Claims
- 1. An integrated optical device comprising (i) first and second optical waveguide arms arranged to define an optical signal splitting region near an input side of said integrated optical device and an optical signal combining region near an output side of said integrated optical device and (ii) a functional region between said optical signal splitting and combining regions, wherein:
said first optical waveguide arm comprises a first waveguide core passing through a first electrooptic portion of said functional region; said second optical waveguide arm comprises a second waveguide core passing through a second electrooptic portion of said functional region; a first set of control electrodes are positioned to generate an electric field in said first portion of said functional region; a second set of control electrodes are positioned to generate an electric field in said second portion of said functional region; said first set of control electrodes, said first waveguide core, and said first portion of said functional region are configured such that a TE electromagnetic polarization mode of an optical signal propagating along said first waveguide core encounters an electrooptically induced change in refractive index that is more predominant than an electrooptically induced change in refractive index encountered by a TM electromagnetic polarization mode of said optical signal propagating along said first waveguide core; and said second set of control electrodes, said second waveguide core, and said second portion of said functional region are configured such that a TM electromagnetic polarization mode of an optical signal propagating along said second waveguide core encounters an electrooptically induced change in refractive index that is more predominant than an electrooptically induced change in refractive index encountered by a TE electromagnetic polarization mode of said optical signal propagating along said second waveguide core.
- 2. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control electrodes and said waveguide core of said first portion of said functional region define a symmetric configuration and said control electrodes and said waveguide core of said second portion of said functional region define an asymmetric configuration.
- 3. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second sets of control electrodes define substantially identical configurations.
- 4. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said second waveguide core is offset in relation to said second set of control electrodes as compared to a position of said first waveguide core in relation to said first set of control electrodes.
- 5. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said first waveguide core is offset in relation to said first set of control electrodes as compared to a position of said second waveguide core in relation to said second set of control electrodes.
- 6. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the predominant difference between a configuration of said first set of control electrodes and said first waveguide core and a configuration of said second set of control electrodes and said second waveguide core relates to the positioning of first and second waveguide cores relative to said first and second sets of control electrodes.
- 7. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first waveguide core is positioned substantially equidistant from said control electrodes of said first set of control electrodes and said second waveguide core is positioned substantially closer to one of said control electrodes of said second set of control electrodes.
- 8. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 1 wherein respective control electrodes of said first and second sets of control electrodes define orientations characterized as one or more of:
comprising at least two electrodes lying in a common edge plane; comprising three electrodes lying in a common edge plane; defining an axis of symmetry perpendicular to a common edge plane; comprising at least two control electrodes lying in parallel planes; comprising at least one control electrode is limited to extend for a majority of its width along one side of said core in one of said parallel planes; comprising one control electrode limited to extend for a majority of its width along one side of said core in one of said parallel planes another of said control electrodes limited to extend for a majority of its width along another side of said core in another of said parallel planes; comprising at least two control electrodes lying in a common edge plane and a third control electrode lying in a plane parallel to said common edge plane; comprising electrodes define substantially equal thicknesses; comprising at least two control electrodes lying in a common edge plane and a third control electrode lying in a plane parallel to said common edge plane, wherein said third electrode extends to one side of said waveguide core for a majority of its width along said parallel plane.
- 9. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 1 wherein respective ones of said first and second cores define orientations characterized as one or more of:
offset from an axis of symmetry of said control electrodes; offset from a common edge plane of said control electrodes; offset from an axis of symmetry of said control electrodes and from a common edge plane of said control electrodes; lying between a common edge plane of said control electrodes and a plane offset from said common edge plane; positioned between parallel planes defined by said control electrodes; positioned between parallel planes defined by said control electrodes, unequal distances from said control electrodes; positioned unequal distances from said control electrodes; positioned unequal distances from two of said control electrodes lying in a common edge plane; lying between said common edge plane and said parallel plane; positioned unequal distances from at least two of said control electrodes; and positioned unequal distances from at least three of said control electrodes;
- 10. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said integrated optical device comprises a planar lightwave circuit.
- 11. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said waveguide arms define respective input ports on said input side of said optical device and respective output ports on said output side of said optical device.
