The present invention relates in general to planar lightwave circuits. More particularly, the present invention relates to a planar lightwave, Fourier-transform spectrometer.
High-resolution and miniaturized spectrometers without moving parts have a great potential for use in optical fiber communication networks, environmental sensing and medical diagnostics. The spatial heterodyne spectroscopy (SHS) is an interferometric technique that uses the Fourier transformation of the stationary interference pattern from the Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZIs). The planar waveguide version of the SHS architecture is one of the key solutions since the MZI array is fabricated on one substrate.
The actual optical delays of the fabricated MZIs are likely to deviate from the designed ones and the phase error frozen in each MZI prevents derivation of the correct spectrum. The development of the signal processing procedure to reveal the correct spectrum is an important issue for its practical applications.
A measurable spectral range by the conventional cosine-FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) method was limited to half of the FSR (Free Spectral Range). The novel planar waveguide SHS configuration that allows us to measure full span of one FSR has been strongly required.
The shortcomings of the prior art are overcome and additional advantages are provided through the provision, in one aspect, of an apparatus including a transform spectrometer with n×4 multi-mode interface optical hybrid couplers, wherein n=2 or 4.
In another aspect, provided herein is a transform spectrometer measurement apparatus implemented on a planar waveguide circuit, including: an input optical signal waveguide for carrying an input optical signal; a plurality of input couplers, each input coupler of the plurality of input couplers connected to the input optical signal waveguide, and each input coupler including a coupler output for outputting at least one output signal from the input coupler; an array of interleaved, waveguide Mach-Zehner interferometers (MZI), each MZI of the array of interleaved waveguide MZIs coupled to a respective input coupler of the plurality of input couplers, and each MZI having at least one MZI waveguide for receiving the at least one output signal from the input coupler coupled to the MZI; and, a plurality of output coupler portions of the transform spectrometer measurement apparatus, each output coupler portion of the plurality of output coupler portions coupled to a respective MZI of the array of MZIs, wherein the output coupler portion comprises one or more inputs along which the at least one signal is received from the MZI, and a plurality of outputs for outputting a plurality of signals from the output coupler portion, wherein the number of outputs of the plurality of outputs of the output coupler portion is greater than the number of inputs of the one or more inputs of the output coupler portion.
One or more aspects of the present invention are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed as examples in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
The present invention addresses the problem of, for example, the error in the detected spectrum by the FISH spectrometer and the measurable spectrum span by the spectrometer. For example, the deconvolution technique described as follows.
where β is a propagation constant, FSR is a free spectral range determined by ΔL and s=∫f
In the above equation (2), A is a constant and P(k) for k=N˜{circumflex over (N)}−1 is assumed to be P({circumflex over (N)}−k). Since MZI responses for the signal in the upper half of FSR, s(fn) (n=N˜{circumflex over (N)}−1), have identical spatial fringe representation to those of the signal in the lower half, only the lower half of the signal spectrum can be measured. Resolution of the spectrometer is given by δf=c/({circumflex over (N)}ncΔL), where nc and c are effective index of the waveguide and light velocity. Phase errors caused by effective-index fluctuations in the MZI array deteriorate the accuracy in the retrieved signal by Eq. (2). Phase error δφk, in the k-th MZI, as depicted by
Here H is a heater power applied to the phase shifter, α is a coefficient of thermo-optic refractive index change per unit heater power and λ0=c/f0, respectively.
can be solved by N×N simultaneous equations (deconvolution). Signal spectrum corrected with the above procedure is shown in the graph of
Differential output from port 1 and 4 is given by:
Signal in quadrature with respect to (5-1) is obtained from port 2 and 3 as:
A 2×4 optical hybrid coupler can be constructed by using two 2×2 couplers.
