Wavelength selective device and switch and method thereby

• US 6,600,852 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2000
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Augustsson, Torsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Ullah, Akm E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONNELLY, MICHELLE R
• Application Number:
  US09/608,105
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 385/1-10, 385/14, 385/16-18, 385/24, 385/31, 385/37, 385/39-48
• US Class Current: 385/24
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/225 in an optical waveguide structure
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/055 wavelength filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0005 Switch and router aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0026 using free space propagation (e.g. lenses, mirrors)
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0035 using miscellaneous components, e.g. circulator, polarisation, acousto/thermo optical
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0041 Optical control

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for wavelength selective phase control of a signal at a predetermined wavelength in a wavelength multiplexed optical signal, which comprises an input port for inputting the wavelength multiplexed optical signal, a splitting means for splitting the input wavelength multiplexed optical signal into the signal at the predetermiend wavelength and a signal comprising of substantially the remaining wavelengths in the multiplex, a phase control element for phase control of one of the two splitted signals, a combining device for combining the splitted phase-controlled signal and the other splitted signal in order to achieve a wavelength multiplexed wavelength selectively phase-controlled optical signal, and an output port for outputting the wavelength multiplexed wavelength selectively phase-controlled optical signal. A switch comprising at least one device of said kind and a method for wavelength selective phase control are likewise comprised in the present invention.

Claims

1. A device for wavelength selective phase control of a signal at a predetermined wavelength comprised in a wavelength multiplexed optical signal, said device comprising:

an input port for inputting the wavelength multiplexed optical signal;

a splitting means for splitting the input wavelength multiplexed optical signal into the signal at the predetermined wavelength and a signal comprising substantially the remaining wavelengths in the multiplex, wherein said splitting means includes an MMI coupler and a Bragg grating;

a phase control means for phase control of one of the two split signals;

a combining means for combining the split phase-controlled signal and the other split signal to achieve a wavelength multiplexed wavelength selectively phase-controlled optical signal, wherein said combining means includes an MMI coupler and a Bragg grating; and

an output port for outputting the wavelength multiplexed wavelength selectively phase-controlled optical signal.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a waveguide for the respective split signal, each of which being connected between a respective output port of the splitting means and a respective input port of the combining means, wherein the phase control means is arranged at one of these waveguides.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein all input ports and output ports are physically separated.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein it is arranged with a substantially equal propagation distance for the two split signals.

5. The device according to claim 2, wherein the splitting means comprises a Bragg grating-assisted MMI coupler.

6. The device according to claim 2, wherein the combining device comprises a Bragg grating-assisted MMI coupler.

7. The device according to claim 2, wherein the splitting means comprises two couplers interconnected by two waveguides provided with Bragg gratings.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein one of the couplers is arranged for inputting the wavelength multiplexed optical signal and outputting said wavelength multiplexed optical signal in the two waveguides provided with Bragg gratings;

the Bragg gratings are arranged for splitting the signal into the signal at the predetermined wavelength and the signal comprising substantially the remaining wavelengths in the multiplex by reflecting one of the signals and transmitting the other signal, the other coupler is arranged for inputting the signal transmitted through the Bragg gratings and for outputting the same in the waveguide connected to one of the output ports of the splitting means; and

said first coupler is further arranged for inputting the signal reflected at the Bragg gratings and for outputting of the same in the waveguide connected to the other output port of the splitting means.

9. The device according to claim 7, wherein Bragg gratings are arranged to reflect the signal at the predetermined wavelength.

10. The device according to claim 7, wherein the Bragg gratings are arranged to transmit the signal at the predetermined wavelength.

11. The device according to claim 7, wherein each coupler is comprised of an MMI waveguide structure.

12. The device according to claim 2, wherein the combining means comprises two couplers interconnected by two waveguides provided with Bragg gratings.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein one of the couplers of the combining means is arranged for inputting one of the split signals at one of the input ports of the combining means and outputting said split signal in the waveguides of the combining means;

the other coupler of the combining means is arranged for inputting the other split signal at the other of the input ports of the combining means and outputting said other split signal in the waveguides of the combining means;

the Bragg gratings of the combining means are arranged for combining the split signals by reflecting one of the split signals and transmitting the other one; and

said said one of the couplers of the combining means is further arranged for inputting the combined wavelength multiplexed wavelength selectively phase controlled optical signal and for outputting the same at the output of the device.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein the phase control means is arranged for phase control of the signal at the predetermined wavelength.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein the phase control means is arranged for phase control of the signal comprising substantially the remaining wavelengths in the multiplex.

