FILTER TAP FOR OPTICAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

摘要

A filter tap for optical communication systems includes an optical resonant cavity comprising generally parallel, facing dielectric mirrors spaced to permit resonance in a selected band of channels. Optical signals from an input portion of a main trunk line carrying optical signals on a plurality of bands are coupled to one of the mirrors at an end face of the resonant cavity and are coupled from the one mirror to an output portion of the main trunk line with minimal reduction in optical signals in nonselected bands. Optical signals in the selected band are coupled from the other of the mirrors on the other end face of the resonant cavity to a branch line. In one preferred embodiment, the cavity is a finer optic resonant cavity and trunk line optical fibers are coupled directly to one of the mirrors of the cavity. Power is coupled from the input portion to the output portion of the trunk line by evanescent coupling. A second resonant cavity can couple power in the same or a different band to a second branch line. Optical pumping can be utilized at the filter tap for optical signal amplification. The filter tap can include a macro-optical resonant cavity and lenses for directing optical signals between optical fiber cores and the resonant cavity.