- 12. An integrated optical device configured for splitting TE and TM modes of an optical signal, said device comprising (i) first and second optical waveguide arms arranged to define an optical signal splitting region near an input side of said integrated optical device and an optical signal combining region near an output side of said integrated optical device, (ii) a functional region between said optical signal splitting and combining regions, and (iii) a controller coupled to said functional region, wherein:
said first optical waveguide arm comprises a first waveguide core passing through a first electrooptic portion of said functional region; said second optical waveguide arm comprises a second waveguide core passing through a second electrooptic portion of said functional region; a first set of control electrodes are positioned to generate an electric field in said first portion of said functional region; a second set of control electrodes are positioned to generate an electric field in said second portion of said functional region; said first set of control electrodes, said first waveguide core, and said first portion of said functional region are configured such that, upon application of suitable voltage to said first set of control electrodes, as established by said controller, a TE electromagnetic polarization mode of an optical signal propagating along said first waveguide core encounters an electrooptically induced change in refractive index that is more predominant than an electrooptically induced change in refractive index encountered by a TM electromagnetic polarization mode of said optical signal propagating along said first waveguide core; said second set of control electrodes, said second waveguide core, and said second portion of said functional region are configured such that, upon application of suitable voltage to said second set of control electrodes, as established by said controller, a TM electromagnetic polarization mode of an optical signal propagating along said second waveguide core encounters an electrooptically induced change in refractive index that is more predominant than an electrooptically induced change in refractive index encountered by a TE electromagnetic polarization mode of said optical signal propagating along said second waveguide core; and said controller is programmed to establish said voltages applied to said first and second sets of control electrodes to affect optical coupling at said optical signal combining region of TE and TM polarized portions of said optical signals propagating along said first and second waveguide cores such that one of said first and second waveguide cores following said optical signal combining region includes an enhanced TE signal while the other of said first and second waveguide cores following said optical signal combining region includes an enhanced TM signal.
- 13. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 12 wherein said controller is programmed to establish said voltages such that:
a TE component of an optical signal propagating along said first waveguide core crosses over to said second waveguide core at said optical signal combining region while a TM component of said optical signal propagating along said first waveguide core remains in said first waveguide core; and a TM component of an optical signal propagating along said second waveguide core crosses over to said first waveguide core at said optical signal combining region while a TE component of said optical signal propagating along said second waveguide core remains in said second waveguide core.
- 14. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 12 wherein said controller is programmed to establish said voltages such that:
a TM component of an optical signal propagating along said first waveguide core crosses over to said second waveguide core at said optical signal combining region while a TE component of said optical signal propagating along said first waveguide core remains in said first waveguide core; and a TE component of an optical signal propagating along said second waveguide core crosses over to said first waveguide core at said optical signal combining region while a TM component of said optical signal propagating along said second waveguide core remains in said second waveguide core.
- 15. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 12 wherein said controller is programmed to establish said voltages such that one of said first and second waveguide cores following said optical signal combining region includes substantially all TE polarized portions of said signals while the other of said first and second waveguide cores following said optical signal combining region includes substantially all TM polarized portions of said signals.
- 16. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 12 wherein said controller is programmed to establish said voltages by (i) varying the voltages applied to both the first and second sets of control electrodes or by (ii) maintaining the voltage applied to one of the first and second sets of control electrodes while varying the voltage applied to the other of the first and second sets of control electrodes.
- 17. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 12 wherein said first and second functional portions of said functional region are characterized by a predetermined poling and wherein said controller is programmed to establish said voltages such that a polarity of a voltage applied to one of said first and second sets of control electrodes is opposite said predetermined poling.
- 18. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 12 wherein said controller is programmed to establish said voltages in response to an input at a user interface coupled to said controller.
- 19. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 12 wherein said controller is programmed to establish said voltages in response to operating parameters stored in memory accessible by said controller.
