VARIABLE OPTICAL ATTENUATOR HAVING WAVEGUIDE AND OPTICALLY COUPLED LAYER WITH POWER MONITOR

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a variable optical attenuator (VOA) that is faster than currently available devices, can be assembled in large numbers as an array and is manufactured by techniques that allow integration into other WDM devices.

SOLUTION: The intensity of signals in optical networks can be controlled using the VOA. The VOA is particularly well suited for optical networks, providing channel-by-channel normalization of gain control of wavelength division multiplexed signals. The VOA includes a waveguide having a cladding that includes an electro-optical material and electrodes that produce an electric field within the electro-optical material when a potential difference is applied to the electrodes. The VOA also includes a layer that is parallel to the core of the waveguide and that optically couples to the core to receive light from the attenuated signal. A power meter receives light from the layer as an indication of the amount of light attenuated from the signal and controls the voltage to the electrodes.

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