OPTICAL MONITORING USING OPTICAL FREQUENCY COMBS

摘要

In one embodiment, an optical performance monitor (OPM) is configured to monitor a received optical wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) signal generated by modulating spectral lines of an optical frequency comb. The OPM is further configured to mix the received optical WDM signal with light of another optical frequency comb having a slightly different tooth spacing to generate a set of beat signals at frequencies representing frequency differences between the spectral lines (such as, at the carrier frequencies) of the optical WDM signal and the spectral lines of said another optical frequency comb. The OPM can further be configured to measure one or more parameters of the received optical WDM signal based on the characteristics of the generated beat signals and provide the resulting OPM data to a system controller for maintaining favorable signal-transport conditions within the system.

主权项

1. An apparatus comprising:
a first optical-frequency-comb source configured to generate a first optical frequency comb having a first tooth spacing; a first optical signal combiner configured to optically mix the first optical frequency comb and a first optical WDM signal to generate a first mixed optical signal, wherein nominal spacing between carrier frequencies of the first optical WDM signal is different from the first tooth spacing; and a first signal-processing circuit configured to measure one or more beat signals corresponding to the first mixed optical signal to determine one or more parameters of the first optical WDM signal, wherein each of said one or more beat signals has a respective beat frequency corresponding to a frequency difference between a respective tooth from the first optical frequency comb and a respective spectral line of the first optical WDM signal.