US6148127A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tunable dispersion compensator and optical system comprising same
Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Ltd
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Filing: 1998-09-23
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Granted: 2000-11-14
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Expires: 2018-09-23
Abstract
Abstract A tunable chromatic dispersion compensator for optical communication systems is disclosed. An optical grating, such as a fiber Bragg grating, nonchirped, linearly chirped or non-linearly chirped, is strained to alter the dispersion compensator characteristics, preferably with a gradient-generating body bonded onto the length of the fiber grating. The body may be latchably strained so that the grating characteristics may be changed or tuned while avoiding use of a continuous power supply. Various optical networking applications using such dispersion compensating devices are also disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Laura Ellen Adams
- 👤 Benjamin John Eggleton
- 👤 Rolando Patricio Espindola
- 👤 Sungho Jin
- 👤 Hareesh Mavoori
- 👤 John A. Rogers
- 👤 Thomas Andrew Strasser
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 09:37
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/02; G02B6/02057; G02B6/02076; G02B6/02195; G02B6/02204; G02B6/022; G02B6/24; G02B6/26; G02B6/28; G02B6/293; G02B6/29304; G02B6/29316; G02B6/29317; G02B6/29319; G02B6/2932; G02B6/29379; G02B6/29392; G02B6/29394; G02B6/29395; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/0128; G02F1/0131; G02F1/0134; H; H04; H04B; H04B10/00; H04B10/25; H04B10/2507; H04B10/2513; H04B10/2519; G02F2201/00; G02F2201/30; G02F2201/307
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
An article comprising a dispersion compensator device, the compensator device comprising: a length of waveguide including a grating region having a plurality of spaced-apart grating elements; a body disposed adjacent the length of waveguide and attached to the waveguide proximal the grating region, the body having a gradient in its microstructure, dimensions, chemistry, or porosity to define a gradient-generating body, and a component for inducing an elastic strain in the gradient-generating body which thereby non-uniformly adjusts the spacings between the grating elements to alter the dispersion compensating characteristics of the waveguide.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
91 words
An article comprising a dispersion compensator device, the compensator device comprising: a length of waveguide including a grating region having a plurality of spaced-apart grating elements; a body disposed adjacent the length of waveguide and attached to the waveguide proximal the grating region, the body having a gradient in its microstructure, dimensions, chemistry, or porosity to define a gradient-generating body, and a component for inducing an elastic strain in the gradient-generating body which thereby non-uniformly adjusts the spacings between the grating elements to alter the dispersion compensating characteristics of the waveguide.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The article of claim 1, in which the length of waveguide comprises a length of optical fiber and the gradient-generating body is integrally formed with the fiber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The article of claim 2, in which the gradient-generating body is integrally formed with the length of waveguide by physical or chemical processing methods including sputtering, evaporation, chemical vapor deposition, electrodeposition, electroless deposition, dip-coating, or etching.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The article of claim 1, in which the grating is an optical Bragg grating.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The article of claim 1, in which the grating is a non-chirped grating before operation of the compensator, whereby when the component induces elastic strain in the body, the grating is altered to a chirped grating.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A dispersion compensating module comprising an optical circulator and a plurality of dispersion compensating gratings according to claim 5 which are independently tunable.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The article of claim 1, in which the grating is a uniformly or non-uniformly chirped grating and the inducement of elastic strain in the body increases or alters the chirping in the grating.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A dispersion compensating module comprising an optical circulator and at least one dispersion compensating grating according to claim 7.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
94 words
The article of claim 1, in which the component for inducing the elastic strain comprises two magnetic components disposed alongside the waveguide, and further comprising a source for inducing a magnetic field and a fixed substrate, in which one magnetic component is secured to the body and the other magnetic component is secured to the fixed substrate, the mating poles of the magnetic components being aligned so that when the source induces a magnetic field, the magnetic components are attracted to or repelled from each other to induce the elastic strain in the body.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The article of claim 9, in which at least one magnetic component is comprised of a material whose magnetic properties are modifiable by a pulse magnetic field.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The article of claim 9, in which the body is secured to the fixed substrate which functions as a guiding rail for the body.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The article of claim 1, in which the elastic strain is latchable so that the dispersion compensating characteristics of the waveguide may be controllably altered without a continuous supply of power.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
The article of claim 1, in which the component is attached to the body and coupled to a device for pulling the component in the direction opposite the body so that the elastic strain is induced by a mechanical pulling force.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
A wavelength division multiplexed optical communications system comprising a source of multiple wavelength optical signal channels, an optical fiber trunk, a receiver for receiving multiple optical signal channels, a multiplexer/demultiplexer, and one or more dispersion compensating gratings according to claim 1.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 14 further comprising a length of dispersion compensating fiber.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
A dispersion compensating module comprising at least one tunable dispersion compensating grating according to claim 1 operating in transmission mode.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
56 words
An optical amplifier comprising an input isolator, a first length of rare-earth doped fiber, a first pump for optical pumping the first length of fiber, a second length of rare-earth doped fiber, a second pump for optical pumping the second length of fiber, an output circulator, and a plurality of dispersion-compensating gratings according to claim 1.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
156 words
An article comprising a dispersion compensator device, the compensator device comprising: a length of waveguide including a grating region having a plurality of spaced-apart grating elements; a body disposed adjacent the length of waveguide and attached to the waveguide proximal the grating region, the body having a gradient in its structure, dimensions, chemistry, or porosity to define a gradient-generating body; a fixed substrate having a point of attachment to at least one of the body or the length of waveguide; and a component for moving the body along the length of the waveguide in a longitudinal direction either away from or toward the fixed substrate, wherein when the component moves the body along the length of the waveguide, an elastic strain is induced in the body and a non-uniform strain is imposed on the length of the waveguide to non-uniformly adjust the spacings between the grating elements to alter the dispersion compensating characteristics of the waveguide.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
156 words
An article comprising a dispersion compensator device, the compensator device comprising: a length of waveguide including a grating region having a plurality of spaced-apart grating elements; a body disposed adjacent the length of waveguide and attached to the waveguide proximal the grating region, the body having a gradient in its structure, dimensions, chemistry, or porosity to define a gradient-generating body; a fixed substrate having a point of attachment to at least one of the body or the length of waveguide; and a component for moving the body along the length of the waveguide in a longitudinal direction either away from or toward the fixed substrate, wherein when the component moves the body along the length of the waveguide, an elastic strain is induced in the body and a non-uniform strain is imposed on the length of the waveguide to non-uniformly adjust the spacings between the grating elements to alter the dispersion compensating characteristics of the waveguide.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
The article of claim 18 in which the elastic strain is latchable so that the dispersion compensating characteristics of the waveguide may be controllably altered without a continuous power supply.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-11-14 | 2004-05-15 | 2004-11-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-11-14 | 2008-05-15 | 2008-11-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-11-14 | 2012-05-15 | 2012-11-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |