Programmable optical filter based on integrated silicon waveguide

Abstract

The invention discloses a programmable optical filter based on an integrated silicon waveguide. The programmable optical filter comprises a coupler, a power modulation structure, a phase modulation structure, a delay structure and a coupler which are connected in sequence. An optical signal required to be processed is input into an integrated silicon waveguide system; the optical signal is divided into multiple paths of signals through the coupler; the power of the paths of optical signals is adjusted through the power modulation structure; the phases of the paths of optical signals are adjusted through the phase modulation structure; the paths of optical signals are delayed; finally the paths of optical signals are combined into a path through the coupler; programmable filtering with adjustable central wavelength, adjustable bandwidth and adjustable filtering shape can be realized by adjusting the power and the phases of the paths of signals through an electric or heat modulation method. The programmable optical filter is simple and compact in structure, lower in cost, easy to realize, wider in application range and high in availability, and can be used for realizing integratable and programmable optical filtering.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to the technical field of optical filtering, in particular to a programmable optical filter based on an integrated silicon-based waveguide. Background technique [0002] The main function of the optical filter is to screen the broadband spectral signal to obtain the required narrowband signal or special frequency component. It is an extremely important part of the optical system. Fast optics and other aspects have made great contributions. [0003] Existing tunable optical filters can be mainly divided into three types: center wavelength tunable filters, bandwidth tunable filters, and center wavelength and bandwidth tunable filters. The first type of central wavelength tunable filter means that the bandwidth of the filter is invariable, and the central wavelength of the filter can be changed, which can be divided into grating-based tunable filters (Das M and Thyagarajan K, "Wavelength division multiplexing isolation filter using...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Both approaches have certain limitations

The first solution requires very precise mechanical control, and the production is complicated and costly

The tuning range of the wavelength and bandwidth of the filter in the second scheme is very narrow, which greatly limits its application range

In addition, both Finisar and SanTec have developed commercial optical filters with adjustable center frequency and adjustable bandwidth (such as Finisar's WaveShaper4000s and Santec's OTF-950 and OTF-930 models), but they are all spatial optical technologies, and Non-integrated optical technology, so the system built is bulky, high power consumption and high cost

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