Mach-Zehnder interferometer switch with a high extinction ratio over a wide wavelength range

We have realized a novel Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) thermo-optic switch that can operate over a much wider wavelength range than a conventional MZI switch. We constructed the novel MZI switch by incorporating a phase-generating coupler (PGC) as an optical coupler. The PGC generates a nonlinear wavelength-dependent phase, which functions as a virtual wavelength-dependent delay part that cancels out the wavelength dependence of a MZI. We fabricated the novel MZI switch on a silica-based planar light-wave circuit and achieved a low insertion loss of less than 1.6 dB and a high extinction ratio of 30 dB over a wide wavelength range of 160 nm.     

Design of a spectrum-periodized polymer optical filter using arc-type Mach–Zehnder interferometer and <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>th order phase-generating couplers

We proposed a kind of polymer arc-type Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) optical filter by employing two parallel cascaded Nth-order phase-generating couplers (PGCs). To realize periodic spectrum response with low insertion loss, a nonlinear least square method was investigated for optimizing PGC structure to satisfy periodic phase compensation (PPC) and insertion loss compensation (ILC) conditions. With the needed wavelength period of 24 nm, design and simulation on five Nth-order PGCs-based filters were performed as N changes from 0 to 4. When N=3, the optimized filter exhibits the most favorable uniform periodic response with the maximum period shift less than 0.3 nm, which is about 1/10 times of that of the traditional filter when N=0, and the insertion loss at the central wavelength of each channel is 1.39–9.98 dB. The PGC’s order N should be properly selected for low optical loss, uniform wavelength period, and feasible optimization complexity. The proposed technique can also be used to design such PGCs-based arc-type MZI filters with any other uniform wavelength period by altering the radius-difference between two arc-type MZI waveguides for CWDM networks.     

Synthesis of optical PMD compensating filter using FIR lattice structure

We investigate the potential of n-stage optical finite impulse response (FIR) lattice filter for compensating first order polarization mode dispersion (PMD). This compensation is based on minimizing the differential group delay (DGD) between the two principal state of polarization (PSP) within a given frequency range. The filter is realized by concatenating optical delay lines, directional couplers, and phase shifters in a lattice architecture. A numerical simulation is performed for an 8th and 12th order filters to demonstrate the impact of using higher order filters. The results show that DGD can be reduced significantly as we increase the order of the filter.     

Flattop all-fiber wavelength interleaver for DWDM transmission: Design analysis, parameter optimization, fabrication and characterization recipe

Flattop response within the passband is an important desirable feature of any wavelength selective component that goes into a DWDM optical network. In this paper, we report design and fabrication recipe for realizing wavelength interleavers/slicers with flattop wavelength response, configured around unbalanced all-fiber 2-stage Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZI). Based on a comprehensive analysis, we have developed a design process/algorithm to determine the optimum splitting ratios as well as the relationship between the splitting ratios of the couplers that constitute the 2-stage MZI, to achieve a flattop wavelength response. The implication of the second delay line with respect to its presence in the upper/lower arm of the second stage of the MZI is highlighted through an algebraic analysis. This revealed that there would be corresponding changes in the optimum splitting ratios of the couplers. These features of our design analysis were then exploited to fabricate a wavelength interleaver with a near box-like response, which validated our algorithm. The polarization dependent losses of the device were measured to be ≈ 0.4 dB. Our analysis and fabrication recipe should be useful in the realization of flattop all-fiber wavelength interleavers for deployment in DWDM networks of high spectral efficiency.     

82-channel multi-wavelength comb generation in a SOA fiber ring laser

We demonstrate a multi-wavelength semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) fiber ring laser with a dual-pass Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) filter. Two SOAs with different gain spectra provide sufficient gain and a wider gain spectrum to facilitate multi-wavelength lasing. The dual-pass MZI, configured by adding an optical isolator to the two outputs of the conventional MZI, serves as comb filter for multi-wavelength operation, and its extinction ratio can be enhanced to twofold as that of the conventional MZI in the same parameters. To investigate the influences of a dual-pass MZI filter and a conventional MZI filter on multi-wavelength operation, two different cavity configurations are presented and compared, including a single-SOA ring cavity and a double-SOA ring cavity. Stable simultaneous operation at 82 wavelengths, with a wavelength spacing of 40 GHz and a power deviation of 5 dB, and with a minimum optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) of 28 dB, is observed from the double-SOA ring cavity using a dual-pass MZI filter.     

