Reconfigurable optical-to-optical frequency conversion method and apparatus

摘要

A photonic device is provided for impressing a modulation pattern on an optical carrier. The device includes a unit in which a photodetector and an optical microresonator are monolithically integrated. The device further includes an optical waveguide evanescently coupled to the optical microresonator and having at least an upstream portion configured to carry at least one optical carrier toward the microresonator. The optical microresonator is tunable so as to resonate with the optical carrier frequency. The optical microresonator and the photodetector are mutually coupled such that in operation, charge carriers photogenerated in the photodetector are injected into the microresonator, where the photocurrent changes the resonant conditions. In some embodiments the device is operable as an optical-to-optical frequency converter. In other embodiments the device is operable as an oscillator.

主权项

1. An optical cross-connect apparatus for transferring data from at least one input optical carrier to at least one output optical carrier, comprising:
a photodetector; an optical microresonator monolithically integrated on a common substrate with the photodetector; a path electrically connecting the photodetector to the microresonator; an arrangement of electrical contacts operable for applying a voltage between the photodetector and the microresonator, wherein the voltage creates an electric field oriented to sweep photogenerated charge carriers from the photodetector into the microresonator upon excitation of the photodetector; an input waveguide optically coupled to the photodetector and configured so that in operation it will excite the photodetector with the input optical carrier; and an output waveguide optically coupled to the microresonator and configured so that in operation it will transport the output optical carrier at least in a downstream direction away from the microresonator, wherein the microresonator is optically coupled to the output waveguide such that at resonance, the output optical carrier does not propagate in the output waveguide in the downstream direction, but away from resonance, the output carrier is able to propagate in the output waveguide in the downstream direction.