EIT based optical switch/wavelength converter
US6426831B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 20, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jul 30, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 20, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F2/004
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical communication system includes an EIT based wavelength converter/switch. EIT, i.e., electromagnetically induced transparency, refers to the elimination of resonant absorption on an otherwise optically allowed transition by the application of a coherent coupling light field. In one embodiment, the EIT converter provides a 1×1 converter for converting a data stream from a first wavelength to a second wavelength. A constant wave probe field and a coherent coupling field, which has a state corresponding to data stream, are applied to the EIT medium. The converter can convert the data stream from a wavelength corresponding to the coupling field to the wavelength of the probe field. In a further embodiment, additional pairs of probe and coupling fields are applied to the EIT medium to provide an N×N converter.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.