A nano/micro ‘meso’ scale self-calibrating integrated optical wavelength and intensity meter

Wavelength-division multiplexing has become the dominant approach to utilizing the massive bandwidth of optical fibers and integrated optics, including those based on a photonic crystal approach and recent nanotechnology achievements. For tunable sources and tunable receivers, it is desirable to measure the wavelength accurately and quickly. Unfortunately, current wavelength-measurement devices are not integrated and not fast enough to support 1 Gbit/s and higher requirements of the modern communication lines. We show here how to make an integrated optical system that results in an intensity-independent wavelength determination and a wavelength-independent intensity determination at ultra-short pulse duration or higher than ∼1-GHz bandwidth. The two output beams from a Mach–Zehnder interferometer, tuned to 3 dB at each output at the beginning of the wavelength-measurement range, provide all of the needed information. We show how a simple fast wavelength meter can be built into a silicon – or other – optical chip. It employs fuzzy metrology using both outputs of an integrated interferometer. PACS 42.79.Sz; 42.87.Bg; 42.79.Ta