For a signal s (f) passing through the k-th asymmetrical MZI with 2×4 MMI optical hybrid coupler (as depicted by
Equations (6-1) and (6-2) are discretized for the input spectrum s(fn) (fn=fo+n·FSR/{circumflex over (N)} , where {circumflex over (N)}=2N) in the form as:
where sn=s(fn). From Eqs. (8-1) and (8-2), one may obtain the respective real and imaginary parts Uk(Re) and Uk(Im) of:
When it is assumed that the signal spectrum sn's are all real values, Uk(Re), Uk(Im), and δφk for k=N˜{circumflex over (N)}−1 are obtained as:
U
k
(Re)
=U
{circumflex over (N)}−k′
(Re) (11-1)
U
k
(Im)
=−U
{circumflex over (N)}−k′
(Im) (11-2)
δφk=−δφ{circumflex over (N)}−k′ (11-3)
Once the real and imaginary parts of Uk for k=0˜{circumflex over (N)}−1 are obtained, the signal spectrum {sn} may be derived by using the complex inverse Fourier transformation as:
To summarize, described hereinabove are certain problems associated with the use of a conventional FISH spectrometer. These problems include: being able to measure only the lower half of the signal spectrum, and deterioration of accuracy in the retrieved signal due to phase errors caused by effective-index fluctuations in the MZI array. Using the deconvolution technique described herein initially can correct the signal spectrum and retrieve the main part of the spectrum accurately. However, such a technique can create oscillatory noise features in the peripheral spectral regions.
As a solution, disclosed herein is the use of a complex-FISH spectrometer with n×4 MMI optical hybrid couplers. In the examples described, n may be 2 or 4. For instance, the conventional 2×2 output couplers of a FISH spectrometer are replaced by 2×4 couplers. In particular, a 2×4 coupler could be constructed using two 2×2 couplers, or alternatively, a 4×4 MMI hybrid coupler. In such an implementation, 2N output waveguides are replaced by 4N output waveguides.
In operation, the differential output may be given from, for instance, ports 1 and 4, by Eq. (5-1), and the signal and quadrature, with respect to Eq. (5-1), may be obtained from ports 2 and 3, by Eq. (5-2). A signal passing through the 2×4 hybrid coupler produces a normalized in-phase and quadrature-phase output. The in-phase and quadrature-phase outputs discretized for the input spectrum to obtain respective real and imaginary parts Uk(Re) and Uk(Im) (see equations (8-1) and (8-2)). Further, once the real and imaginary parts are obtained, the signal spectrum may be derived using the complex inverse Fourier transform equation. See, in this regard, equations (9), (10-1)-(10-3), (11-1)-(11-3), and (12). Advantageously, the original input spectra may be substantially fully retrieved over the entire FSR region, showing improved accuracy and spectra range over the conventional technique.
Approximating language, as used herein throughout the specification and claims, may be applied to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related. Accordingly, a value modified by a term or terms, such as “about,” is not limited to the precise value specified. In some instances, the approximating language may correspond to the precision of an instrument for measuring the value.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular examples only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprise” (and any form of comprise, such as “comprises” and “comprising”), “have” (and any form of have, such as “has” and “having”), “include (and any form of include, such as “includes” and “including”), and “contain” (and any form of contain, such as “contains” and “containing”) are open-ended linking verbs. As a result, a method or device that “comprises,” “has,” “includes” or “contains” one or more steps or elements possesses those one or more steps or elements, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more steps or elements. Likewise, a step of a method or an element of a device that “comprises,” “has,” “includes” or “contains” one or more features possesses those one or more features, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more features.
As used herein, the terms “may” and “may be” indicate a possibility of an occurrence within a set of circumstances; a possession of a specified property, characteristic or function; and/or qualify another verb by expressing one or more of an ability, capability, or possibility associated with the qualified verb. Accordingly, usage of “may” and “may be” indicates that a modified term is apparently appropriate, capable, or suitable for an indicated capacity, function, or usage, while taking into account that in some circumstances the modified term may sometimes not be appropriate, capable or suitable. For example, in some circumstances, an event or capacity can be expected, while in other circumstances the event or capacity cannot occur—this distinction is captured by the terms “may” and “may be.”
While several aspects of the present invention have been described and depicted herein, alternative aspects may be effected by those skilled in the art to accomplish the same objectives. Accordingly, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such alternative aspects as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
This Application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61,839,147, filed Jun. 25, 2013, and entitled “Complex-FISH (Fourier-Transform, Integrated-Optic Spatial Heterodyne) Spectrometer with N×4 MMI (Multi-Mode Interference) Optical Hybrid Couplers,” and is related to U.S. Pat. No. 8,098,379 B2, issued Jan. 17, 2012, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,406,580 B2, issued Mar. 26, 2013. Each of these applications and U.S. Letters Patents is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61839147 | Jun 2013 | US |