Multimode combiner
AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc.
InventorJean-Luc J. TAMBASCO
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multimode combiner is disclosed. In one aspect, a multimode combiner includes a first input waveguide, a second input waveguide, and an output waveguide disposed between the first and second input waveguides. The first input waveguide, the second input waveguide, and the output waveguide are arranged such that an optical signal transmitted through the multimode combiner has substantially the same optical power at an output of the output waveguide as the optical signal does at an input of either of the first and second input waveguides. A multiplexer and an apparatus including multimode combiners are also disclosed.
Claims20
A multimode combiner, comprising:
- a first input waveguide;
- a second input waveguide;
- and
- an output waveguide disposed between the first and second input waveguides,
- wherein the first input waveguide, the second input waveguide, and the output waveguide are arranged such that an optical signal transmitted through the multimode combiner has substantially the same optical power at an output of the output waveguide as the optical signal does at an input of either of the first and second input waveguides.
A multiplexer, comprising:
- a first combiner having two single mode input waveguides and one multimode output waveguide;
- a second combiner having two single mode input waveguides and one multimode output waveguide;
- and
- a third combiner having two multimode input waveguides and one multimode output waveguide, the two multimode input waveguides of the third combiner are respectively coupled with the multimode output waveguides of the first and second combiners, and
- wherein the multimode output waveguides of the first, second, and third combiners each support, at their respective outputs, at least one higher order optical mode in addition to a fundamental mode of an optical signal transmitted therethrough, with the multimode output waveguide of the third combiner supporting at least twice a number of optical modes that the multimode output waveguides of the first and second combiners support.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a photodetector having an input;
- and
- a multiplexer, comprising:
- a first stage having a first combiner and a second combiner each having two single mode input waveguides and one multimode output waveguide;
- and
- a second stage having a third combiner having two multimode input waveguides and one multimode output waveguide, the two multimode input waveguides of the third combiner are respectively coupled with the multimode output waveguides of the first and second combiners, the multimode output waveguide of the third combiner is coupled with the input of the photodetector, and
- wherein the first combiner, the second combiner, and the third combiner are arranged such that an optical signal launched into an input of any one of the single mode input waveguides of the first combiner or the second combiner and transmitted through the third combiner has substantially the same optical power at the input of the photodetector as the optical signal does at the input of any one of the single mode input waveguides of the first combiner or the second combiner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.