Integrated optical waveguide circuit and optical branch line test system using the same

• US 5,546,483 A
• Filed: 08/01/1994
• Issued: 08/13/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Fumihiko, Suda, Hiroyuki, Takato, Norio, Morinaka, Akira, Inoue, Yasuyuki, Furukawa, Shinichi, Okamoto, Katsunari, Kawachi, Masao
• Primary Examiner(s): Healy, Brian
• Application Number:
  US08/285,633
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 385/14, 385/15, 385/17, 385/18, 385/24, 385/27, 385/31, 385/39, 385/42, 385/44, 385/45, 385/46, 385/129, 385/130, 385/131, 385/132, 359/113, 359/114, 359/115, 359/110, 359/124, 359/125, 359/143, 356/345
• US Class Current: 385/14
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 11/3136 for testing of multiple fibers
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 11/3154 Details of the opto-mechanical connection, e.g. connector or repeater
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12164 Multiplexing; Demultiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12011 characterised by the arrayed waveguides, e.g. comprising a filled groove in the array section
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12014 characterised by the wavefront splitting or combining section, e.g. grooves or optical elements in a slab waveguide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12016 characterised by the input or output waveguides, e.g. tapered waveguide ends, coupled together pairs of output waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12019 characterised by the optical interconnection to or from the AWG devices, e.g. integration or coupling with lasers or photodiodes coupling integrated waveguide to fibre G02B6/30, to optoelectronic element G02B6/42; monolithic integration of integrated waveguides with other optical elements G02B6/12004
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12023 characterised by means for reducing the polarisation dependence, e.g. reduced birefringence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12033 characterised by means for configuring the device, e.g. moveable element for wavelength tuning switching G02B6/35; thermo-optic devices G02F1/0147
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/30 for use between fibre and thin-film device

Abstract

An integrated optical waveguide circuit includes a substrate; an optical wavelength multiplexer and an optical power splitter formed on a same surface of the substrate. The optical wavelength multiplexer is composed of a first slab optical waveguide, a second slab optical waveguide, a single or a plurality of input optical waveguides connected to the first slab optical waveguide at one end of the first slab optical waveguide, a plurality of arrayed optical waveguides arranged in parallel and having different lengths and connected to the first slab optical waveguide and the second slab optical waveguide, and a plurality of output optical waveguides arranged in parallel and connected to the second slab optical waveguide. The optical power splitter is composed of the second slab optical waveguide, one or more input optical waveguides, and the plurality of output optical waveguides arranged in parallel and connected to the second slab optical waveguide.

Claims

1. An integrated optical waveguide circuit comprising:

a substrate;

an optical wavelength multiplexer formed on a surface of said substrate and composed of a first slab optical waveguide, a second slab optical waveguide, a single or a plurality of input optical waveguides connected to said first slab optical waveguide at one end of the first slab optical waveguide, an array of optical waveguides arranged in parallel and having different lengths and connected to the first slab optical waveguide and the second slab optical waveguide, and a plurality of output optical waveguides arranged in parallel and connected to the second slab optical waveguide; and

an optical power splitter formed on said surface of the substrate and composed of said second slab optical waveguide, means for inputting light to said second slab optical waveguide, and said plurality of output optical waveguides arranged in parallel and connected to the second slab optical waveguide.

2. The integrated optical waveguide circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

another optical power splitter formed on said surface of the substrate and composed of said first slab optical waveguide, a single or a plurality of input optical waveguides connected to said first slab optical waveguide at another end of the first slab optical waveguide, and said optical waveguides connected to said first slab optical waveguide at said one end of the first slab optical waveguide, as output optical waveguides.

3. The integrated optical waveguide circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for inputting light to said second slab optical waveguide is a single or a plurality of input optical waveguides.

4. The integrated optical waveguide circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for inputting light to said second slab optical waveguide is an optical fiber and said optical fiber is inserted in a groove formed on a surface of said second slab optical waveguide.

