Optical amplifier, optical amplifier hybrid assembly and method of manufacture
AssigneeBookham Technology PLC
InventorTerry V. Clapp
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical amplifier is provided from a body 21, at least part 25 of which is doped with a rare earth such as erbium. At least one waveguide 47 extends through the doped part of the body. Pump light 51 is input on a side face 35 of the body and is distributed in the body over the length of the waveguide 47. A reflective coating 57 may be provided away from the pump light input, including on the opposite face 37 to the pump light input, to multiply reflect pump light within the body 21 to distribute the pump light within the body. The body may be in the form of a slab.
Claims36
An optical amplifier comprising:
- a slab having top and bottom surfaces and a periphery around the perimeter of the top and bottom surfaces, the slab defining an optical input for receiving light to be amplified at the periphery of the slab, at least one optical waveguide extending across the slab from the optical input thorough a doped region of the slab for transmitting and amplifying the light received from the optical input, an optical output at the periphery of the slab for delivering amplified light from the optical waveguide, and a pump light input for receiving pump light;
- wherein the slab is at least partially transparent and configured to distribute, through the slab, pump light incident on the pump light input over the length of the at least one optical waveguide.
An optical hybrid assembly comprising:
- a hybrid substrate;
- an optical amplifier comprising a slab having top and bottom surfaces and a periphery, the slab defining an optical input for receiving light to be amplified at the periphery of the slab, at least one optical waveguide extending across the slab from the optical input thorough a doped region of the slab for transmitting and amplifying the light received from the optical input, an optical output the a periphery of the slab for delivering amplified light from the optical waveguide, and a pump light input at the periphery of the slab for receiving pump light, wherein the slab is at least partially transparent and configured to distribute, through the slab, pump light incident on the pump light input over the length of the at least one optical waveguide;
- and
- an optical pump mounted on the hybrid substrate adjacent to the optical amplifier arranged to direct pump light into the pump light input.
A method of assembling an optical hybrid assembly comprising the steps of providing a hybrid substrate;
- providing an optical amplifier comprising a slab having an optical input on an edge surface for receiving light to be amplified, at least one optical waveguide extending across the slab from the optical input thorough a doped region of the slab for transmitting and amplifying the light received from the optical input, an optical output for delivering amplified light from the optical waveguide, and a pump light input for receiving pump light on the outer surface of the slab laterally of the waveguide, wherein the slab is at least partially transparent and configured to distribute, through the slab, pump light incident on the pump light input over the length of the at least one optical waveguide;
- flip-mounting the optical amplifier on the hybrid substrate with the top face of the slab amplifier against the hybrid substrate;
- and
- mounting an optical pump adjacent to the slab amplifier to pump light into the edge face of the slab amplifier.
An optical communications system comprising a plurality of interconnected nodes, at least some of the nodes including an optical hybrid amplifier module comprising a hybrid substrate, an optical amplifier comprising a slab having top and bottom surfaces and a periphery, the slab defining an optical input for receiving light to be amplified at the periphery of the slab, at least one optical waveguide extending across the slab from the optical input thorough a doped region of the slab for transmitting and amplifying the light received from the optical input, an optical output the a periphery of the slab for delivering amplified light from the optical waveguide, and a pump light input at the periphery of the slab for receiving pump light, wherein the slab is at least partially transparent and configured to distribute, through the slab, pump light incident on the pump light input over the length of the at least one optical waveguide;
- and an optical pump mounted on the hybrid substrate adjacent to the optical amplifier arranged to direct pump light into the pump light input.
A method of amplifying an optical signal, comprising:
- inputting signal light into an optical input on the periphery of an at least partially transparent slab;
- passing the signal light through optical waveguide extending across a slab from the optical input;
- inputting pump light into a pump light input on the periphery of the slab so that pump light is multiply reflected within the slab to distribute pump light along the length of the optical waveguide;
- amplifying the signal light as it passes along the waveguide;
- and
- outputting amplified signal light from the doped optical waveguide.
An optical amplifier comprising:
- an at least partially transparent body defining an optical input for receiving light to be amplified, at least one optical waveguide extending from the optical input thorough a doped region of the body for transmitting and amplifying the light received from the optical input, an optical output for delivering amplified light from the optical waveguide, and a pump light input for receiving pump light on the outer surface of the body laterally of the waveguide;
- and
- reflective material, on the outer surface of the body away from the optical input and output and the pump light input, for multiply reflecting pump light within the body to distribute it across the body so that pump light incident on the pump light input is distributed over the length of the at least one optical waveguide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.