Wavelength monitor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9395487-B2
Application number	US-201414493523-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2014
Priority date	Sep 26, 2013
Publication date	Jul 19, 2016
Grant date	Jul 19, 2016

Abstract

Provided are an optical element and a wavelength monitor capable of detecting a wavelength with high accuracy and at high speed while suppressing a size. The optical element includes: a branch waveguide section configured to branch an input light beam and generate two outputs routed via paths having mutually different optical path lengths; and an optical synthesis section configured to synthesize the two outputs and output two optical signals having different light intensities with regards to a wavelength of the input light beam and exhibiting a mutual phase difference.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wavelength monitor comprising:
a branch waveguide section configured to branch an input light beam and generate two outputs routed via paths having mutually different optical path lengths;
an optical synthesis section including a multimode interferometer, the optical synthesis section configured to synthesize the two outputs and output two optical signals having different light intensities with regards to a wavelength of the input light beam and exhibiting a mutual phase difference;
a first photodiode and a second photodiode that convert the two optical signals from the optical synthesis section to two current signals;
a third photodiode; and
an optical branch, a first end of which is coupled to the branch waveguide section and a second end of which is coupled to the third photodiode that converts an optical input to a current signal representing intensity of the input light beam of the wavelength monitor.

2. The wavelength monitor according to claim 1 , wherein the output phase difference of the optical synthesis section is 90°.

3. The wavelength monitor according to claim 1 , wherein the optical synthesis section includes any one of a 4 inputs 4 outputs multimode interferometer, a combination of a 2 inputs 2 outputs multimode interferometer and an optical delay section to cause an optical delay, or a combination of a 1 input 2 outputs multimode interferometer and a 2 inputs 2 outputs multimode interferometer.

4. The wavelength monitor according to claim 1 , wherein the branch waveguide section and the optical synthesis section are integrated on a same substrate.

5. The wavelength monitor according to claim 1 , further comprising a temperature control apparatus including a thermoelectric cooler, the temperature control apparatus configured to maintain temperatures of the branch waveguide section and the optical synthesis section at an instructed temperature.

Assignees

• Sumitomo Electric Industries

Inventors

• Uesaka Katsumi
• Onishi Yutaka

Classifications

• G02B6/12007

  forming wavelength selective elements, e.g. multiplexer, demultiplexer · CPC title

• G02B2006/12061

  Silicon · CPC title

• G01J9/0246 Primary

  Measuring optical wavelength · CPC title

• G02B6/12009

  comprising arrayed waveguide grating [AWG] devices, i.e. with a phased array of waveguides · CPC title

• G02B6/10 Primary

  of the optical waveguide type (G02B6/02, G02B6/24 take precedence; devices or arrangements for the control of light by electric, magnetic, electro-magnetic or acoustic means G02F1/00; transferring the modulation of modulated light G02F2/00; optical logic elements G02F3/00; optical analogue/digital converters G02F7/00) · CPC title