Brillouin Optical Amplifier With Polarization-Matched Back Light
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical amplifiers experience fluctuations in signal light frequency due to environmental changes in the optical path length of the optical fiber, leading to uncertainty in frequency reception, and require amplification to compensate for longer distances, which is inefficient when back light and signal light polarizations are mismatched.
Innovation Solution
An optical amplifier with a back light polarization adjuster to match the polarization of back light to signal light, and a signal light polarization adjuster to align with a predetermined target polarization, utilizing stimulated Brillouin scattering for bi-directional amplification, with frequency regulation and polarization control devices to optimize amplification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the back light polarization is made perpendicular to the signal light polarization to simplify amplifier construction, then the device complexity is reduced, but the frequency compensation accuracy deteriorates due to polarization-dependent optical path length fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the back light polarization perpendicular to the signal light polarization as in conventional amplifiers, this invention aligns them parallel to each other. This inversion of the polarization relationship ensures that both lights experience identical polarization-dependent optical path length fluctuations, enabling accurate frequency compensation while maintaining simple amplifier construction.
2Length of stationary object
If signal light amplification is implemented over longer distances to extend transmission range, then the transmission distance is increased, but the frequency uncertainty increases due to environmental fluctuations in the optical path length
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses the back light that travels through the same optical fiber to carry frequency fluctuation information back to the amplifier. By aligning the back light polarization with the signal light polarization, the system creates a feedback mechanism where the frequency shifts experienced by the signal light are accurately measured through the back light, enabling real-time compensation and maintaining frequency stability over long transmission distances.
3Device complexity
If the back light and signal light have different polarizations in conventional amplifiers, then the amplifier design is simpler, but the polarization-dependent environmental influences cause errors in optical path length compensation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention makes the polarization states of the back light and signal light homogeneous (identical and parallel) as they pass through the optical fiber. This homogeneity ensures that both lights are affected equally by polarization-dependent environmental influences, allowing the back light to accurately represent the frequency fluctuations of the signal light and enabling precise compensation without increasing design complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution ensures low uncertainty in frequency transmission by aligning polarizations, allowing precise compensation for optical path length fluctuations and achieving high amplification efficiency across longer distances.
Implementation Method 1
a signal light Brillouin amplifier that (i) comprises a signal light amplification pump laser that is designed to generate signal light amplification pump light, which (ii) is arranged to amplify the signal light by means of stimulated Brillouin scattering
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an optical amplifier for amplifying polarized signal light (12) with an optical fiber (14) for guiding the signal light (12) comprising a signal light input (16) for coupling in the signal light (12) and a signal light output (18) that is spaced apart from the signal light input; a signal light Brillouin amplifier (20) comprising a signal light amplification pump laser (22) designed to generate signal light amplification pump light (24), which is arranged to amplify the signal light (12) by means of stimulated Brillouin scattering, and a signal light amplification pump light coupler for coupling the signal light amplification pump light (24) into the optical fiber (14), wherein a signal polarization adjuster (38) designed to adjust a signal light polarization (P12) of the signal light (12) entering through the signal light input (16) to a predetermined signal light target polarization (P12,soll) and/or a back light polarization adjuster (28) designed to adjust a back light polarization (PR) of back light (30) entering through the signal light output, so that the back light polarization (PR) corresponds to a signal light polarization (PS) of the signal light (12).