5. The integrated optical waveguide circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein a wavelength filter is provided in the second slab optical waveguide.

6. An integrated optical waveguide circuit comprising:

a substrate;

an optical wavelength multiplexer formed on a surface of said substrate and composed of a first slab optical waveguide, a second slab optical waveguide, a third slab optical waveguide, means for inputting light to said first and second slab optical waveguides, a first array of optical waveguides arranged in parallel and having different lengths, a second array of optical waveguides arranged in parallel and having different lengths, said first slab optical waveguide being connected to said third slab optical waveguide via said first array of optical waveguide and said second slab optical waveguide being connected to said third slab optical waveguide via said second array of optical waveguides, and a plurality of output optical waveguides arranged in parallel and connected to the third slab optical waveguide; and

an optical power splitter formed on said surface of the substrate and composed of said third slab optical waveguide, an input optical waveguide formed between said first array of optical waveguides and said second array of optical waveguides and connected to said third slab optical waveguide, and said plurality of output optical waveguides arranged in parallel and connected to the third slab optical waveguide.

7. The integrated optical waveguide circuit as claimed in claim 6, wherein said means for inputting light to said first and second slab optical waveguides is composed of an input optical waveguide and a Y-branch for branching said input optical waveguide to two branched optical waveguides, the branched optical waveguides being connected to said first and second slab optical waveguides respectively, and thermo-optic phase shifters formed, respectively, on the branched optical waveguides.

8. The integrated optical waveguide circuit as claimed in claim 6, wherein said means for inputting light to said first and second slab optical waveguides is composed of a plurality of input optical waveguides, a Mach-Zehnder interferometer for separating light to introduce into said input optical waveguide of said optical power splitter and a Y-branch, said Y-branch branches said input optical waveguide to two branched optical waveguides, the branched optical waveguides being connected to said first and second slab optical waveguides respectively, and thermo-optic phase shifters formed, respectively on the branched optical waveguides.

9. An integrated optical waveguide circuit comprising:

a substrate;

an optical wavelength multiplexer formed on a surface of said substrate and composed of a single or a plurality of input/output optical waveguides arranged in parallel, a slab optical waveguide connected to said input/output optical waveguide(s), an array of optical waveguides arranged in parallel and having different lengths and connected to said slab optical waveguide, and a mirror being provided at an end of said array of optical waveguides and reflecting light of a specific wavelength; and

an optical power splitter formed on said surface of said substrate and composed of said slab optical waveguide, a single or a plurality of input waveguides arranged in parallel and connected to said slab optical waveguide, and said input/output optical waveguides as output optical waveguides.

10. The integrated optical waveguide circuit as claimed in claim 9, wherein an angle of said input optical waveguide of said input optical waveguide of said optical power slitter at a substrate end face is not 90°

; and

an angle of said array of optical waveguides of said optical wavelength multiplexer other than said input optical waveguide of said optical power splitter is 90°

.

11. The integrated optical waveguide circuit as claimed in claim 9, wherein a groove is provided in said array of optical waveguides of said optical wavelength multiplexer, said groove is perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to said substrate, and a waveplate is inserted in said groove so that its principal optical axis is inclined by 45°

to said substrate.

12. The integrated optical waveguide circuit as claimed in claim 11, wherein said groove is provided in the vicinity of a substrate end face of said array of optical waveguides;

and

said waveplate is a quarter waveplate for the wavelength used in the optical wavelength multiplexer.

13. The integrated optical waveguide circuit as claimed in claim 11, wherein said waveplate is a half waveplate for the wavelength used in the optical wavelength multiplexer.

14. The integrated optical waveguide circuit as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one end face of said output optical waveguide of said optical power splitter is optical reflection treated.

