Fused-fiber multi-window wavelength filter using unbalanced Michelson Interferometer
US6324322A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 7, 1999 |
| Grant date | Nov 27, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 7, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/2821
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A fused-fiber multi-window wavelength filter (MWF) is constructed with an unbalanced Michelson Interferometer, in which input light passing through the fused coupling region is decoupled and travels along two fibers of different optical path lengths. The two light signals travel to the end of the two fibers, where a highly reflective coating reflects the light back toward the coupling region, where the signals are coupled again and then decoupled after exiting the coupling region. By adjusting the optical path length difference, either by changing the length or refractive index, a signal at a desired wavelength can be obtained at the filter output. The MWF can be combined with other MWFs to form more compact sized multi-window wavelength division multiplexers (MWDMs) and dense WDMs. Passive thermal compensation techniques can be applied to one or both of the reflecting fibers to maintain the desired optical path length difference.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.