Abstract:
A dispersion compensating chirped optical fiber Bragg grating (11) according to our invention is formed in polarization maintaining (PM) fiber (32) having birefringence of at least 10 -6 , preferably 10 -5 or more. Use of the PM fiber makes possible substantial cancellation of the polarization mode dispersion that typically is unavoidably present in chirped Bragg gratings for dispersion compensation.
Abstract:
In accordance with the invention, a temperature-dependent rare earth doped waveguide optical amplifier is compensated by a temperature-dependent loss filter. The filter characteristics are designed to be temperature-dependent filters so that the gain characteristic of the amplifier is compensated over a practical operating temperature range. In essence, the amplifier comprises a length of optical waveguide for transmitting optical signals, a rare earth doped amplifying region in the waveguide for amplifying the transmitted optical signals, a pumping source for optically pumping the amplifying region, and a temperature-dependent loss filter. A typical design compensates an EFDA to a variation of less than 1 dB over a temperature range of -40°C to 85°C and a spectral range of at least 20 nm.
Abstract:
A compensation arrangement for addressing the problem of first-order and second-order polarization mode dispersion (PMD) in an optical fiber communication system includes separate, independent elements for each type of PMD. First-order PMD may be compensated using conventional techniques related to adjusting the transit time differential between the polarization states. The second-order polarization mode dispersion is compensated by recognizing the separate sources of second-order PMD (pulse broadening analogous to chromatic dispersion, additional pulse broadening due to optical filtering (narrowing), and coupling of a portion of the optical signal into the orthogonal polarization relative to the main pulse with a different transmit time). A chirped fiber grating with a variable temperature gradient, a complementary optical filter with variable spectral transmission and a polarizer, respectively, can be used to compensate for these three sources of second-order PMD.
Abstract:
In accordance with the invention, an optical fiber Bragg grating comprises a length of gloss optical fiber having a core, a Bragg grating formed along the core, a glass cladding and a polymer coating on the cladding having an index of refraction matched to that the cladding. Such index matching can reduce the cladding mode loss by a factor of four over current levels. A preferred coating material comprises fluorinated urethane acrylate.
Abstract:
A fiber Raman amplifier is configured to use a co-propagating Raman pump source, which may be beneficial in a variety of system configurations (for example, in bidirectional communication systems). By carefully configuring the pump source characteristics, sufficient optical gain can be achieved in the co-propagating arrangement, the characteristics including: (1) using an optical pump power of at least 50mW, (2) having a relatively large spectral bandwidth within the pump (to suppress SBS); and (3) a frequency difference between all longitudinal pump modes of each pump laser being separated by at least the walk-off frequency between the pump laser frequency and the signal frequency, and all intense longitudinal modes between different pump lasers being separated by at least the electrical bandwidth of the communication system.
Abstract:
This invention is predicated upon applicants' discovery that the performance of thermally adjustable fiber grating devices is enhanced by disposing them within a vessel (12) for thermal isolation. The vessel (12) is sufficiently larger than the fiber (10) to avoid contact with the grating yet sufficiently small to isolate the grating from substantial air currents. Conveniently, the vessel is a cylindrical tube having elastomeric end seals (13,14). Advantageously microcapillary tubes (15,16) passing through the elastomeric seals provide openings for the fiber to pass through the tube.
Abstract:
Disclosed is an article that comprises an optical waveguide mode converter for converting light of wavelength λ in a few-moded optical waveguide from a given guided mode (e.g., LP 01.f ) to another guided mode (e.g., LP 02.b ). The converter comprises a tilted refractive index grating in the core of the waveguide. Appropriate choice of the refractive index profile n(r), photosensitivity p(r) and tilt angleθ makes possible substantial nulling of the coupling between some guided modes (e.g., LP 01.f to LP 01.b , and LP 01.f to LP 11.b ), and substantial maximization of the coupling between other guided modes (e.g., LP 01.f to LP 02.b ). Mode converters according to the invention can be advantageously used in optical fiber communication systems in add/drop multiplexers.