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US 12,247,909 B2Granted
Tunable add-drop filter with an active resonator
AssigneeWashington University
InventorsSahin Kaya Ozdemir, Lan Yang, Bo Peng, Faraz Monifi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of transmitting at least one optical signal through an add-drop filter includes directing the at least one optical signal into a first tapered optical fiber of the add-drop filter. The add-drop filter includes an active resonator side-coupled between the first tapered optical fiber and a second tapered optical fiber, and the active resonator is doped with at least one rare earth ion. A tuned optical gain is produced by delivering a tuned amount of pump laser energy to the at least one rare earth ion at a sub-lasing level, the tuned optical gain configured to compensate an intrinsic loss of the active resonator.
Claims17
An add-drop filter for transmitting at least one optical signal, the add-drop filter comprising:
- a first optical waveguide and a second optical waveguide, the first optical waveguide defining a through channel from an input port to an output port configured to carry the at least one optical signal;
- and
- at least one active resonator coupled between the first and second optical waveguides, the at least one active resonator comprising a passive resonator and a gain medium, the gain medium configured to provide an optical gain to the at least one active resonator when the gain medium is excited by light received from a pump laser;
- wherein the first and second optical waveguides and the at least one active resonator define:
- an add channel configured to insert an add optical signal from an add port in the second optical waveguide through the at least one active resonator and into the at least one optical signal in the through channel;
- and
- a drop channel configured to remove a drop optical signal from the at least one optical signal in the through channel through the active resonator and out a drop port of the second optical waveguide;
- and
- wherein the at least one active resonator is configured by the gain medium and the power of the light received from the pump laser to provide an add efficiency of the add channel essentially equal to a drop efficiency of the drop channel.
6 more elements
An add-drop filter for transmitting at least one signal, the add-drop filter comprising:
- a first tapered optical fiber and a second tapered optical fiber, the first tapered optical fiber defining a through channel configured to carry the at least one optical signal;
- and
- an active resonator side-coupled between the first tapered optical fiber and the second tapered optical fiber, the active resonator doped with at least one rare earth ion, the at least one rare earth ion configured to provide an optical gain to the active resonator in proportional response to an amount of laser energy produced by a tunable pump laser coupled to the active resonator:
- wherein the first tapered optical fiber, the second tapered optical fiber, and the active resonator define:
- an add channel configured to insert an add optical signal from an add port in the second tapered optical fiber through the at least one active resonator and into the at least one optical signal in the through channel;
- and
- a drop channel configured to remove a drop optical signal from the at least one optical signal in the through channel through the active resonator and out a drop port of the second tapered optical fiber, and
- wherein the optical gain is tuned to modulate at least one tunable parameter selected from the group consisting of an add-drop bandwidth, an add efficiency of the add channel, a drop efficiency of the drop channel, and a crosstalk between the add channel, the drop channel, and the through channel.
5 more elements
A method of transmitting at least one optical signal through an add-drop filter, the method comprising:
- directing the at least one optical signal into a first tapered optical fiber of the add-drop filter, wherein the add-drop filter comprises an active resonator side-coupled between the first tapered optical fiber and a second tapered optical fiber, the active resonator doped with at least one rare earth ion;
- producing a tuned optical gain by delivering an amount of pump laser energy to the at least one rare earth ion at a sub-lasing level, the amount of pump laser energy selected to produce the tuned optical gain sufficient to compensate an intrinsic loss of the active resonator;
- one of:
- transmitting the at least first optical signal through a through channel defined by the first tapered optical fiber;
- inserting an add optical signal comprising a first wavelength to the at least one optical signal transmitted through the through channel by inserting the add optical signal into an add channel defined by the second tapered optical fiber, the active resonator, and the first tapered optical fiber;
- removing a drop optical signal comprising a second wavelength from the at least one optical signal within the through channel by transferring the drop optical signal into a drop channel defined by the first tapered optical fiber, the active resonator, and the second tapered optical fiber;
- and
- any combination thereof;
- and
- modulating the tuned optical gain to modulate at least one tunable parameter selected from the group consisting of an add-drop bandwidth comprising the first wavelength and the second wavelength, an add efficiency of the add channel a drop efficiency of the drop channel, and a crosstalk between the add channel, the drop channel, and the through channel.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.