Method and system for obtaining variable optical attenuation with very low polarization dependent loss over an ultra wide dynamic range
US6856751B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 3, 2002 |
| Grant date | Feb 15, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 8, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/266
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and system of operating a variable optical attenuator to provide a required total attenuation in a planar lightwave circuit. The method comprises providing a first Mach-Zehnder interferometer having a first and a second arm carrying signals in an arbitrary polarization state, providing a second Mach-Zehnder interferometer having a third and a fourth arm carrying signals in an arbitrary polarization state, the second Mach-Zehnder interferometer concatenated in tandem with the first Mach-Zehnder interferometer, and cooperatively operating the concatenated first and second Mach-Zehnder interferometers to obtain the required total attenuation and an effectively nil polarization dependent loss.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.