Communication methods, systems and devices

A photonic device comprising:

• an optical waveguide structure for generating an output in dependence upon a phase shift induced within a predetermined portion of the optical waveguide structure;
• an optical waveguide coupled to a photodetector for receiving an optical signal;
• and
• another optical waveguide coupled to another photodetector for receiving another optical signal;
• wherein
• the phase shift induced within the predetermined portion of the optical waveguide structure is established in dependence upon a magnitude of the optical signal coupled to the photodetector;
• another phase shift is induced within another predetermined portion of the optical waveguide structure;
• the another phase shift is established in dependence upon a magnitude of the another optical signal coupled to the another photodetector;
• the photonic device has a first input port, a second input port, a first output port and a second output port wherein optical output signals on the first output port and second output port are complementary;
• the first input port receives a data stream comprising optical signals representing logical “1”;
• the optical signal coupled to the photodetector is a tapped portion of one of the output optical signal at the first output port and the one of the output optical signal at the second output port;
• the another optical signal coupled to the another photodetector is a tapped portion of the other of the output optical signal at the first output port and the one of the output optical signal at the second output port;
• and
• whether the optical signal is coupled to the one of the output optical signal at the first output port and the one of the output optical signal at the second output port is established in dependence upon whether the photonic device performs as an optical oscillator or an optical amplifier.

A photonic device comprising:

• an optical waveguide structure for generating an output in dependence upon a phase shift induced within a predetermined portion of the optical waveguide structure;
• an optical waveguide coupled to a photodetector for receiving an optical signal;
• another optical waveguide coupled to another photodetector for receiving another optical signal;
• a further optical waveguide coupled to a further photodetector for receiving a further optical signal;
• and
• an additional optical waveguide coupled to an additional photodetector for receiving an additional optical signal;
• wherein
• the phase shift induced within the predetermined portion of the optical waveguide structure is established in dependence upon a magnitude of the optical signal coupled to the photodetector;
• the electrical outputs of the photodetector and another photodetector are combined to generate the phase shift within the predetermined portion of the waveguide structure;
• the electrical outputs of the further photodetector and the additional photodetector are combined to generate another phase shift within an other predetermined portion of the waveguide structure;
• and
• the photonic device performs the function of a logical NAND optical gate.

A photonic device comprising:

• an optical waveguide structure for generating an output in dependence upon a phase shift induced within a predetermined portion of the optical waveguide structure;
• and
• an optical waveguide coupled to a photodetector for receiving an optical signal;
• wherein
• the phase shift induced within the predetermined portion of the optical waveguide structure is established in dependence upon a magnitude of the optical signal coupled to the photodetector;
• the optical waveguide structure forms part of a diode;
• the diode and photodetector are connected disposed in parallel between ground and an electrical node;
• the electrical node is connected to a bias voltage via a resistor;
• and
• the output of the optical waveguide structure is a phase shifted optical signal established in dependence upon an optical signal coupled to the optical waveguide structure and the induced phase shift.

A photonic device comprising:

• an optical waveguide structure for generating an output in dependence upon a phase shift induced within a predetermined portion of the optical waveguide structure;
• and
• an optical waveguide coupled to a photodetector for receiving an optical signal;
• wherein
• the phase shift induced within the predetermined portion of the optical waveguide structure is established in dependence upon a magnitude of the optical signal coupled to the photodetector;
• the optical waveguide structure forms part of an arm of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer where the output is a phase shifted optical signal established in dependence upon an optical signal coupled to the arm of the Mach-Zehnder interferometer and the induced phase shift;
• the photonic device further comprises:
• another optical waveguide structure disposed within the other arm of the Mach-Zehnder interferometer for generating another output in dependence upon another phase shift induced within a predetermined portion of the another optical waveguide structure;
• and
• a further optical waveguide coupled to another photodetector for receiving another optical signal;
• the another output of the another optical waveguide structure is a phase shifted optical signal established in dependence upon another optical signal coupled to the other arm of the Mach-Zehnder interferometer and the another induced phase shift;
• the diode and photodetector are disposed in parallel between ground and an electrical node where the electrical node is connected to a bias voltage via a resistor;
• and
• the another diode and another photodetector are connected disposed in parallel between ground and another electrical node where the another electrical node is connected to another bias voltage via another resistor.

A photonic device comprising:

• an optical waveguide structure for generating an output in dependence upon a phase shift induced within a predetermined portion of the optical waveguide structure;
• an optical waveguide coupled to a photodetector for receiving an optical signal;
• and
• another optical waveguide coupled to another photodetector for receiving another optical signal;
• wherein
• the phase shift induced within the predetermined portion of the optical waveguide structure is established in dependence upon a magnitude of the optical signal coupled to the photodetector;
• the optical waveguide structure forms part of a diode;
• the photodetector and the another photodetector are disposed in parallel to one another and the combination of the photodetector and the another photodetector are disposed in parallel with the diode between ground and an electrical node;
• the electrical node is connected to a bias voltage via a resistor;
• and
• the induced phase shift has a first value when each of the magnitude of the optical signal coupled to the photodetector and the another optical signal coupled to the another photodetector have a defined level and has a second value when at least one of the magnitude of the optical signal coupled to the photodetector and the another optical signal coupled to the another photodetector have another defined value.

A photonic device comprising:

• an optical waveguide structure for generating an output in dependence upon a phase shift induced within a predetermined portion of the optical waveguide structure;
• an optical waveguide coupled to a photodetector for receiving an optical signal;
• and
• another optical waveguide coupled to another photodetector for receiving another optical signal;
• wherein
• the phase shift induced within the predetermined portion of the optical waveguide structure is established in dependence upon a magnitude of the optical signal coupled to the photodetector;
• the optical waveguide structure forms part of a diode;
• the photodetector and the another photodetector are disposed in series with one another and the combination of the photodetector and the another photodetector are disposed in parallel with the diode between ground and an electrical node;
• the electrical node is connected to a bias voltage via a resistor;
• and
• the induced phase shift has a first value when each of the magnitude of the optical signal coupled to the photodetector and the another optical signal coupled to the another photodetector have a defined level and has a second value when at least one of the magnitude of the optical signal coupled to the photodetector and the another optical signal coupled to the another photodetector have another defined value.