Reduced four-wave mixing optical fiber for wavelength-division multiplexing
AssigneeTeraComm Research, Inc.
InventorKenneth A. Puzey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical fiber includes a core for guiding light of a specified range of wavelengths therethrough, each wavelength in the specified range of wavelengths traveling through the core at a particular group velocity and the light potentially producing a nonlinear optical effect. The optical fiber also includes a cladding formed around the core for substantially containing the light within the core. The optical fiber further includes a predetermined amount of at least one dopant uniformly dispersed throughout the core such that no two distinct wavelengths in the specified range of wavelengths travel through the core at the same, particular group velocity, thereby causing the nonlinear optical effect to be suppressed.
Claims21
An optical fiber comprising:
- a core for guiding light of a specified range of wavelengths therethrough, said light traveling through said optical fiber with a given power and potentially producing a nonlinear optical effect at said given power;
- a cladding formed around the core for substantially containing the light within the core, said core and cladding being configured such that using only said core and said cladding in said optical fiber provides a first probability of said light producing said nonlinear optical effect at said given power;
- and
- a predetermined amount of at least one dopant uniformly dispersed throughout the core such that, with said dopant, said optical fiber provides a second probability of said light producing said nonlinear optical effect at said given power, wherein said second probability is lower than said first probability.
An optical fiber comprising:
- a core for guiding light of a specified range of wavelengths therethrough, said light traveling through said optical fiber with a given power and potentially producing a nonlinear optical effect at said given power;
- a cladding formed around the core for substantially containing the light within the core, said core and cladding being configured such that using only said core and said cladding in said optical fiber provides a first probability of said light producing said nonlinear optical effect at said given power;
- a predetermined amount of at least one dopant uniformly dispersed throughout the core such that, with said dopant, said optical fiber provides a second probability of said light producing said nonlinear optical effect at said given power, wherein said second probability is lower than said first probability;
- and
- an amount of at least one cladding dopant uniformly dispersed throughout the cladding such that, with said cladding dopant, said optical fiber provides a third probability of said light producing said nonlinear optical effect at said given power, wherein said third probability is lower than said second probability.
A method for reducing nonlinear optical effects in an optical fiber, said optical fiber including a core for guiding light of a specified range of wavelengths therethrough, each wavelength in said specified range of wavelengths traveling through said optical fiber with a given power and potentially producing a nonlinear optical effect at said given power, said optical fiber further including a cladding formed around the core for substantially containing the light within the core, said core and cladding being configured such that using only said core and said cladding in said optical fiber provides a first probability of said light producing said nonlinear optical effect at said given power, said method comprising:
- dispersing a predetermined amount of at least one dopant uniformly dispersed throughout the core such that, with said dopant, said optical fiber provides a second probability of said light producing said nonlinear optical effect at said given power, wherein said second probability is lower than said first probability.
A method for reducing nonlinear optical effects in an optical fiber, said optical fiber including a core for guiding light of a specified range of wavelengths therethrough, each wavelength in said specified range of wavelengths traveling through said optical fiber with a given power and potentially producing a nonlinear optical effect at said given power, said optical fiber further including a cladding formed around the core for substantially containing the light within the core, said core and cladding being configured such that using only said core and said cladding in said optical fiber provides a first probability of said light producing said nonlinear optical effect at said given power, said method comprising:
- dispersing a predetermined amount of at least one dopant uniformly dispersed throughout the core such that, with said dopant, said optical fiber provides a second probability of said light producing said nonlinear optical effect at said given power, wherein said second probability is lower than said first probability;
- and
- dispersing an amount of at least one cladding dopant uniformly throughout the cladding such that, with said cladding dopant, said optical fiber provides a third probability of said light producing said nonlinear optical effect at said given power, wherein said third probability is lower than said second probability.
An optical fiber comprising:
- a core for guiding light pulses of a specified range of wavelengths therethrough, said light pulses traveling through said optical fiber with a given power;
- a cladding formed around the core for substantially containing the light pulses within the core, said core and cladding being configured such that using only said core and said cladding in said optical fiber provides a first bit error rate in transmission of said light pulses through said optical fiber at said given power;
- and
- a predetermined amount of at least one dopant uniformly dispersed throughout the core such that, with said dopant, said optical fiber provides a second bit error rate in transmission of said light pulses through said optical fiber at said given power, wherein said second bit error rate is lower than said first bit error rate.
An optical fiber for use in a system for transmitting light pulses of a specified range of wavelengths with a given power therethrough, said light pulses containing data, said system including a plurality of repeaters, each one of said plurality of repeaters being configured for regenerating said light pulses, and thereby said data, received thereon, and each pair of said plurality of repeaters being spaced apart and connected by said optical fiber, said optical fiber comprising:
- a core for guiding said light pulses;
- a cladding formed around the core for substantially containing the light pulses within the core, said core and cladding being configured such that using only said core and said cladding in said optical fiber provides a first level of deterioration of said light pulses during transmission through said optical fiber at said given power such that each pair of said plurality of repeaters must be spaced apart by a first distance in order to timely regenerate said light pulses, thus preserving fidelity of said data;
- and
- a predetermined amount of at least one dopant uniformly dispersed throughout the core such that, with said dopant, said optical fiber provides a second level of deterioration in said light pulses during transmission through said optical fiber at said given power such that each pair of said plurality of repeaters may be spaced apart by a second distance in order to preserve fidelity of said data, wherein said second distance is longer than said first distance.
An optical fiber for use in a system for transmitting light pulses of a specified range of wavelengths with a given power therethrough, said light pulses containing data, said system including a plurality of amplifiers, each one of said plurality of amplifiers being configured for amplifying said light pulses received thereon, and each pair of said plurality of amplifiers being spaced apart and connected by said optical fiber, said optical fiber comprising:
- a core for guiding said light pulses;
- a cladding formed around the core for substantially containing the light pulses within the core, said core and cladding being configured such that using only said core and said cladding in said optical fiber provides a first level of deterioration of said light pulses during transmission through said optical fiber at said given power such that each pair of said plurality of amplifiers must be spaced apart by a first distance in order to timely amplify said light pulses, thus preserving fidelity of said data;
- and
- a predetermined amount of at least one dopant uniformly dispersed throughout the core such that, with said dopant, said optical fiber provides a second level of deterioration in said light pulses during transmission through said optical fiber at said given power such that each pair of said plurality of amplifiers may be spaced apart by a second distance in order to preserve fidelity of said data, wherein said second distance is longer than said first distance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.