Oclaro (North America Inc.)

Ow Holding Inc.

Avanex Corporation

Oclaro Inc.

Xuefeng Yue

Ruibo Wang

Christopher Lin

Ming Wu

Ruipeng Sun

Scott R Dahl

Yongsheng Liu

Deepak Devicharan

Ming Cai

Eric Chiu Tat Cheung

Michael Lee Saenz

An optical wavelength-division multiplexing ('WDM') device utilizing a mechanism of folded optical-path includes multiple collimators, optical filters, prism, and glass plate. The collimators are capable of collimating optical lights for facilitating free-space optical communication. The optical filters optically coupled with the collimators provide filtering functions to separate optical wavelengths in accordance with the configurations or characteristics of optical filters. The prism having an interface surface and two side surfaces is configured to direct or redirect optical beams based on the angle of incidence ('AOI') of each optical beam received. The glass plate, in one embodiment, physically configured to be situated in parallel with the collimators is capable of providing free-space optical paths for facilitating separation of wavelengths.

Method and apparatus for providing multiport free-space WDM device using folded optical-path

Method and multiport free-space wavelength division multiplexing ('WDM') device capable of handling multiple optical signals carried in multiple wavelengths ('&#x3bb;') using a relay lens are disclosed. The WDM device includes an optical filter, collimator, optical relay, and a relay optical filter. The optical filter is able to receive an optical beam containing multiple &#x3bb;and subsequently extract a first wavelength (&#x201c;&#x3bb;&#x201d;) from &#x3bb;. A second optical beam is formed by the remaining of &#x3bb;. The collimator, in one example, receives &#x3bb;from the optical filter. Upon receiving the second optical beam, the optical relay collimates the second optical beam with minimal loss due to light divergence. The relay optical filter, in one aspect, is configured to receive the collimated second optical beam and redirects the collimated second optical beam to a predefined intended orientation.

Method and apparatus for providing multiport free-space wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) device using a relay lens

A multiport free-space wavelength division multiplexing ('WDM') device is capable of handling multiple optical signals carried in multiple wavelengths ('&#x3bb;') using a prism. The WDM device includes an input collimator, prism, and optical filter. The input collimator receives an optical beam containing multiple wavelengths &#x3bb;traveling through free-space. The prism uses at least two (2) surfaces to generate a first optical beam which travels in opposite direction of the optical beam. The optical filter is situated at a predefined angle with respect to the interface surface of the prism for facilitating frequency separation as well as extracts a first wavelength (&#x201c;&#x3bb;&#x201d;) from &#x3bb;to form a first light signal with &#x3bb;and form a second optical beam with the remaining wavelengths of &#x3bb;. A collimator is used to guide the first light signal to a port.

Method and apparatus for providing multiport free-space wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) device using a prism

Described are tunable multiport optical filters that filter systems with many optical channels in a convenient and cost-effective manner. The tunable multiport optical filters of the invention are simple in design and have few optical components. The basic elements are a dispersion element and a rotating reflector. With properly arranged arrays of input and output optical fibers, individual wavelength components from a selected input beam are spatially separated and steered by the rotating reflector to selected output locations. The optical properties from the selected components may be measured by one or more photodetectors. The filters are also useful for selecting and routing optical signals.

Tunable optical filters with multiple ports

Described are tunable multiport optical filters that filter systems with many optical channels in a convenient and cost-effective manner. The tunable multiport optical filters of the invention are simple in design and have few optical components. The basic elements are a dispersion element and a rotating mirror. With properly arranged arrays of input and output optical fibers, individual wavelength components from a selected input beam are spatially separated and steered by the rotating mirror to selected output locations. The optical properties from the selected components may be measured by one or more photodetectors. The filters are also useful for selecting and routing optical signals.

An LC-based optical device compensates for differences in optical path lengths of polarization components of input beam. As a result, PDL and PMD of the optical device are reduced. The compensation mechanism may be a glass plate that is disposed in an optical path of a polarization component so that the optical path length of that polarization component can be made substantially equal to the optical path length of the other polarization component that traverses through a half-wave plate. Another compensation mechanism is a birefringent displacer that has two sections sandwiching a half-wave plate, wherein the two sections are of different widths and the planar front surface of the birefringent displacer can be positioned to be non-orthogonal with respect to the incident input light beam.

Liquid crystal optical device configured to reduce polarization dependent loss and polarization mode dispersion

An optical device has the structure to perform switching and attenuation of an optical beam with reduced polarization dependent loss (PDL). The optical device includes a birefringent displacer and two liquid crystal (LC) structures. The first LC structure is used to condition s-polarized components of the optical beam and the second LC structure is used to condition p-polarized components of the optical beam. Each LC structure has a separate control electrode so that the s-polarized components of the optical beam and the p-polarized components of the optical beam can be conditioned differently and in such a manner that reduces PDL. The optical device may be configured for processing multiple input light beams, such as the multiple wavelength channels de-multiplexed from a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical signal.

Liquid crystal optical switch configured to reduce polarization dependent loss

A dynamic gain equalizer (DGE) includes: a mirror; an electrode; and a lever with a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, where the lever is capable of rotating about a fulcrum, where the lever rotates the first end toward the electrode when the electrode is charged such that the second end blocks a portion of a channel from reaching the mirror, where an unblocked portion of the channel is reflected by the mirror. By manipulating the charge on the electrode, the rotation of the lever is controlled, determining how much of the light is blocked by the lever. Each lever in an array can attenuate a channel or a group of channels of a composite optical signal by a different amount. The DGE provides a significant range of blockage and can be closely spaced. It provides ease in integrating channel monitoring into the DGE.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Xuefeng Yue