Multifunctional spectrum-periodic polymer MZI electro-optic switch/filter using serial-cascaded phase-generating couplers: theory, design and analysis

A multifunctional polymer asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer electro-optic switch/filter comprising two serial-cascaded phase-generating couplers and a pair of microstrip electrodes is proposed. Due to the optimization on PGC structure with the given nonlinear least square approximation method, the phase compensation condition and extinction ratio (ER) compensation condition are both realized for achieving periodic frequency response. The ON- and OFF-states voltages are 0 and 8.06 V, respectively. The device has two input ports (A1 and B1) and two output ports (A2 and B2), port A2 contains 10 channels numbered from #?7 to #2, and port B2 contains 9 channels numbered from #?7 to #1. As an optical filter (ON-state), the wavelength space of each channel is within 19.2–21?nm (standard value 20?nm) with the maximum period variation less than 1?nm. The insertion loss for channels #?7 to #2 of port A2 is within 2.69–19.3 dB, and that for channels #?7 to #1 of port B2 is within 2.09–20.2 dB. As an EO switch, the ER of each channel between ON-state and OFF-state for port A2 is more than 15.7 dB, and that for port B2 is more than 12.6 dB. Besides, as required in CWDM networks, the device also exhibits favorable thermal stability under the case of large temperature variation.     

The integrated prism interpretation of multileg Mach-Zehnder interferometers based on multimode interference couplers

To simplify the driving conditions as well as to improve the wavelength response of multileg Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZI) based on multimode interference (MMI) couplers we develop a new interpretation of these devices. Used for optical switching and for wavelength filtering, they are shown to work as active or passive integrated prisms. This analogy greatly facilitates the design of such components and simplifies the understanding of their functionality. The driving conditions of optical switches based on such multileg MZI are easility studied and will be reduced to basic active phase shifts. For wavelength filtering applications using such elements, a new design of the phased waveguide array is proposed which improves the characteristics of the filters.     

Design of wide-spectrum polymer Mach-Zehnder interferometer electro-optic switches using two symmetric N-th order phase-generating couplers

To enlarge the output spectrum, a novel reasonable structure of one kind of Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) electro-optic (EO) switches containing two symmetric N-th order phase generating couplers (PGCs) is presented, and thorough model, analysis and design technique are proposed. A non-linear least square method is investigated for optimizing the PGC structure to eliminate the phase difference error caused by the wavelength variation. Under the central wavelength of 1550 nm, optimization and simulation are performed on three MZI EO switches using two first, second and third order PGCs, respectively. The switches exhibit a low switching voltage of 1.156 V with an active region length of 4 mm. The output spectrums covering the whole S-C-L bands are as wide as 320, 390 and more than 435 nm, respectively, the insertion loss are less than 5.57, 5.98 and 7.90 dB, respectively, and the crosstalk is less than −30 dB over the wide wavelength ranges, for the three designed switches. The design technique is supported to be feasible by the comparison with beam propagation method (BPM).     

Design of Hilbert transformers with tunable THz bandwidths using a reconfigurable integrated optical FIR filter

We present the design and analysis of a wideband and tunable optical Hilbert transformer (OHT) using a tunable waveguide-based finite-impulse response (FIR) filter structure by using the digital filter design method and the Remez algorithm. The tunable Nth-order waveguide-based FIR filter, which simply consists of N delay lines, N tunable couplers, N tunable phase shifters and a combiner, can be tuned, by thermally adjusting the tunable couplers and tunable phase shifters, to tune the bandwidth of an OHT using silica-based planar lightwave circuit (PLC) technology. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the method, the simulation results have an excellent agreement with the theoretical predictions. The tunable OHT can function as a wideband and tunable 90° phase shifter and thus has many potential applications. The two unique features of wideband characteristic (up to ~ 2 THz) and tunable bandwidth (THz tuning range) of the proposed OHT cannot be obtained from the existing OHTs.     