- 20. A method of operating an integrated optical device configured for splitting TE and TM modes of an optical signal, said device comprising (i) first and second optical waveguide arms arranged to define an optical signal splitting region near an input side of said integrated optical device and an optical signal combining region near an output side of said integrated optical device, (ii) a functional region between said optical signal splitting and combining regions, and (iii) a controller coupled to said functional region, wherein said first optical waveguide arm comprises a first waveguide core passing through a first electrooptic portion of said functional region, said second optical waveguide arm comprises a second waveguide core passing through a second electrooptic portion of said functional region, a first set of control electrodes are positioned to generate an electric field in said first portion of said functional region, and a second set of control electrodes are positioned to generate an electric field in said second portion of said functional region, said method comprising:
applying a suitable voltage to said first set of control electrodes, as established by said controller, such that a TE electromagnetic polarization mode of an optical signal propagating along said first waveguide core encounters an electrooptically induced change in refractive index that is more predominant than an electrooptically induced change in refractive index encountered by a TM electromagnetic polarization mode of said optical signal propagating along said first waveguide core; applying a suitable voltage to said second set of control electrodes, as established by said controller, such that a TM electromagnetic polarization mode of an optical signal propagating along said second waveguide core encounters an electrooptically induced change in refractive index that is more predominant than an electrooptically induced change in refractive index encountered by a TE electromagnetic polarization mode of said optical signal propagating along said second waveguide core; and establishing said voltages applied to said first and second sets of control electrodes to affect optical coupling at said optical signal combining region of TE and TM polarized portions of said optical signals propagating along said first and second waveguide cores such that one of said first and second waveguide cores following said optical signal combining region includes an enhanced TE signal while the other of said first and second waveguide cores following said optical signal combining region includes an enhanced TM signal.
- 21. A method as claimed in claim 20 wherein each of said waveguide arms define respective input ports on said input side of said optical device and respective output ports on said output side of said optical device and wherein said method of operating said device comprises:
providing said optical signal including said TE and TM modes of polarization at one of said respective input ports; directing said TE polarized portions of said signals following said optical signal combining region to one of said output ports; and directing said TM polarized portions of said signals following said optical signal combining region to another of said output ports.
- 22. An integrated optical device configured for variable optical attenuation of an optical signal including TE and TM modes of polarization, said device comprising (i) first and second optical waveguide arms arranged to define an optical signal splitting region near an input side of said integrated optical device and an optical signal combining region near an output side of said integrated optical device, (ii) a functional region between said optical signal splitting and combining regions, and (iii) a controller coupled to said functional region, wherein:
said first optical waveguide arm comprises a first waveguide core passing through a first electrooptic portion of said functional region; said second optical waveguide arm comprises a second waveguide core passing through a second electrooptic portion of said functional region; a first set of control electrodes are positioned to generate an electric field in said first portion of said functional region; a second set of control electrodes are positioned to generate an electric field in said second portion of said functional region; said first set of control electrodes, said first waveguide core, and said first portion of said functional region are configured such that, upon application of suitable voltage to said first set of control electrodes, as established by said controller, a TE electromagnetic polarization mode of an optical signal propagating along said first waveguide core encounters an electrooptically induced change in refractive index that is more predominant than an electrooptically induced change in refractive index encountered by a TM electromagnetic polarization mode of said optical signal propagating along said first waveguide core; said second set of control electrodes, said second waveguide core, and said second portion of said functional region are configured such that, upon application of suitable voltage to said second set of control electrodes, as established by said controller, a TM electromagnetic polarization mode of an optical signal propagating along said second waveguide core encounters an electrooptically induced change in refractive index that is more predominant than an electrooptically induced change in refractive index encountered by a TE electromagnetic polarization mode of said optical signal propagating along said second waveguide core; and said controller is programmed to establish said voltages applied to said first and second sets of control electrodes to affect selective attenuation of TE and TM polarized portions of an optical signal coupled to an input port of a selected one of said waveguide cores on said input side of said integrated optical device, such that said TE and TM polarized portions of said optical signal are attenuated to substantially equal extents at an output port of said selected waveguide core on said output side of said integrated optical device.
- 23. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 22 wherein said controller is programmed such that said selective attenuation of said TE and TM portions of said optical signal accounts for characteristic polarization dependent loss of said integrated optical device.
- 24. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 23 wherein said controller is programmed to further account for an increase in said characteristic polarization dependent loss with an increase in attenuation of said optical signal in said functional region.
