Photonic N-to-one single-mode combiner
AssigneeRockwell Collins, Inc.
InventorRonald D. Esman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A photonic N-to-one single-mode combiner is disclosed. In embodiments, the combiner receives multiple single-mode photonic inputs (e.g., via single-mode optical fibers) and combines the single-mode inputs into a multi-mode photonic output via photonic lantern. The multi-mode photonic output is converted via high-power, high-speed photodiode into an RF/electrical output which in turn drives an electro-optical modulator, modulating a second optical beam (e.g., a laser generated by a laser emitter of the combiner) to generate a single-mode photonic output signal.
Claims15
A photonic N-to-one (N:1) single-mode (SM) combiner, comprising:
- at least one photonic lantern configured to:
- receive at least one plurality of N first SM photonic inputs via a plurality of waveguides, where N is an integer;
- and
- generate at least one multi-mode (MM) photonic output by combining the plurality of first SM photonic inputs;
- at least one photodiode optically coupled to the photonic lantern, the photodiode configured to generate a radio frequency (RF) output based on the MM photonic output;
- at least one laser emitter configured to generate at least one second SM photonic input;
- and
- at least one electro-optical modulator (EOM) optically coupled to the laser emitter and communicatively coupled to the photodiode, the EOM configured to generate a SM photonic output signal by modulating the second SM photonic input based on the RF output.
An S-stage cascading photonic single-mode (SM) combiner assembly, comprising:
- a plurality of S combiner stages collectively configured to generate a SM photonic output signal via a photonic SM combiner of a final combiner stage S, where S is an integer;
- each combiner stage T, where T is an integer less than S, comprising at least one photonic SM combiner configured to receive a plurality of first SM photonic inputs from the combiner stage (T−1) and transmit a SM photonic output to the combiner stage (T+1), each photonic SM combiner comprising:
- a photonic lantern optically coupled to the combiner stage (S−1) or (T−1) by a plurality of waveguides and configured to:
- receive the plurality of first SM photonic inputs via the plurality of waveguides;
- and
- generate at least one multi-mode (MM) photonic output by combining the plurality of first SM photonic inputs;
- at least one first photodiode optically coupled to the photonic lantern, the photodiode configured to generate a radio frequency (RF) output based on the MM photonic output;
- a laser emitter configured to generate at least one second SM photonic input;
- and
- an electro-optical modulator (EOM) optically coupled to the laser emitter and communicatively coupled to the photodiode, the EOM configured to generate the SM photonic output by modulating the second SM photonic input based on the RF output.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.