Analysis of polarization-independent tunable optical comb filter by cascading MZI and phase modulating Sagnac loop

A novel scheme of tunable optical comb filter constructed by cascading a polarization-swapping MZI and a phase modulating Sagnac loop is proposed. The key features of this comb filter design are its polarization-independence and high speed in wavelength tuning. The wavelength tunability can be readily achieved by incorporating an electro-optic phase modulator into the Sagnac loop. In addition, the filter can be made amplitude adjustable as well. The filter will be desirable for multi-wavelength fiber lasers, multi-channel optical signal processing and optical WDM systems.     

Wavelength-spacing continuously tunable multi-wavelength SOA-fiber ring laser based on Mach–Zehnder interferometer

A Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) which is used as a wavelength-spacing tunable comb filter in a fiber ring laser is built by employing an optical variable delay line (OVDL). Stable multi-wavelength semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA)-fiber ring laser based on an SOA and the MZI comb filter is achieved. Wavelength spacing can be continuously tuned by adjusting the OVDL and, as an example, multi-wavelength lasing with the wavelength spacing of 0.4, 0.8, or 1.6 nm is demonstrated. The output of the proposed multi-wavelength SOA-fiber ring laser is quite stable at room temperature and the output spectrum can be adjusted by controlling the bias current of the SOA.     

Design of a spectrum-expanded polymer Mach�CZehnder interferometer electro-optic switch using two-phase generating couplers

A novel structure, thorough analysis and design technique are presented for a kind of polymer Mach?CZehnder Interferometer (MZI) electro-optic (EO) switch consisting of two-phase generating couplers (PGCs). By optimizing the PGCs structure, the output spectrum of the two PGCs based MZI EO switch is greatly expanded to almost six times of that of the traditional MZI EO switch with two 3?dB directional couplers. Under a central wavelength of 1550 nm, the driving voltages of the designed switch are as low as about 0 (ON state) and ±0.925?V (OFF state) with an EO region length of 5000???m. A wide spectrum more than 350 nm (1380??1730?nm) is achieved, and within this wavelength range, the crosstalk is less than ?30?dB, and the insertion loss is less than 5.91?dB which is larger than that of the traditional MZI EO switch due to the longer waveguide length by introducing two PGCs. The design technique on the two PGCs based MZI EO switch is supported to be reasonable compared with the beam propagation method (BPM). The proposed structure shows potential wide applications especially in optical cross-connect (OXC) and optical add-drop multiplexing (OADM) systems.     

多模干涉马赫曾德尔光开关模型

根据N×N多模干涉耦合器的基本原理 ,确定了多模干涉耦合器的结构参数。通过分析多模干涉耦合器的输入光场与其映像间的相位关系 ,提出了模传输矩阵的分析方法 ,并用此方法分析了N×N普通干涉多模干涉耦合器、N×N相移器以及N×N普通干涉多模干涉马赫 曾德尔光开关 ,得到了它们的模场传输方程 ,分析了光开关在光场从任一输入端输入 ,从任一输出端输出时开关的驱动条件。用上面的方法分析了 4× 4光开关的结构及驱动条件     

A tunable and reconfigurable microwave photonic filter based on a Raman fiber laser

A tunable and reconfigurable microwave photonic filter is demonstrated by employing a tunable Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) and a wavelength-controllable Raman fiber laser. The free-spectral-range and spectral response of the microwave photonic filter are tuned and reconfigured by controlling the optical variable delay line in one arm of the MZI and the powers of the pump LDs. Experimental results are given to show the enhanced flexibility of the present microwave photonic filter.     