- 25. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 22 wherein said controller is programmed such that an offset voltage, characterized by a difference between a voltage applied to said first set of control electrodes and a voltage applied to said second set of control electrodes, increases as said voltages applied to said first and second sets of control electrodes increase.
- 26. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 25 wherein said offset voltage increases linearly.
- 27. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 25 wherein said controller is programmed to control said offset voltage to minimize a characteristic polarization dependent loss of said integrated optical device.
- 28. A method of operating an integrated optical device configured for variable optical attenuation of TE and TM modes of an optical signal, said device comprising (i) first and second optical waveguide arms arranged to define an optical signal splitting region near an input side of said integrated optical device and an optical signal combining region near an output side of said integrated optical device, (ii) a functional region between said optical signal splitting and combining regions, and (iii) a controller coupled to said functional region, wherein said first optical waveguide arm comprises a first waveguide core passing through a first electrooptic portion of said functional region, said second optical waveguide arm comprises a second waveguide core passing through a second electrooptic portion of said functional region, a first set of control electrodes are positioned to generate an electric field in said first portion of said functional region, and a second set of control electrodes are positioned to generate an electric field in said second portion of said functional region, said method comprising:
applying a suitable voltage to said first set of control electrodes, as established by said controller, such that a TE electromagnetic polarization mode of an optical signal propagating along said first waveguide core encounters an electrooptically induced change in refractive index that is more predominant than an electrooptically induced change in refractive index encountered by a TM electromagnetic polarization mode of said optical signal propagating along said first waveguide core; applying a suitable voltage to said second set of control electrodes, as established by said controller, such that a TM electromagnetic polarization mode of an optical signal propagating along said second waveguide core encounters an electrooptically induced change in refractive index that is more predominant than an electrooptically induced change in refractive index encountered by a TE electromagnetic polarization mode of said optical signal propagating along said second waveguide core; and establishing said voltages applied to said first and second sets of control electrodes to affect selective attenuation of TE and TM polarized portions of an optical signal coupled to an input port of a selected one of said waveguide cores on said input side of said integrated optical device, such that said TE and TM polarized portions of said optical signal are attenuated to substantially equal extents at an output port of said selected waveguide core on said output side of said integrated optical device.
- 29. A method as claimed in claim 28 wherein each of said waveguide arms define respective input ports on said input side of said optical device and respective output ports on said output side of said optical device and wherein said method of operating said device comprises:
providing said optical signal including said TE and TM modes of polarization at an input port of a selected one of said waveguide arms; directing said attenuated optical signal including said selectively attenuated TE and TM polarized portions to an output of said selected waveguide arm.
- 30. An integrated optical device configured to control delay in respective TE and TM modes of polarization of an optical signal, said device comprising:
a polarization splitter configured to direct a TE mode of an input optical signal to a first optical waveguide arm of said device and a TM mode of said input optical signal to a second optical waveguide arm of said device; a polarization combiner configured to combine said TE mode of said first optical waveguide arm with said TM mode of said second optical waveguide arm into an output optical signal; and a delay section in a propagation path between said polarization splitter and said polarization combiner, wherein said delay section is configured to affect a relative phase delay between said TE mode of polarization in said first optical waveguide arm and said TM mode of polarization in said second optical waveguide arm.
- 31. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 30 wherein said delay section is configured to define first and second optical waveguide arms of equal path lengths.
- 32. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 30 wherein said delay section is configured to define first and second optical waveguide arms and comprises a functional region between said polarization splitter and said polarization combiner.
- 33. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 32 wherein both of said first and second optical waveguide arms pass through said functional region.
- 34. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 32 wherein only one of said first and second optical waveguide arms pass through said functional region.
- 35. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 32 wherein:
said first optical waveguide arm comprises a first waveguide core passing through a first electrooptic portion of said functional region; and said second optical waveguide arm comprises a second waveguide core passing through a second electrooptic portion of said functional region.
- 36. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 35 wherein:
a first set of control electrodes are positioned to generate an electric field in said first portion of said functional region; and a second set of control electrodes are positioned to generate an electric field in said second portion of said functional region.
