Acousto-optical waveguide device with compensation of polarization mode dispersion
First Claim
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1. An acousto-optical waveguide device with compensation of polarization mode dispersion, comprising:
- a) a first and a second optical path in an optical waveguide, obtained in a first substrate of birefringent material, each of the first and second optical paths capable of being traveled by a first and by a second polarization component of an optical signal, the first polarization component being orthogonal to the second polarization component;
b) means capable of generating a surface acoustical wave, associated with at least one waveguide branch of said optical paths; and
c) at least one compensation optical path optically connected to said optical paths, said compensation optical path having a prefixed polarization mode dispersion so that the passage time of said first polarization component in said first optical path and in said compensation optical path differs by less than a prefixed amount from the passage time of said second polarization component in said second optical path and in said compensation optical path at least in a non-active condition of said device.
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Abstract
An acousto-optical waveguide device with compensation of polarization mode dispersion (PMD) comprises at least one first and one second optical path in optical waveguide and at least one compensation optical path connected to the first and second optical path. The compensation optical path has a prefixed PMD such that the passage time of a first polarization component of an optical signal in the first optical path and in the compensation optical path is substantially equal to the passage time of a second polarization component in the second optical path and in the compensation optical path.
64 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An acousto-optical waveguide device with compensation of polarization mode dispersion, comprising:
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a) a first and a second optical path in an optical waveguide, obtained in a first substrate of birefringent material, each of the first and second optical paths capable of being traveled by a first and by a second polarization component of an optical signal, the first polarization component being orthogonal to the second polarization component; b) means capable of generating a surface acoustical wave, associated with at least one waveguide branch of said optical paths; and c) at least one compensation optical path optically connected to said optical paths, said compensation optical path having a prefixed polarization mode dispersion so that the passage time of said first polarization component in said first optical path and in said compensation optical path differs by less than a prefixed amount from the passage time of said second polarization component in said second optical path and in said compensation optical path at least in a non-active condition of said device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An acousto-optical waveguide device with compensation of polarization mode dispersion, comprising:
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a first and a second optical path in an optical waveguide, obtained in a first substrate of birefringent material, each of the first and second optical paths capable of being traveled by a first and by a second polarization component of an optical signal, the first polarization component being orthogonal to the second polarization component; means capable of generating a surface acoustical wave, associated with at least one waveguide branch of said optical paths; wherein said first substrate further comprises; at least one polarization conversion stage that includes a first and a second branch in the optical waveguide of said first and second optical paths, at least one acoustical waveguide containing said branches in the optical waveguide, said means for generating a surface acoustical wave being associated with said branches in the optical waveguide, and an input polarization selective element in said polarization conversion stage and an output polarization selective element in said polarization conversion stage being connected to said branches in the optical waveguide in order to separate and recombine said first and second polarization components at input ports and at output ports; and at least one compensation optical path optically connected to said optical paths, wherein said at least one compensation optical path has a prefixed polarization mode dispersion and wherein said at least one compensation optical path and said first and second optical paths obtained in said first substrate have respective birefringencies, lengths and reciprocal orientations such that, at least in a non-active condition of said device, the passage time of said first polarization component in said first optical path and in said compensation optical path differs by less than a prefixed amount from the passage time of said second polarization component in said second optical path and in said compensation optical path. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of transmission of an optical signal comprising:
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i) traveling one of first and second polarization components of said optical signal through one of at least first and second optical paths that may be selected of a birefringent optical device, said first and second optical paths having respective values of polarization mode dispersion; and ii) traveling said optical signal through at least one compensation optical path with a prefixed birefringence, said compensation optical path having a value of polarization mode dispersion such as to compensate in said signal at least a part of the polarization mode dispersion associated with at least one of said optical paths.
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17. A method of transmission of an optical signal comprising:
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i) traveling one of first and second polarization components of said optical signal through one of at least first and second optical paths that may be selected of a birefringent optical device, wherein said first and second optical paths have respective values of polarization mode dispersion; ii) traveling said optical signal through at least one compensation optical path with a prefixed birefringence, wherein said compensation optical path has a value of polarization mode dispersion such as to compensate in said signal at least a part of the polarization mode dispersion associated with at least one of said optical paths; iii) traveling the first and the second polarization components through the first and the second optical paths with respective preselected propagation speeds; and iv) traveling said optical signal through said compensation optical path with a preselected propagation speed, wherein said propagation speeds are such that the passage time of said first polarization component in said first optical path and in said compensation optical path is substantially equal to the passage time of said second polarization component in said second optical path and in said compensation optical path.
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Specification