A Reconfigurable Microwave Photonic Channelized Receiver Based on Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing Using an Optical Comb

A photonic approach to implementing a microwave channelized receiver based on dense wavelength division multiplexing using an optical comb is proposed. In the approach, a flat optical comb with 11 comb lines is generated using two cascaded Mach-Zehnder modulators. Frequency analysis of a microwave signal with multiple-frequency components is realized by using the optical comb together with an optical etalon with a periodic transfer function, a wavelength division multiplexer (WDM) and a photodetector array. The system is investigated numerically. Frequency measurement of a multi-frequency signal with a measurement range from 0.5-11.5 with an accuracy of ± 0.5 GHz is achieved. The reconfigurability of the system realized by tuning the comb-line spacing and the peak positions of the etalon is also evaluated. The improvement of the dynamic range of the system using an optimized periodic filter is also discussed.     

紫外域多纵模高光谱分辨率激光雷达探测气溶胶的技术实现和系统仿真

多纵模高光谱分辨率激光雷达是一种新型的高光谱分辨率激光雷达.本文在研究典型高功率Nd:YAG脉冲激光器的多纵模模式及其在大气中传输的气溶胶米散射和瑞利散射光谱的基础上,设计紫外域多纵模高光谱分辨率激光雷达系统,采用窄带干涉滤光片滤除太阳背景光的影响,设计可调谐马赫-曾德尔干涉仪,分离提取多纵模激光回波中的气溶胶米散射和瑞利散射光谱,并利用马赫-曾德尔干涉仪双通道输出的互补性原理,精确反演气溶胶光学参量.系统仿真结果表明,所设计的紫外域多纵模高光谱分辨率激光雷达能够实现10 km高度内的气溶胶光学参量精细探测.     

Stable wavelength tunable fiber ring laser for true-time delay system

In this paper, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a novel wavelength tunable fiber ring laser source for a photonic beamforming system to control phased-array antenna. In this fabrication, a Sagnac loop composed of a polarization-maintaining (PM) coupler and a piece of high-birefringence (Hi-Bi) PM fiber is acted as a comb filter to make the frequency spacing equal. The wavelength of the output signal is controlled by the tunable filter outside the Sagnac loop. The intensities of the output signals with different wavelengths increased or decreased at the same frequency spacing are equal. A five-channel true-time delay system consisting of this tunable fiber source and five grating delay lines for discrete beamsteering has been demonstrated. In the experiment, the output signals of the tunable fiber ring with the equal frequency spacing have the same intensity of about 5.9 dBm and the same high signal to noise ratio (SNR) of 40 dB. If the tunable filter in this laser is replaced by a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) tunable filter, the speed of switching wavelength will increase rapidly.     

Optical characterization of photonic crystal delay lines based on one-dimensional coupled defects

We performed optical characterizations of optical delay lines based on photonic crystal waveguides. The delay lines were composed of cylindrical air holes in silicon-on-silicon-dioxide ridge waveguides, defects were periodically created by means of increasing the separation of two neighboring air holes, and the structure was designed to have flat-transmittance impurity band. We clearly observed an impurity band with a bandwidth of ~30 nm and a maximum transmittance of ~0.5 at an operating wavelength of ~1.55 microm . A 600-fs delay was confirmed with a 20-microm -long delay line. A good agreement was confirmed between the experimental results and the calculations.     

Optical True Time Delay for Phased Array Antennas Composed of 2×2 Optical MEMS Switches and Fiber Delay Lines

We proposed an optical true time delay (TTD) for phased array antennas (PAAs) composed of 2×2 optical MEMS switches, single-mode fiber delay lines, and a fixed wavelength laser diode. A 3-bit TTD for 10 GHz PAAs was implemented with a time delay error less than ± 0.2 ps.     

Programmable multiple true-time-delay elements based on a Fourier-domain optical processor

A new technique to realize an array of multiple true-time-delay elements, which can be independently and continuously tuned, is reported. It is based on a WDM parallel signal processing approach in conjunction with a diffraction-based Fourier-domain optical signal processor. Programmable linear optical phase transfer functions are realized to obtain different electrical true-time delays. The technique can scale to a large number of wideband true-time-delay lines, with continuously tunable programmable delay. Results demonstrate multiple true-time-delay elements with independent tuning control and verify the concept by tuning the free spectral range of a microwave photonic notch filter. To our best knowledge, this is the first demonstration of multiple independently controllable true-time-delay lines for microwave photonic systems.