- 37. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 36 wherein:
said first set of control electrodes, said first waveguide core, and said first portion of said functional region are configured such that, upon application of suitable voltage to said first set of control electrodes, as established by said controller, a TE electromagnetic polarization mode of an optical signal propagating along said first waveguide core encounters an electrooptically induced change in refractive index that is more predominant than an electrooptically induced change in refractive index encountered by a TM electromagnetic polarization mode of said optical signal propagating along said first waveguide core; and said second set of control electrodes, said second waveguide core, and said second portion of said functional region are configured such that, upon application of suitable voltage to said second set of control electrodes, as established by said controller, a TM electromagnetic polarization mode of an optical signal propagating along said second waveguide core encounters an electrooptically induced change in refractive index that is more predominant than an electrooptically induced change in refractive index encountered by a TE electromagnetic polarization mode of said optical signal propagating along said second waveguide core.
- 38. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 37 wherein said controller is programmed to establish said voltages applied to said first and second sets of control electrodes to affect said relative phase delay between said TE mode of polarization in said first optical waveguide arm and said TM mode of polarization in said second optical waveguide arm.
- 39. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 30 wherein said delay section is configured to define first and second optical waveguide arms of unequal path lengths and wherein a difference between said path lengths results in said relative phase delay between said TE mode of polarization in said first optical waveguide arm and said TM mode of polarization in said second optical waveguide arm.
- 40. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 30 wherein said polarization splitter and said polarization combiner each define characteristic switching states controlling whether a TE or TM mode of polarization is directed across waveguide arms, and wherein said polarization splitter and said polarization combiner define identical switching states.
- 41. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 30 wherein said polarization splitter and said polarization combiner each comprise first and second optical waveguide arms arranged to define an optical signal splitting region near an input side of said integrated optical device and an optical signal combining region near an output side of said integrated optical device, (ii) a functional region between said optical signal splitting and combining regions, and (iii) a controller coupled to said functional region, and wherein:
said first optical waveguide arm comprises a first waveguide core passing through a first electrooptic portion of said functional region; said second optical waveguide arm comprises a second waveguide core passing through a second electrooptic portion of said functional region; a first set of control electrodes are positioned to generate an electric field in said first electrooptic portion of said functional region; a second set of control electrodes are positioned to generate an electric field in said second electrooptic portion of said functional region; said first set of control electrodes, said first waveguide core, and said first portion of said functional region are configured such that, upon application of suitable voltage to said first set of control electrodes, as established by said controller, a TE electromagnetic polarization mode of an optical signal propagating along said first waveguide core encounters an electrooptically induced change in refractive index that is more predominant than an electrooptically induced change in refractive index encountered by a TM electromagnetic polarization mode of said optical signal propagating along said first waveguide core; said second set of control electrodes, said second waveguide core, and said second portion of said functional region are configured such that, upon application of suitable voltage to said second set of control electrodes, as established by said controller, a TM electromagnetic polarization mode of an optical signal propagating along said second waveguide core encounters an electrooptically induced change in refractive index that is more predominant than an electrooptically induced change in refractive index encountered by a TE electromagnetic polarization mode of said optical signal propagating along said second waveguide core; and said controller is programmed to establish said voltages applied to said first and second sets of control electrodes to affect optical coupling at said optical signal combining region of TE and TM polarized portions of said optical signals propagating along said first and second waveguide cores such that one of said first and second waveguide cores following said optical signal combining region includes an enhanced TE signal while the other of said first and second waveguide cores following said optical signal combining region includes an enhanced TM signal.
- 42. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 30 wherein said delay section and said polarization combiner are constructed such that said TE and TM modes of polarization propagating in said first and second optical waveguide arms in said delay section are not subject to significant interference upon propagation to said polarization combiner.
