Method and apparatus for determining transmission wavelengths for lasers in a dense wavelength division multiplexer
US6587484B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 10, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jul 1, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 10, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S5/4087
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The method and apparatus operates to calibrate a transmission laser of the dense wavelength division multiplexer (DWDM). In one example, the transmission laser is a widely tunable laser (WTL) to be tuned to one of a set of International Telecommunications Union (ITU) transmission grid lines for transmission through an optic fiber. The WTL is tuned to the ITU grid using an etalon and a gas cell having acetylene, hydrogen cyanide or carbon dioxide. Initially, the absolute transmission wavelengths of the WTL are calibrated by routing an output beam from the WTL through the etalon and through the gas cell while varying tuning parameters of the WTL to thereby generate an etalon spectrum and a gas absorption spectrum both as functions of the tuning parameters. The etalon and gas absorption spectra are compared, along with input reference information specifying gas absorption as a function of absolute wavelength, to determine the absolute transmission wavelength for the WTL as a function of the tuning parameters. The WTL is then tuned to align the transmission wavelength of the WTL to an ITU transmission grid line.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.