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US 7,002,733 B2Granted
Methods and devices for amplifying optical signals using a depolarizer
AssigneeQuantum Photonics Corporation
InventorsMario Dagenais, Stewart W Wilson, Anthony W. Yu, Peter J. S. Heim
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Abstract
An optical amplification device includes a depolarizer for reducing the polarization sensitivity requirements on an SOA by changing the input to the SOA from having an arbitrary (unknown) polarization state to a known (depolarized) state. The depolarizer receives an input optical signal and outputs a depolarized, optical signal, and a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) receives the depolarized optical signal and outputs an amplified optical signal.
Claims33
An optical amplification device comprising:
- a depolarizer for receiving an input optical signal and outputting a depolarized, optical signal;
- at least one semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) for receiving said depolarized optical signal and outputting an amplified optical signal, wherein said at least one SOA includes two amplifier stages, each of said two amplifier stages having a polarization dependent gain associated therewith;
- a polarization beam splitter for splitting said depolarized optical signal into a TM polarization component and a TE polarization component;
- a first polarization rotator for rotating said TM polarization component, wherein one of said two SOAs amplifier stages receives said rotated TM polarization component and one of said two amplifier stages receives said TE polarization component;
- a second polarization rotator for rotating an output of said one of said two amplifier stages that receives said TE polarization component;
- and
- a polarization beam combiner, for combining an output of said second polarization rotator and said one of said two amplifier stages that receives said rotated TM polarization component, to generate said amplified output signal.
4 more elements
An optical amplification device comprising:
- a depolarizer for receiving an input optical signal and outputting a depolarized, optical signal;
- and
- at least one semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) for receiving said depolarized optical signal and outputting an amplified optical signal, wherein said at least one SOA includes one amplifier stage having a gain associated therewith, said gain having a transverse electric (TE) component and a transverse magnetic (TM) component, a difference between said TE component and said TM component being at least one dB;
- a circulator for receiving said depolarized optical signal at a first port and outputting said depolarized optical signal at a second port;
- a polarization beam splitter/combiner for receiving said depolarized optical signal from said circulator and splitting said depolarized optical signal into a TM polarization component and a TE polarization component;
- a polarization rotator for rotating said TM polarization component;
- wherein said single SOA receives said rotated TM polarization component and said TE polarization component and outputs an amplified TM polarization component and an amplified TE polarization component;
- wherein said amplified TE component returns through said polarization rotator to said polarization beam splitter/combiner and is combined with said amplified TM polarization component to generate said amplified optical signal;
- and
- wherein said amplified optical signal is returned to said second port of said circulator and output through a third port of said circulator.
7 more elements
An optical amplification device comprising:
- a depolarizer for receiving an input optical signal and outputting a depolarized. optical signal;
- and
- at least one semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) for receiving said depolarized optical signal and outputting an amplified optical signal, wherein said at least one SOA includes one amplifier stage having a gain associated therewith, said gain having a transverse electric (TE) component and a transverse magnetic (TM) component, a difference between said TE component and said TM component being at least one dB;
- a beam splitter for receiving said depolarized optical signal from said depolarizer and splitting said depolarized optical signal into a TM polarization component and a TE polarization component;
- a plurality of polarization rotation devices for receiving said TE and TM polarization components of said optical signal, respectively, and rotating a polarization associated therewith;
- wherein said single SOA receives said rotated TE and TM polarization components and outputs amplified TE and TM components;
- wherein said beam splitter receives said amplified TE and TM components and outputs these components as said amplified optical signal.
4 more elements
A method for amplifying an input optical signal comprising the steps of:
- depolarizing said input optical signal;
- and
- amplifying said depolarized optical signal using at least one semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA);
- providing that said at least one SOA includes one amplifier stage having a gain associated therewith, said gain having a transverse electric (TE) component and a transverse magnetic (TM) component, a difference between said TE component and said TM component being at least one dB;
- receiving said depolarized optical signal at a first circulator port and outputting said depolarized optical signal at a second circulator port;
- splitting said depolarized optical signal from said second circulator port into a TM polarization component and a TE polarization component;
- rotating said TM polarization component;
- receiving, at said single SOA, said rotated TM polarization component and said TE polarization component and outputting an amplified TM polarization component and an amplified TE polarization component;
- returning said amplified TE component through said polarization rotator to said polarization beam splitter/combiner and combining said rotated, amplified TE component with said amplified TM polarization component to generate said amplified optical signal;
- and
- returning said amplified optical signal to said second circulator port and outputting said amplified optical signal through a third circulator port.
8 more elements
A method for amplifying an input optical signal comprising the steps of:
- depolarizing said input optical signal;
- and
- amplifying said depolarized optical signal using at least one semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA);
- providing that said at least one SOA includes one amplifier stage having a gain associated therewith, said gain having a transverse electric (TE) component and a transverse magnetic (TM) component, a difference between said TE component and said TM component being at least one dB;
- receiving, at a beam splitter, depolarized optical signal from said depolarizer and splitting said depolarized optical signal into a TM polarization component and a TE polarization component;
- polarization rotating said TE and TM polarization components of said optical signal;
- receiving, at said single SOA, said rotated TE and TM polarization components and outputting amplified TE and TM components;
- receiving, at said beam splitter, said amplified TE and TM components and outputting these components as said amplified optical signal.
5 more elements
A method for amplifying an input optical signal comprising the steps of:
- depolarizing said input optical signal;
- and
- amplifying said depolarized optical signal using at least one semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA);
- providing that said at least one SOA includes two amplifier stages, each of said two amplifier stages having a polarization dependent gain associated therewith;
- splitting said depolarized optical signal into a TM polarization component and a TE polarization component;
- rotating said TM polarization component, wherein one of said two SOAs receives said rotated TM polarization component and one of said two SOAs receives said TE polarization component;
- rotating an output of said one of said two SOAs that receives said TE polarization component;
- and
- combining an output of said second polarization rotator and said one of said two SOAs that receives said rotated TM polarization component, to generate said amplified output signal.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.