All-optical polarization independent optical time division multiplexer and demultiplexer with birefringence compensation
US5357359A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 11, 1993 |
| Grant date | Oct 18, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 11, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04J14/08
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An all-optical polarization independent optical time division multiplexer and demultiplexer which are stable as well as very fast, while being independent of the polarization state of the input optical signal pulses. The demultiplexer has a wavelength-division-multiplexing coupler for wavelength-division-multiplexing time-division-multiplexed optical signal pulses and optical control pulses, and splitting the optical signal pulses at a splitting ratio of 1:1 into two ports, the optical control pulses being in a polarization state in which two orthogonally polarized components have a substantially identical amplitude; an optical Kerr medium with birefringence, for connecting two ports of the wavelength-division-multiplexing coupler, the optical Kerr medium incorporating a birefringence compensation mechanism for compensating a polarization dispersion between two principal axes of the birefringence; and a wavelength division demultiplexer for wavelength-division-demultiplexing time-wise overlapping optical signal pulses and optical control pulses propagated through the optical Kerr medium, to obtain time-division-demultiplexed optical signal pulses. In the multiplexer, the input and …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.