Interferometers for optical communications utilizing photo-sensitive materials
First Claim
1. An interferometer, comprising:
- a first glass plate optically coupled to a second glass plate, forming an optical interferometric cavity therebetween;
a spacer coupled on a first end to the first glass plate and on a second end to the second glass plate such that the optical interferometric cavity maintains a substantially constant width;
a first reflective coating coupled to the first glass plate within the optical interferometric cavity, wherein the first reflective coating is partially reflective;
a second reflective coating coupled to the second glass plate within the optical interferometric cavity, wherein the second reflective coating is at least partially reflective;
a tuning plate residing within the interferometric cavity and optically coupled to the first and second reflective coatings, wherein the tuning plate comprises a photosensitive material, wherein a refractive index of the photosensitive material may be modified by exposure to light;
a first birefringent wave late residing within the optical interferometric cavity and optically coupled to the tuning plate; and
a second birefringent wave plate residing outside the optical interferometric cavity and optically coupled to the first glass plate.
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Abstract
An interferometer includes: a first glass plate optically coupled to a second glass plate, forming an optical interferometric cavity therebetween; a first reflective coating coupled to the first glass plate within the optical interferometric cavity, where the first reflective coating is partially reflective; a second reflective coating coupled to the second glass plate within the optical interferometric cavity, where the second reflective coating is at least partially reflective; and a tuning plate residing within the interferometric cavity and optically coupled to the first and second reflective coatings, where the tuning plate comprises a photosensitive material, where a refractive index of the photosensitive material may be modified by exposure to light. The interferometer is adjusted through exposure of the tuning plate to light so that its pass, transmission, or reflection bands align to standard channel positions, or the pass bands of an apparatus incorporating the interferometer align to standard channel positions.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An interferometer, comprising:
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a first glass plate optically coupled to a second glass plate, forming an optical interferometric cavity therebetween; a spacer coupled on a first end to the first glass plate and on a second end to the second glass plate such that the optical interferometric cavity maintains a substantially constant width; a first reflective coating coupled to the first glass plate within the optical interferometric cavity, wherein the first reflective coating is partially reflective; a second reflective coating coupled to the second glass plate within the optical interferometric cavity, wherein the second reflective coating is at least partially reflective; a tuning plate residing within the interferometric cavity and optically coupled to the first and second reflective coatings, wherein the tuning plate comprises a photosensitive material, wherein a refractive index of the photosensitive material may be modified by exposure to light; a first birefringent wave late residing within the optical interferometric cavity and optically coupled to the tuning plate; and a second birefringent wave plate residing outside the optical interferometric cavity and optically coupled to the first glass plate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 22, 23)
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15. An interferometer, comprising:
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a first glass plate optically coupled to a second glass plate, forming an optical interferometric cavity therebetween; a spacer coupled on a first end to the first glass plate and on a second end to the second glass plate such that the optical interferometric cavity maintains a substantially constant width; a first reflective coating coupled to the first glass plate within the optical interferometric cavity, wherein the first reflective coating is partially reflective; a second reflective coating coupled to the second glass plate within the optical interferometric cavity, wherein the second reflective coating is at least partially reflective; a tuning plate residing within the interferometric cavity and optically coupled to the first and second reflective coatings, wherein the tuning plate comprises a photosensitive material, wherein a refractive index of the photosensitive material may be modified by exposure to light; an input composite optical signal entering the optical interferometric cavity through the first glass plate; a reflective light comprising a first periodic pattern of wavelengths exiting the optical interferometric cavity through the first glass plate; and a transmitted light comprising a second periodic pattern of wavelengths exiting the optical interferometric cavity through the second glass plate, wherein the modification of the refractive index of the photosensitive material modifies positions of the first and second periodic patterns of wavelengths. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method for adjusting an interferometer, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing an interferometer, comprising; a first glass plate optically coupled to a second glass plate, forming an optical interferometric cavity therebetween, a spacer coupled on a first end to the first glass plate and on a second end to the second glass plate such that the optical interferometric cavity maintains a substantially constant width, a first reflective coating coupled to the first glass plate within the optical interferometric cavity, wherein the first reflective coating is partially reflective, a second reflective coating coupled to the second glass plate within the optical interferometric cavity, wherein the second reflective coating is at least partially reflective, and a tuning plate residing within the interferometric cavity and optically coupled to the first and second reflective coatings, wherein the tuning plate comprises a photosensitive material, wherein a refractive index of the photosensitive material may be modified by exposure to a light beam; (b) providing the light beam to the tuning plate; (c) providing an input light beam into an optical path between the first and second reflective coatings, wherein the input light beam is separate and distinct from the light beam provided to the tuning plate; (d) monitoring an output light beam to determine positions of spectral bands of the output light beam, wherein the monitoring step (d) is performed between separate applications of the light beam to the tuning plate; and (e) ceasing the light beam to the tuning plate once the positions coincide with pre-determined positions. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification