System and Method to Compensate for Frequency Distortions and Polarization Induced Effects in Optical Systems

摘要

The invention provides a system and a method for wavelength referencing and polarization mitigation. An optical wavelength tunable laser source is swept in a number of contiguous, overlapping sweep segments. A coarse reference wavelength section produces a reference signal that defines at least one absolute wavelength within a sweep segment. A fine wavelength reference section produces a periodic wavelength reference signal that defines a plurality of equidistant wavelengths within each sweep segment with an indeterminate offset relative to the absolute wavelength(s) of the coarse reference wavelength section. The free spectral range of the fine wavelength reference section is smaller than the spacing between subsequent absolute reference wavelengths of the coarse reference wavelength section. This arrangement allows reducing the minimum required overlap between contiguous sweep segments.

主权项

1. A wavelength referencing and polarization mitigation system for use with an optical wavelength tunable laser source having a number of different sweep segments, said system comprising:
at least one stable coarse reference wavelength section; a fine wavelength reference section adapted for measuring a periodic wavelength response of an optical device having a Free Spectral Range smaller than the coarse reference wavelength section; and a module for stitching together contiguous sweep segments of the tunable laser source wherein the fine periodic wavelength reference provides a relative offset wavelength reference compared to the coarse wavelength reference section, such that the minimum required overlap between sweep segments is reduced.