Apparatus and method for adjusting the spectral response of an optical waveguide grating
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsJames R. Bylander, Kavita Vemuri, Robert W. Wilson, Johnny P. Bryant
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for adjusting the spectral response of a selected channel within an optical waveguide grating includes a grating attached to a support member. An adjusting mechanism applies two bending moments to the grating support member on both sides of the selected channel. The spectral response of the selected channel is adjusted by altering the bending moments.
Claims40
A method of adjusting the spectral response of an optical grating, the method comprising:
- attaching an optical grating to a support member, wherein the optical grating has a length extending between a first end of the optical grating and a second end of the optical grating and wherein the optical grating is spaced from a centroidal axis of the support member;
- and
- applying bending moments at two or more locations on the support member to bend the optical grating in at least a transverse direction to create an axial strain profile along the length of optical grating and thereby altering the spectral response of the optical grating.
An apparatus for use with a broadband wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical communication system having a plurality of optical wavelength channels, the apparatus comprising:
- a support member to which a chirped broadband optical grating can be attached;
- and
- a mechanism for adjusting the chromatic dispersion of a selected single channel of the plurality of channels within the operating band of the optical grating, said mechanism for adjusting being adapted to apply bending moments at two or more locations on the support member to bend the optical grating in at least a transverse direction.
An apparatus for adjusting the spectral response of a selected channel within a broadband fiber Bragg grating, the apparatus comprising:
- a grating support member to which a chirped fiber Bragg grating can be attached;
- a mechanism for applying at least two bending moments to the grating support member to bend the support member in at least a transverse direction, the at least two bending moments separated by a distance less than a length of an attached grating.
A method for adjusting the spectral response of a broadband wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical communication system having a plurality of optical wavelength channels, the method comprising:
- providing a chirped broadband optical grating;
- and
- applying at least two bending moments on opposite ends of a selected portion of the chirped optical grating to bend the optical grating in at least a transverse direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.