Optical pulse-shaping device and method, and optical communications station and method
AssigneeBell Communications Research, Inc.
InventorsEugene W. Chase, Peter J. Delfyett, Jr., Jonathan P. Heritage, Robert N. Thurston
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Abstract
For use, e.g., in the compensation of frequency dispersion in the course of transmission of an optical signal, a pulse-shaping device is provided with a suitably shaped nonplanar mirror (16). When spatially spread-out frequency components--produced, e.g., by a grating (14)--are reflected from such mirror, a frequency-dependent phase shift is introduced; for example, such phase shift may be a third-order function of frequency. Upon recombination of frequencies, a shaped pulse is obtained. Furthermore, third-order compensation can be used to compress amplified light pulses, e.g. as produced by a semiconductor gain medium (80, 81).
Claims14
An optical pulse-shaping device comprising
- spreader means for spatially spreading out frequency components included in an optical input signal,
- mirror reflector means disposed for mirror reflecting spatially spread-out frequency components so as to impart a frequency-dependent phase shift to said spatially spread-out frequency components, and
- adjusting means for adjusting the shape of said mirror reflector means.
An optical pulse-shaping device comprising:
- spreader means for spatially spreading out frequency components included in an optical input signal;
- reflector means disposed for reflecting spatially varying spread-out frequency components so as to impart a frequency-dependent phase shift to said spread out frequency components;
- and
- adjusting means for adjusting the shape of said reflector means and being adapted to impart essentially cubic shape to said reflector means.
An optical pulse-shaping device, comprising:
- spreader means for spatially spreading out frequency components included in an optical input signal, said spreader means comprising a grating and a lens, the distance between said grating and said lens being at least approximately equal to the focal length of said lens;
- and
- metallically coated mirror reflector means disposed for mirror reflecting spatially spread-out frequency components so as to impart a frequency-dependent phase shift to said spatially spread-out frequency components.
A method for shaping an optical pulse, comprising the steps of:
- spatially spreading out frequency components included in an input pulse;
- adjusting the shape of a nonplanar metallically coated mirror surface of a body;
- reflecting spread-out frequency components from said surface;
- and
- combining reflected frequency components.
An optical communications station comprising:
- optical linking means and optical pulse-shaping means connected to said linking means, said optical pulse-shaping means comprising
- spreader means for spatially spreading out frequency components included in an optical input signal, and
- mirror reflector means disposed for reflecting spatially spread-out frequency components so as to impart a frequency-dependent phase shift to said spatially spread-out frequency components.
An optical cubic corrector, comprising:
- a reflector;
- and
- means for introducing a deflection in said reflector having a component which varies essentially cubically along said reflector wherein said introducing means comprises
- a first support supporting a first side of said reflector at a first point,
- a second support supporting a second side of said reflector at a second point spaced apart along a lateral extent of said reflector from said first point, and
- first pressure means for applying pressure to said second side of said reflector and disposed on a side of said first support opposite said second support, nd
- second pressure means for applying pressure to said first side of said reflector and disposed on a side of said second support opposite said first support.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.