B-channel second output port outputting a B-channel interference output light;

a Michelson delay interferometer unit, which is mounted in the package, and splits the input light into two or A and B channels and processes the slit lights to form the A-channel interference output light and the B-channel interference output light; and

a first optical axis shifting member which is placed nearby the first sidewall portion and shifts at least one of optical axis positions of the A-channel interference output light and the B-channel interference output light in parallel to the first sidewall portion, to cause the light to be supplied into the A-channel first output port or B-channel first output port disposed in the first sidewall portion.

4. A delay interferometer according to claim 3, further comprising:

a second optical axis shifting member which is placed nearby the second sidewall portion and shifts at least one of optical axis positions of the A-channel interference output light and the B-channel interference output light in parallel to the second sidewall portion, to cause the light to be supplied into the A-channel second output port or B-channel second output port disposed in the second sidewall portion.

6. A delay interferometer according to claim 3, wherein the first optical axis shifting member is a parallel prism.

8. A delay interferometer according to claim 4, wherein the first optical axis shifting member and the second optical axis shifting member are parallel prisms.

10. A delay interferometer according to claim 3, wherein the Michelson delay interferometer unit includes a beam splitter and reflectors which are integrally structured by a same material.