Avanex Corporation

Other

Shudong Wu

Simon X F Cao

Thomas F Cooney

Weicheng Chen

Simon Xiaofan Cao

John W Newman

Benjamin A Bard

Xiaofan Cao

Guowen Lu

An optical device includes: a first polarization beam splitter (PBS); a first set of optical rotators optically coupled to the first PBS; a second PBS optically coupled to the first set of optical rotators; a first reflection interferometer (RI) optically coupled to the second PBS; a second RI optically coupled to the first PBS; a second set of optical rotators optically coupled to the second PBS; a third PBS optically coupled to the second set of optical rotators; and a third RI optically coupled to the third PBS. Preferably, the optical device is an Optical Add/Drop Multiplexer and may further comprise an Input Port optically coupled to the first PBS, an Output Port optically coupled to the second PBS, and an Add Port optically coupled to the third PBS.

Multi-functional optical device utilizing multiple polarization beam splitters and non-linear interferometers

A method for compensating for chromatic dispersion of an optical signal includes: receiving the optical signal from an input fiber; collimating the optical signal using a collimator; delivering the collimated optical signal to a Gires-Tournois interferometer; reflecting a chromatic-dispersion-compensated optical signal from the Gires-Tournois interferometer to the collimator; focusing the chromatic-dispersion compensated optical signal into an output fiber. The compensator in accordance with the present invention provides flexibility in producing periodically varying chromatic dispersion so as to compensate for unwanted periodic chromatic dispersion produced in an interferometric interleaved channel separator. Also, the compensator enables compensation of fiber optic chromatic dispersion.

Method, system and apparatus for chromatic dispersion compensation utilizing a Gires-Tournois interferometer

The present invention provides the method and apparatus for multi-pass photonic processors with the use of circulators and multiple-fiber collimators. In one embodiment of the present invention, a circulator and a reflective element are placed at either end of a chain of cascaded processors. The circulator at a first end routes the light signal to be processed and passed from one processor to the next, the reflective element at a second end reflects the light to be reprocessed and passed from one processor to the previous, the light signal eventually reaches the circulator again and exits. In another embodiment of the present invention, multiple fiber strands are connected to the collimator of a photonic processor. Furthermore, all fiber strands are paired in order to reroute the light signals for reprocessing in the photonic processor.

Method and apparatus for multi-pass photonic processors with circulators and multiple-fiber collimators

The invention provides a dispersion compensation system and method formed by cascading a series of GT cavities with three setting parameters, reflectivity, resonant wavelength, and free-spectral-range. In one aspect of the invention, the GT cavities can synthesize any shape of combined dispersion compensation, including positive, negative, slope dispersion compensation. In another aspect of the invention, the GT cavities are tunable or dynamic to accommodate various types of dispersion compensation. Advantageously, the present invention provides an effective cost solution for a more precise dispersion compensation tuning.

Synthesis of optical dispersion compensators and methods using a series of GT cavities

A portable nondestructive testing instrument uses high-speed phase-stepping shearography, and vacuum stressing, to produce images of disbonds, impact damage, or delaminations, in metal or composite structures. The invention is especially useful in the inspection of large areas where only external access is feasible, such as in large aircraft, space vehicles, boats, or civil engineered structures having multiple bond lines. The invention includes a novel combination of components and techniques, including a high-spatial-resolution CCD sensor, low-voltage piezoceramic phase stepping, rapid phase stepping, a fast phase calculation technique, a fast image smoothing technique, and an implementation of all of the above in a portable unit. Specially designed timing and control algorithms allow data acquisition, transfer, calculation, smoothing, and display at rates of up to two times per second. The invention also includes the above-described combination, in conjunction with three excitation mechanisms provided in an integrated portable package.

Portable real-time high-resolution digital phase-stepping shearography with integrated excitation mechanisms

A reversible optical circulator has an optical switch that includes: an arm composed of piezoelectric material with first and second faces and first and second ends, an electrode coupled to the arm for providing a voltage difference between the first and second faces of the arm, a support coupled to the first end of the arm for fixedly supporting the first end, an object with a convex surface coupled to the second end of the arm, a polarization rotation element coupled to the second face of the arm, a first magnet proximately located to the object and the first face of the arm, and a second magnet proximately located to the object and the second face of the arm. By using this optical switch, the optical circulator has stable and reproducible operation, high switching speeds, and low sensitivity to slight optical mis-alignments.

Reversible optical circulator utilizing a bi-morphic piezoelectric apparatus

The present invention provides an improved chromatic dispersion compensator. The compensator includes an input optical fiber; an output optical fiber; a collimator optically coupled to the input and output optical fibers; and an interferometer optically coupled to the collimator at a side opposite to the input and output optical fibers. In a preferred embodiment, the interferometer is a Gires-Tournois interferometer. A plurality of sequentially optically coupled chromatic dispersion compensators may also be used. The compensator in accordance with the present invention provides flexibility in producing periodically varying chromatic dispersion so as to compensate for unwanted periodic chromatic dispersion produced in an interferometric interleaved channel separator. Also, the compensator enables compensation of fiber optic chromatic dispersion.

Method, system and apparatus for chromatic dispersion compensation utilizing a gires-tournois interferometer

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for optical switching devices utilizing a bi-morphic piezoelectric apparatus. The optical switching devices include an arm comprising a piezoelectric material, the arm including a first and a second face and a first and a second end, wherein the first face is opposite to the second face, wherein the first end is opposite to the second end; at least one electrode coupled to the arm for providing a voltage difference between the first and second faces of the arm; a support coupled to the first end of the arm for fixedly supporting the first end; an object with a convex surface coupled to the second end of the arm; an optical element coupled to the second face of the arm capable of deflecting an optical signal traveling therethrough; a first magnet proximately located to the object and to the first face of the arm; and a second magnet proximately located to the object and to the second face of the arm. The optical switching devices include optical switches utilizing a single electro-mechanical apparatuses or a plurality of them in a cascade arrangement, a reversible optical circulator, and a switchable optical channel separator. The optical devices have stable and reproducible operation, high switching speeds, and low sensitivity to slight optical mis-alignments or vibrations. They are of a compact modular design that allows the construction of more complex optical devices through utilization of a cascading arrangement.

Method and apparatus for optical switching devices utilizing a bi-morphic piezoelectric apparatus

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for compact, high-speed, latched optical switching devices utilizing bimorph piezoelectric material. The apparatus employs an optical switching prism, that is capable of interchanging two parallel beams, to construct a 2&times;2 optical switch. In order to construct compact and high-speed switches, the prism has to be small and light-weigh, thus, the separation of the two parallel beams becomes small. A pair of reflection corner mirror capable of separating these two close parallel beams is used. The switching is performed by vertically inserting the prism into the optical path and only less than one millimeter (limited by the beam size) movement is required. Because the switching is based on beam deflection instead of reflection, it is not vulnerable to vibration.

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Shudong Wu