- 43. A method of controlling delay in respective TE and TM modes of polarization of an optical signal in an integrated optical device, said method comprising:
splitting TE and TM polarized components of an optical signal with a polarization splitter by directing a TE mode of an input optical signal to a first optical waveguide arm of said device and directing a TM mode of said input optical signal to a second optical waveguide arm of said device; combining said split TE and TM modes of polarization with a polarization combiner by combining said TE mode of said first optical waveguide arm with said TM mode of said second optical waveguide arm into an output optical signal; and prior to combining said TE and TM modes of polarization, affecting a relative phase delay between said TE mode of polarization in said first optical waveguide arm and said TM mode of polarization in said second optical waveguide arm in a delay section in a propagation path between said polarization splitter and said polarization combiner.
- 44. An integrated optical device configured to convert a selected TE or TM mode of polarization of an optical signal, said device comprising:
a polarization splitter configured to direct a TE mode of an input optical signal to a first optical waveguide arm of said device and a TM mode of said input optical signal to a second optical waveguide arm of said device; a polarization rotator positioned in one of said first and second optical waveguide arms to rotate a polarization mode of an optical signal following propagation through said polarization splitter; a delay section in a propagation path between said polarization splitter and said polarization combiner, wherein said delay section is configured to affect a relative phase delay between signals in said first and second optical waveguide arms; and an output coupler configured to combine optical signals of said first and second optical waveguide arms following propagation through said delay section.
- 45. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 44 wherein said polarization rotator comprises a half-wave plate.
- 46. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 45 wherein said half-wave plate comprises a drop-in filter.
- 47. A method of converting a selected TE or TM mode of polarization of an optical signal in an integrated optical device, said method comprising:
splitting TE and TM polarized components of an optical signal with a polarization splitter by directing a TE mode of an input optical signal to a first optical waveguide arm of said device and directing a TM mode of said input optical signal to a second optical waveguide arm of said device; rotating a mode of polarization of one of said TE and TM polarized components in one of said first and second optical waveguide arms following propagation of said optical signal through said polarization splitter; causing a relative phase delay between optical signals in said first and second optical waveguide arms following said rotation of one of said TE and TM polarized components of said optical signal; and combining optical signals of said first and second optical waveguide arms following causation of said relative phase delay.
- 48. A method as claimed in claim 47 wherein said relative phase delay is caused such that it defines a magnitude sufficient to ensure non-interference of said optical signals of said first and second optical waveguide arms upon said combination.
- 49. A method as claimed in claim 47 wherein said relative phase delay is caused such that it defines a magnitude sufficient to ensure a selected amount of interference of said optical signals of said first and second optical waveguide arms upon said combination.
- 50. A method as claimed in claim 49 wherein said selected amount of interference corresponds to a desired attenuation of a combined output of said optical signals of said first and second optical waveguide arms.
- 51. An optical network comprising at least one transmitter, at least one receiver, a network of transmission lines interconnecting said transmitter and said receiver, and at least one integrated optical device, said integrated optical device comprising (i) first and second optical waveguide arms arranged to define an optical signal splitting region near an input side of said integrated optical device and an optical signal combining region near an output side of said integrated optical device and (ii) a functional region between said optical signal splitting and combining regions, wherein:
said first optical waveguide arm comprises a first waveguide core passing through a first electrooptic portion of said functional region; said second optical waveguide arm comprises a second waveguide core passing through a second electrooptic portion of said functional region; a first set of control electrodes are positioned to generate an electric field in said first portion of said functional region; a second set of control electrodes are positioned to generate an electric field in said second portion of said functional region; said first set of control electrodes, said first waveguide core, and said first portion of said functional region are configured such that a TE electromagnetic polarization mode of an optical signal propagating along said first waveguide core encounters an electrooptically induced change in refractive index that is more predominant than an electrooptically induced change in refractive index encountered by a TM electromagnetic polarization mode of said optical signal propagating along said first waveguide core; and said second set of control electrodes, said second waveguide core, and said second portion of said functional region are configured such that a TM electromagnetic polarization mode of an optical signal propagating along said second waveguide core encounters an electrooptically induced change in refractive index that is more predominant than an electrooptically induced change in refractive index encountered by a TE electromagnetic polarization mode of said optical signal propagating along said second waveguide core.
