Receiver for OTDM/PDM optical signals

US7483642B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• ALCATEL · FR

Inventors

• Michael Schmidt · Dresden, DE
• Eugen Lach · Erbach, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 31, 2003
• Grant date: Jan 27, 2009
• Expiry date: Jan 11, 2026

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04J14/06
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A receiver for an OTDM/PDM pulse train (10) in which the pulses (12) have alternating polarizations (P1, P2) has a polarization insensitive optical switch (16; 161, 162, 163, 164) for isolating optical pulses (10′) within the pulse train (10), and a polarization selective element (17) for separating from the isolated pulses (10′) at least one component that has a single polarization. This allows to considerable relax the constraints posed on the switch since components in the isolated pulses that result from interchannel interference can, at least to a large extent, be eliminated by the subsequent polarization selective element (17).