Method and system for a polarization immune wavelength division multiplexing demultiplexer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9577780-B2
Application number	US-201514752709-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2015
Priority date	Jun 26, 2014
Publication date	Feb 21, 2017
Grant date	Feb 21, 2017

Abstract

Methods and systems for a polarization immune wavelength division multiplexing demultiplexer are disclosed and may include, in an optoelectronic transceiver having an input coupler, a demultiplexer, and an amplitude scrambler: receiving input optical signals of different polarization via the input coupler, communicating the input optical signals to the amplitude scrambler via waveguides, configuring the average optical power in each of the waveguides utilizing the amplitude scrambler, and demultiplexing the optical signals utilizing the demultiplexer. The amplitude scrambler may include phase modulators and a coupling section. The phase modulators may include sections of P-N junctions in the two waveguides. The demultiplexer may include a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer. The demultiplexed signals may be received utilizing photodetectors. The input coupler may include a polarization splitting grating coupler. The average optical power may be configured above which demultiplexer control circuitry is able to control the demultiplexer to process incoming optical signals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for optical communication, the method comprising:
in a transceiver having an input coupler, a demultiplexer, and an amplitude scrambler:
receiving at least two modulated input optical signals of different polarization via the input coupler;
communicating the at least two input optical signals to the amplitude scrambler via two waveguides;
configuring the average optical power in each of the two waveguides utilizing the amplitude scrambler; and
demultiplexing the at least two optical signals utilizing the demultiplexer, wherein the demultiplexer comprises a plurality of phase modulation sections coupled to outputs of the amplitude scrambler.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the amplitude scrambler comprises phase modulators and a coupling section.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the phase modulators comprise sections of P-N junctions in the two waveguides.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the demultiplexer comprises a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer.

5. The method according to claim 1 , comprising receiving the demultiplexed signals utilizing at least two photodetectors.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the input coupler comprises a polarization splitting grating coupler.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the average optical power is configured above a threshold value that is an optical power level above which demultiplexer control circuitry is able to control the demultiplexer to process incoming optical signals.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the transceiver comprises an optoelectronic transceiver in a silicon photonically-enabled integrated circuit.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the silicon photonically-enabled integrated circuit is in a single complementary-metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) die.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the silicon photonically-enabled integrated circuit is in two CMOS die, a first die comprising electronic devices and a second die comprising optical devices.

11. A system for communication, the system comprising:
a transceiver comprising an input coupler, a demultiplexer, and an amplitude scrambler, the transceiver being operable to:
receive at least two modulated input optical signals of different polarization via the input coupler;
communicate the at least two input optical signals to the amplitude scrambler via two waveguides;
configure the average optical power in each of the two waveguides utilizing the amplitude scrambler; and
demultiplex the at least two optical signals utilizing the demultiplexer wherein the demultiplexer comprises a plurality of phase modulation sections coupled to outputs of the amplitude scrambler.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the amplitude scrambler comprises phase modulators and a coupling section.

13. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the phase modulators comprise sections of P-N junctions in the two waveguides.

14. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the demultiplexer comprises a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer.

15. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the transceiver is operable to receive the demultiplexed signals utilizing at least two photodetectors.

16. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the input coupler comprises a polarization splitting grating coupler.

17. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the average optical power is configured above a threshold value, and wherein the threshold value is an optical power level above which demultiplexer control circuitry is able to control the demultiplexer to process incoming optical signals.

18. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the transceiver comprises an optoelectronic transceiver in a silicon photonically-enabled integrated circuit in a single complementary-metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) die.

19. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the transceiver comprises an optoelectronic transceiver in a silicon photonically-enabled integrated circuit in two CMOS die, a first die comprising electronic devices and a second die comprising optical devices.

20. A system for communication, the system comprising:
a transceiver comprising a polarization splitting grating coupler (PSGC), a demultiplexer, and an amplitude scrambler, the transceiver being operable to:
receive at least two modulated input optical signals of different polarization via the PSGC;
communicate the at least two input optical signals to the amplitude scrambler via two waveguides;
configure the average optical power in each of the two waveguides utilizing the amplitude scrambler; and
demultiplex the at least two optical signals utilizing the demultiplexer wherein the demultiplexer comprises a plurality of phase modulation sections coupled to outputs of the amplitude scrambler.

Assignees

• Luxtera Inc

Inventors

• Welch Brian

Classifications

• G02B6/29395

  configurable, e.g. tunable or reconfigurable (switching G02B6/35) · CPC title

• G02B6/29352

  in a light guide · CPC title

• G02B6/12007

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

• G02B6/34

  utilising prism or grating {(G02B6/293 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G02B6/2786

  Reducing the polarisation degree, i.e. depolarisers, scramblers, unpolarised output · CPC title