Claims
- 1. An optical device, comprising:
a chromatic dispersion control module which is dynamically tuneable over a prescribed wavelength range, and which does not include a waveguide grating.
- 2. An optical device as recited in claim 1, wherein said module further comprises at least one coupled waveguide structure.
- 3. An optical device as recited in claim 2, wherein said module further includes a device which controllably alters an index of refraction profile of each of said at least one coupled waveguide structures.
- 4. An optical device as recited in claim 3, wherein said altering of said index of refraction profile is dynamic.
- 5. An optical device as recited in claim 3, wherein said altering of said index of refraction profile effects said dynamic tuning of said module.
- 6. An optical device as recited in claim 1, wherein said module dynamically and tuneably adjusts dispersion slope.
- 7. An optical devices as recited in claim 1, wherein said module dynamically and tuneably adjusts both chromatic dispersion and dispersion slope.
- 8. An optical device as recited in claim 2, wherein said module includes three coupled waveguides and said module is adapted to variably adjust chromatic dispersion at a particular wavelength channel center wavelength.
- 9. An optical device as recited in claim 7, wherein said module is adapted to variably adjust dispersion slope at said center wavelength.
- 10. An optical device as recited in claim 3, wherein said device is chosen from the group consisting essentially of: a temperature controller, and an optical energy source.
- 11. An optical device as recited in claim 1, wherein said module is adapted to receive a wavelength channel having a center wavelength λc.
- 12. An optical device as recited in claim 1, wherein said module is adapted to receive a plurality of wavelength channels having respective center wavelengths over at least a portion of said wavelength range.
- 13. An optical device as recited in claim 12, wherein said module is adapted to a variably adjust chromatic dispersion at each of said center wavelengths.
- 14. An optical device as recited in claim 12, wherein said module is adapted to variably adjust dispersion slope at each of said center wavelengths.
- 15. An optical device as recited in claim 1, wherein said wavelength range is approximately 1530 nm to approximately 1570 nm.
- 16. An optical device as recited in claim 12, wherein said plurality of wavelength channels is in the range of approximately two channels to approximately 40 channels.
- 17. An optical device as recited in claim 1, wherein said chromatic dispersion control module is colorless.
- 18. An optical device as recited in claim 1, wherein at least two of said chromatic dispersion control modules are used together with one or more wavelength division multiplexers/demultiplexers.
- 19. An optical device as recited in claim 18, wherein said one or more wavelength division multiplexers/demultiplexers direct each of a plurality of wavelength channels to a respective one of the chromatic dispersion control modules.
- 20. An optical device as recited in claim 18, wherein one of said wavelength division multiplexers/demultiplexers direct bands of wavelength channels to one or more separate chromatic dispersion control modules.
- 21. An optical device as recited in claim 1, wherein said dispersion control module adjusts a chromatic dispersion present in an optical signal to zero.
- 22. An optical device as recited in claim 1, wherein said dispersion control module adjusts a dispersion slope present in an optical signal to zero.
- 23. An optical device as recited in claim 1, wherein said dispersion control module adjusts a chromatic dispersion present in an optical signal to a positive value.
- 24. An optical device as recited in claim 1, wherein said dispersion control module adjusts a chromatic dispersion present in an optical signal to a negative value.
- 25. An optical device as recited in claim 1, wherein said dispersion control module adjusts a dispersion slope present in an optical signal to a positive value.
- 26. An optical device as recited in claim 1, wherein said dispersion control module adjusts a dispersion slope present in an optical signal to a negative value.
- 27. A method of controlling chromatic dispersion in an optical signal, the method comprising:
coupling at least one wavelength channel into a dispersion control module, which includes at least one coupled waveguide structure; and altering an index of refraction profile in at least one of said at least one coupled waveguide structures.
- 28. A method as recited in claim 27, wherein the method further comprises controlling a dispersion slope of the optical signal.
- 29. A method as recited in claim 27, wherein the controlling of the chromatic dispersion is dynamically tuneable over a prescribed wavelength range.
- 30. A method as recited in claim 27, wherein the method is dynamically tuneable at each of at least one center wavelengths.
- 31. A method as recited in claim 28, wherein said controlling of said dispersion slope is dynamically tuneable over a prescribed wavelength range.
- 32. A method as recited in claim 28, wherein said controlling of said dispersion slope is dynamically tuneable at each of said at least one center wavelengths.
- 33. A method as recited in claim 27, wherein said altering further comprises changing a temperature of said at least one coupled waveguide structure.
- 34. A method as recited in claim 27, wherein said altering further comprises introducing optical energy from a secondary optical source to said at least one coupled waveguide structure.
- 35. A method as recited in claim 29, wherein said prescribed wavelength range is approximately 1530 nm to approximately 1570 nm.
- 36. A method as recited in claim 31, wherein said prescribed wavelength range is approximately 1530 nm to approximately 1570 nm.
- 37. A method as recited in claim 27, wherein the controlling of the chromatic dispersion further comprises adjusting the chromatic dispersion by an amount in the range of approximately −1000 ps/nm to approximately +1000 ps/nm.
- 38. A method as recited in claim 28, wherein the controlling of said dispersion slope further comprising adjusting said dispersion slope by an amount in the range of approximately −400 ps/nm2 to approximately +400 ps/nm2.
- 39. A method as recited in claim 27, wherein one wavelength channel having a center wavelength is coupled to said module.
- 40. A method as recited in claim 27, wherein a plurality of wavelength channels each having a center wavelength is coupled to said module.
- 41. A method as recited in claim 40, wherein said plurality of wavelength channels is in the range of approximately 2 to approximately 40.
- 42. A method as recited in claim 27, wherein the chromatic dispersion present in the optical signal after the controlling of the chromatic dispersion is zero.
- 43. A method as recited in claim 28, wherein the dispersion slope present in the signal after the controlling of the dispersion slope is zero.
- 44. A method as recited in claim 27, wherein the chromatic dispersion present in the optical signal after the controlling of the chromatic dispersion is a positive value.
- 45. A method as recited in claim 28, wherein the dispersion slope present in the signal after the controlling of the dispersion slope is a positive value.
- 46. A method as recited in claim 27, wherein the chromatic dispersion present in the optical signal after the controlling of the chromatic dispersion is a negative value.
- 47. A method as recited in claim 28, wherein the dispersion slope present in the signal after the controlling of the dispersion slope is a negative value.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present invention is related to and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial 60/295,054, entitled “Dispersion Dynamic Control Via Thermal and/or Optical Variation of Supermode Propagation”, filed May 31, 2001. The present invention is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. (Atty. Docket No.: CRNG.020/SP01-142) entitled “Dynamic Chromatic Dispersion Control Using Coupled Optical Waveguides”, filed on even date herewith, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The disclosures of the above-captioned provisional application and utility patent application are specifically incorporated by reference herein and for all purposes.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60295054 |
May 2001 |
US |