Narrow-linewidth resonant optical device, transmitter, system, and method
AssigneeAmerican Telephone and Telegraph Company, AT&T Bell Laboratories
InventorsRodney C. Alferness, Charles H. Henry, Rudolf F. Kazarinov, Nils A. Olsson, Kenneth J. Orlowsky
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Abstract
Highly frequency-selective reflectivity is realized in an optical device including a waveguide and an evanescent-field coupled grating resonator cavity. The device may include a light source and serve as a low-chirp, narrow-linewidth communications laser for use, e.g., for transmission over a fiber having non-negligible dispersion and also in wavelength-multiplexed coherent systems.
Claims23
An optical device comprising first and second optical waveguides,
- said first waveguide being designed for optical input and optical output,
- said second waveguide being in side-by-side optical coupling relationship with said first waveguide,
- said second waveguide comprising first and second sections in which effective refractive index varies in a spatially periodic fashion,
- whereby said second waveguide is adapted as a resonator for radiation at a desired wavelength traveling in said first waveguide.
An optical transmitter, said transmitter comprising an optical communications laser and means for modulating laser radiation,
- said communications laser comprising an amplifying portion and a reflector portion,
- said reflector portion comprising first and second optical waveguides,
- said first waveguide being designed for optical input and optical output,
- said second waveguide being in side-by-side optical coupling relationship with said first waveguide,
- said second waveguide comprising first and second sections in which effective refractive index varies in a spatially periodic fashion,
- whereby said second waveguide is adapted as a resonator for radiation at a desired wavelength traveling in said first waveguide.
An optical communications system, said system comprising an optical transmitter and an optical receiver,
- said transmitter comprising an optical communications laser and means for modulating laser radiation,
- said communications laser comprising an amplifying portion and a reflector portion,
- said reflector portion comprising first and second optical waveguides,
- said first waveguide being designed for optical input and optical output,
- said second waveguide being in side-by-side optical coupling relationship with said first waveguide,
- said second waveguide comprising first and second sections in which effective refractive index varies in a spatially periodic fashion,
- whereby said second waveguide is adapted as a resonator for radiation at a desired wavelength traveling in said first waveguide.
A method for transmitting a signal, said method comprising operating an optical transmitter,
- said optical transmitter comprising an optical communications laser, said laser comprising an amplifying portion and a reflector portion,
- said reflector portion comprising first and second optical waveguides,
- said first waveguide being designed for optical input and optical output,
- said second waveguide being in side-by-side optical coupling relationship with said first waveguide,
- said second waveguide comprising first and second sections in which effective refractive index varies in a spatially periodic fashion,
- whereby said second waveguide is adapted as a resonator for radiation at a desired wavelength traveling in said first waveguide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.