Abstract:
A reconfigurable multifunctional optical device has an optical arrangement for receiving an optical signal, each having optical bands or channels, and a spatial light modulator for reflecting the at least one optical signal provided thereon. The optical arrangement features a free optics configuration with a light dispersion element for spreading each optical signal into one or more respective optical bands or channels for performing separate optical functions on each optical signal. The spatial light modulator includes a micro-mirror device with an array of micro-mirrors, and the respective optical bands or channels reflect off respective micro-mirrors. The free optics configuration includes a common set of optical components for performing each separate optical function on each optical signal. The separate optical functions reflect off separate non-overlapping areas on the spatial light modulator. The separate optical functions include optical switching, conditioning or monitoring functions.
Abstract:
A chromatic dispersion compensation device selectively delays a respective portion of spectral sections of each respective optical channel of an optical WDM input signal to compensate each optical channel for dispersion compensation, and includes a spatial light modulator having a micromirror device with a two-dimensional array of micromirrors. The micromirrors tilt or flip between first and second positions in a nulldigitalnull fashion in response to a control signal provided by a controller in accordance with a switching algorithm and an input command. A collimator, diffraction gratings, and Fourier lens collectively collimate, disperse and focus the optical input channels onto the array of micromirrors. Each optical channel is focused onto micromirrors of the micromirror device, which effectively pixelates the optical channels. To compensate an optical channel for chromatic dispersion, a portion of the spectral sections of each channel is delayed a desired time period by tilting an array of mirrors (i.e., spectral array) disposed in each spectral section at different spatial positions on the micromirror device.
Abstract:
A method and corresponding apparatus for determining the centroid (Vc) of a waveform signal being sampled at a set of parameter values (Vi, inull1, . . . , n) yielding a corresponding set of sampled amplitudes (Ai, inull1, . . . , n), each parameter value and corresponding amplitude forming a sampled point (Vi, Ai), the method including the steps of: selecting an amplitude at which to create an interpolated point; interpolating a first parameter value corresponding to the amplitude selected in the step of selecting an amplitude; and performing a centroid calculation using only the sampled points with an amplitude greater than a predetermined threshold. The waveform is sometimes sampled in the presence of background noise, and the method sometimes also includes: estimating the background (Bi) for each value in the set of parameter values at which sampling is performed; and reducing the amplitude (Ai) of each sampled amplitude by the background (Bi) so estimated.
Abstract:
A tunable optical filter has a large diameter cane waveguide with nullside-holesnull in the cane cross-section that reduce the force required to compress the large diameter optical waveguide without overly compromising the buckling strength thereof. The large diameter optical waveguide has a cross-section of at least about 0.3 millimeters, including at least one inner core, a Bragg grating arranged therein, a cladding surrounding the inner core, and a structural configuration for providing a reduced bulk modulus of compressibility and maintaining the anti-buckling strength of the large diameter optical waveguide. The structural configuration reduces the cross-sectional area of the large diameter optical waveguide. These side holes reduce the amount of glass that needs to be compressed, but retains the large diameter.
Abstract:
A reconfigurable optical blocking filter deletes a desired optical channel(s) from an optical WDM input signal, and includes a spatial light modulator having a micro-mirror device with a two-dimensional array of micro-mirrors that tilt between first and second positions in a nulldigitalnull fashion in response to a control signal provided by a controller in accordance with a switching algorithm and an input command. A collimators, diffraction grating, and Fourier lens, collectively collimate, separate and focus the optical input channels onto the array of micro-mirrors. The optical channel is focused on the micro-mirrors onto a plurality of micro-mirrors of the micro-mirror device, which effectively pixelates the optical channels. To delete an input channel of the optical input signal, micro-mirrors associated with each desired input channel are tilted to reflect the desired input channel away from the return path.
Abstract:
A smart node is provided for use in an optical communications network wherein the smart node comprising dynamically reconfigurable optical signal manipulation devices in combination with sensing devices and processors to provide real time closed and open loop control of various channels of the network.