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US 6,556,736 B2Granted
Dynamic passband shape compensation of optical signals
AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.
InventorsChristopher Richard Doerr, Hyang Kyun Kim
Life of this patent
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AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.
InventorsChristopher Richard Doerr, Hyang Kyun Kim
Estimating the term…
The curvature, tilt, and attenuation of the passband of an optical signal is dynamically controlled by an integrated compensator that is advantageously electrically operated. The compensator arrangement can be replicated, and used to independently and dynamically control the passbands of multiple optical signals having different wavelengths, for example in a multiplexing and/or demultiplexing arrangement. Each compensator includes a “50/50” splitter arranged to divide an optical signal into first and second copies. One copy is applied to a first variable optical attenuator (VOA) via a tunable phase shifter, while the other copy is applied to a second VOA directly. The outputs of the first and second VOA's are then combined, for example in a planar waveguide grating. In the output on the other side of the grating, the two copies interfere. When the copy phase shift is zero, the net passband is Gaussian; when the copy phase shift magnitude is π/2, the net passband is flat; and when the copy phase shift magnitude is between π/2 and π, the net passband has a dip in the middle. Thus, the tunable phase shifter controls the passband curvature, and the VOA's control the passband tilt and attenuation level.
An integrated electrically operated compensator for dynamically controlling the curvature, tilt, and attenuation of the passband of an optical signal, comprising
A wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical communication system comprising
A wavelength division multiplexer (WDM) for combining a plurality of optical inputs having different wavelengths into a single output, comprising
An integrated electrically operated compensator for dynamically controlling the curvature, tilt, and attenuation of the passband of an optical signal, comprising
An integrated electrically operated compensator for dynamically controlling the curvature, tilt, and attenuation of the passband of an optical signal, comprising
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.