16. The device according to claim 15, comprising a further phase control means for phase control of the combined wavelength multiplexed wavelength selectively phase-controlled optical signal.

17. The device according to claim 1, wherein the splitting means and the combining means are comprised of one and the same structure and the device comprises a feedback means for guidance of one of the two split signals from said structure through the phase control means for phase control and back to said structure.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein said structure comprises a coupler connected to two waveguides provided with Bragg gratings.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein said coupler is arranged for inputting the wavelength multiplexed optical signal and outputting said wavelength multiplexed optical signal in the two waveguides provided with Bragg gratings;

the Bragg gratings are arranged for splitting the signal into the signal at the predetermined wavelength and the signal comprising substantially the remaining wavelengths in the multiplex by reflecting one signal and transmitting the other signal;

said feedback means is arranged for guidance of the transmitted signal from said structure through the phase control means for phase control and back to said structure;

said Bragg gratings are further arranged for combining the split signals by transmitting the returned phase-controlled signal; and

said coupler is further arranged for inputting the combined wavelength multiplexed wavelength selectively phase controlled optical signal and for outputting the same at the output port of the device.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein the feedback means comprises a further coupler and a waveguide loop for guidance of the transmitted signal through the phase control means for phase control and back to the further coupler, whereby the further coupler is arranged for inputting the signal transmitted through the Bragg gratings, for outputting the same in said waveguide loop, for inputting the phase-controlled signal guided through the phase control means and for outputting the same in said waveguides provided with Bragg gratings.

21. The device according to claim 19, wherein the feedback means comprises a prolongation of the waveguides provided with Bragg gratings, and comprises the reflection means for reflecting the transmitted signal back in said waveguides and the phase control means comprises two phase control elements localized in respective of said waveguides.

22. The device according to claim 21, wherein the reflection means comprises a structure for total reflection of the transmitted signal.

23. The device according to claim 21, wherein the reflection means comprises Bragg gratings for reflection of the transmitted signal.

24. The device according to claim 1, wherein each phase control means is comprised of a thermooptical or electrooptical device.

25. The device according to claim 1, comprising at least one intensity modulation means for wavelength selective phase modulation of the wavelength multiplexed optical signal.

26. The device according to claim 25, comprising an intensity modulation means for each phase control means or element arranged in series with the respective phase control means or element.

27. The device according to claim 25, wherein the intensity modulation means comprises an electrooptical switch.

28. A switch for switching of at least one wavelength channel comprised in a wavelength multiplexed multichannel optical signal, wherein it comprises at least one device according to claim 1 adapted for phase control of said wavelength channel.

29. The switch according to claim 28, wherein it comprises an interference circuit, particularly a Mach-Zehnder interferometer structure.

30. The switch according to claim 29, wherein it comprises a first and a second coupling device, preferably MMI waveguide structures, interconnected by at least two Mach-Zehnder waveguides, of which at least one of the waveguides is provided with the at least one device, and which second coupling device comprises at least two output ports, whereby the first coupling device is arranged for inputting the wavelength multiplexed multichannel optical signal and outputting the same in the Mach-Zehnder waveguides, the at least one device is arranged for phase control of the wavelength channel comprised in the optical signal and the second coupling device is arranged for receiving said wavelength selectively phase-controlled optical signal and outputting the optical wavelength channel at either of its output ports in dependence on the phase of the wavelength channel.

31. A method for wavelength selective phase control of a signal at a predetermined wavelength in a wavelength multiplexed optical signal, comprising the following steps:

receiving the wavelength multiplexed optical signal;

splitting the input wavelength multiplexed optical signal into the signal at the predetermined wavelength and a signal comprising substantially the remaining wavelengths in the multiplex, wherein said splitting utilizes an MMI coupler and a Bragg grating;

phase controlling one of the two split signals;

combining the split phase controlled signal and the other split signal in order to achieve a wavelength multiplexed wavelength selectively phase controlled optical signal, wherein said combining utilizes an MMI coupler and a Bragg grating; and

outputting the wavelength multiplexed wavelength selectively phase controlled optical signal.