Systems and methods for demodulation of wave division multiplexed optical signals
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorsBenjamin P. Dolgin, Gary M. Graceffo, Andrew Kowalevicz
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Abstract
Optical signal receivers and methods are provided that include an optical resonator that allows optical signal energy of multiple wavelengths to enter and accumulate inside the optical resonator. A portion of optical signal energy of each wavelength is emitted from the optical resonator at an output, and the individual wavelengths may be separated. A detector aligned with the output detects the emitted optical signal energy of at least one of the wavelengths. The detector is configured to detect disturbances to the emitted optical signal energy and determine a modulated characteristic in the received optical signal energy of the wavelength.
Claims20
An optical signal receiver comprising:
- an optical resonator having an aperture to allow optical signal energy to enter and an output to allow a portion of optical signal energy to be emitted, the optical resonator configured to receive optical signal energy of a plurality of wavelengths via the aperture, accumulate resonant optical signal energy inside the optical resonator, cause the emitted optical signal energy at each of the plurality of wavelengths to approach a steady-state output intensity, and disturb the emitted optical signal energy of a respective wavelength upon a transition in the received optical signal energy of the respective wavelength, the optical resonator having at least one dimension to cause phase alignment of the accumulated optical signal energy at each of the plurality of wavelengths;
- an optical splitter configured to receive the emitted optical signal energy and separate the emitted optical signal energy into each of the plurality of wavelengths;
- and
- a detector configured to receive at least one of the plurality of wavelengths and to detect the disturbance to the emitted optical signal energy and determine a characteristic of the transition in the received optical signal energy based upon the disturbance.
A method of detecting information encoded in an optical signal, the method comprising:
- receiving optical signal energy of a plurality of wavelengths;
- accumulating the optical signal energy in an optical resonator that approaches a steady state of accumulated optical signal energy;
- outputting optical signal energy from the accumulated optical signal energy, the intensity of the output optical signal energy at a respective wavelength of the plurality of wavelengths being proportional to the accumulated optical signal energy of the respective wavelength;
- detecting the output optical signal energy of at least one of the plurality of wavelengths;
- and
- determining a modulation characteristic of the received optical signal energy based on the detected output optical signal energy.
An optical receiver comprising:
- an etalon configured to at least partially accumulate optical signal energy of a plurality of wavelengths between two semi-reflective surfaces and having an aperture to allow optical signal energy to enter and an output to allow a portion of the accumulated optical signal energy to be emitted, the etalon configured to cause the output optical signal energy to temporarily vary in intensity based upon a phase transition in the entering optical signal energy;
- an optical-electrical converter configured to receive at least one wavelength of the output optical signal energy and to convert the received output optical signal energy into an electrical signal;
- and
- a receiver configured to receive the electrical signal and to determine encoded information based in part on the electrical signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.