15. An optical distribution line test system, comprising:

an optical line test device for inputting test light to individual optical lines branched by an optical splitter formed only using passive optical components;

wherein said optical splitter is an optical power splitter with wavelength router comprising;

a substrate;

an optical wavelength multiplexer formed on a surface of said substrate and composed of a first slab optical waveguide, a second slab optical waveguide, a single or a plurality of input optical waveguides connected to said first slab optical waveguide at one end of the first slab optical waveguide, a array of optical waveguides arranged in parallel and having different lengths and connected to the first slab optical waveguide and the second slab optical waveguide, and a plurality of output optical waveguides arranged in parallel and connected to the second slab optical waveguide; and

an optical power splitter formed on said surface of the substrate and composed of said second slab optical waveguide, means for inputting light to said second slab optical waveguide, and said plurality of output optical waveguides arranged in parallel and connected to the second slab optical waveguide;

and said optical line test device includes a wavelength variable light source and means for selecting an optical line to be tested by changing over the wavelength of the test light.

16. An optical distribution line test system, comprising:

an optical line test device for inputting test light to individual optical lines branched by an optical splitter formed only using passive optical components;

wherein said optical splitter is an optical power splitter with wavelength router comprising;

a substrate;

an optical wavelength multiplexer formed on a surface of said substrate and composed of a single or a plurality of input/output optical waveguides arranged in parallel, a slab optical waveguide connected to said input/output optical waveguide(s), an array of optical waveguides arranged in parallel and having different lengths and connected to said slab optical waveguide, and a mirror being provided at an end of said array of optical waveguides and reflecting light of a specific wavelength; and

an optical power splitter formed on said surface of said substrate and composed of said slab optical waveguide, a single or a plurality of input waveguides arranged in parallel and connected to said slab optical waveguide, and said input/output optical waveguides as output optical waveguides;

and said optical line test device includes a wavelength variable light source and means for selecting an optical line to be tested by changing over the wavelength of the test light.

17. The optical distribution line test system as claimed in claim 16, wherein a groove is provided in said array of optical waveguides of said optical wavelength multiplexer;

said groove is perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to said substrate, a waveplate is inserted in said groove so that its principal optical axis is inclined by 45°

to said substrate;

said groove is provided in the vicinity of a substrate end face of said array of optical waveguides;

said waveplate is a quarter waveplate for the wavelength used in the optical wavelength multiplexer; and

said optical line test device includes means for sweeping wavelength of said wavelength variable light source in a predetermined range to detect a return light intensity, and setting wavelength of the test light with respect to a wavelength of the strongest return light intensity.

18. An optical distribution line test system, comprising:

an optical line test device for inputting test light to individual optical lines branched by an optical splitter formed only using passive optical components;

wherein said optical splitter is an optical power splitter with wavelength router formed on a surface of a substrate,

and said optical line test device includes a wavelength variable light source and means for selecting an optical line to be tested by changing over the wavelength of the test light; and

wherein said wavelength variable light source comprises an optical amplifier, a 1×

N switch, and a second optical wavelength multiplexer, connected in a ring form; and

said second optical wavelength multiplexer comprises a single or a plurality of input waveguides arranged in parallel, a first slab optical waveguide, an array of optical waveguides arranged in parallel and having different lengths, a second slab optical waveguide, and a plurality of output optical waveguides arranged in parallel, being connected in series.

19. A PDS test system for line identification of individual optical lines branched by an optical splitter formed only of passive optical components comprising:

means for inputting test light from individual distribution lines to said optical splitter;

means for varying wavelength of the test light within a predetermined range;

means for measuring a return light intensity to test the individual optical lines;

wherein said optical splitter is an optical power splitter with wavelength router formed on a surface of a substrate;

wherein said means for varying wavelength comprises an optical amplifier, a 1×

N switch, and a second optical wavelength multiplexer, connected in a ring form; and

said second optical wavelength multiplexer comprises a single or a plurality of input waveguides arranged in parallel, a first slab optical waveguide, an of array of optical waveguides arranged in parallel and having different lengths, a second slab optical waveguide, and a plurality of output optical waveguides arranged in parallel, being connected in series.