- 52. An optical network comprising at least one transmitter, at least one receiver, a network of transmission lines interconnecting said transmitter and said receiver, at least one optical component, a polarization dependent phase shifter, and a phase shift controller, wherein:
said optical component is configured to introduce a polarization dependent phase delay in an optical signal propagating through said optical network; said polarization dependent phase shifter comprises a waveguide core passing through an electrooptic portion of a functional region of said phase shifter and a set of control electrodes positioned to generate an electric field in said electrooptic portion of said functional region, wherein said control electrodes, said waveguide core, and said functional region are configured such that a TE electromagnetic polarization mode of an optical signal propagating along said waveguide core encounters an electrooptically induced change in refractive index that is more or less predominant than an electrooptically induced change in refractive index encountered by a TM electromagnetic polarization mode of said optical signal propagating along said waveguide core; and said controller is programmed to compensate for said polarization dependent phase delay introduced by said optical component by inducing a suitable change in said refractive indices encountered by said TE and TM polarization modes of said optical signal.
- 53. An optical network as claimed in claim 52 wherein said controller is programmed to compensate for said polarization dependent phase delay in response to an operator command.
- 54. An optical network as claimed in claim 53 wherein said operator command represents a quantification of said polarization dependent phase delay introduced by said optical component.
- 55. An optical network as claimed in claim 53 wherein said operator command represents a command directed at initiating a compensation operation.
- 56. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said optical signal splitter is selected from a 2×2 directional coupling region, a 1×2 directional coupling region, a 1×2 Y signal splitter, a 1×2 multimode interference element splitter, and a 2×2 multimode interference element splitter.
- 57. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said optical signal combiner is selected from a 2×2 directional coupling region, a 1×2 directional coupling region, a 1×2 Y signal combiner, a 1×2 multimode interference element combiner, and a 2×2 multimode interference element combiner.
- 58. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first optical waveguide arm comprises a first electrooptically clad waveguide core in said first portion of said functional region.
- 59. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first optical waveguide arm comprises an electrooptic waveguide core in said first portion of said functional region.
- 60. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second optical waveguide arm comprises a second electrooptically clad waveguide core in said second portion of said functional region.
- 61. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second optical waveguide arm comprises an electrooptic waveguide core in said second portion of said functional region.
- 62. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control electrodes and said waveguide core of at least one of said first and second portions of said functional region define an asymmetric configuration.
- 63. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said functional region is characterized by a predetermined poling.
- 64. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 12 wherein said functional region is characterized by a predetermined poling.
- 65. A method of operating an integrated optical device as claimed in claim 20 wherein said functional region is characterized by a predetermined poling.
- 66. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 22 wherein said functional region is characterized by a predetermined poling.
- 67. A method of operating an integrated optical device as claimed in claim 28 wherein said functional region is characterized by a predetermined poling.
- 68. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 32 wherein said functional region is characterized by a predetermined poling.
- 69. An integrated optical device comprising (i) first and second optical waveguide arms arranged to define an optical signal splitting region near an input side of said integrated optical device and an optical signal combining region near an output side of said integrated optical device and (ii) a functional region between said optical signal splitting and combining regions, wherein:
said first optical waveguide arm comprises a first waveguide core passing through a first portion of said functional region; said second optical waveguide arm comprises a second waveguide core passing through a second portion of said functional region; said first waveguide core and said first portion of said functional region are configured such that a TE electromagnetic polarization mode of an optical signal propagating along said first waveguide core encounters an change in refractive index that is more predominant than a change in refractive index encountered by a TM electromagnetic polarization mode of said optical signal propagating along said first waveguide core; and said second waveguide core and said second portion of said functional region are configured such that a TM electromagnetic polarization mode of an optical signal propagating along said second waveguide core encounters a change in refractive index that is more predominant than a change in refractive index encountered by a TE electromagnetic polarization mode of said optical signal propagating along said second waveguide core.
- 70. An integrated optical device as claimed in claim 69 wherein said integrated optical device is configured such that said respective changes in refractive indices are induced optically, electrooptically, thermooptically, or magnetooptically.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/395,590, filed Jul. 12, 2002. This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/916,238, filed Jul. 26, 2001 and Ser. Nos. 10/098,730 and 10/098,731, filed Mar. 15, 2002.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60395590 |
Jul 2002 |
US |