Optical Injection Locking for Multi-Source Laser Replication
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Coherent optical systems require high-performance lasers for generating optical signals with narrow linewidth and stable wavelength, which are costly and bulky, and existing methods for distributing these signals are inefficient, leading to high costs and space requirements.
Innovation Solution
Utilize a coherent optical injection locking (COIL) system with a high-performance parent laser to injection lock multiple low-cost child lasers, replicating the optical characteristics of the parent laser across multiple optical sources using a COIL apparatus, which can be integrated into photonic chips for cost-effective and flexible optical source generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple high-performance lasers are used to generate optical sources with narrow linewidth and stable wavelength, then the optical signal quality is improved, but the cost and size of the system increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the optical source generation into two functional segments: a single high-performance parent laser that generates the reference signal, and multiple low-performance child lasers that are injection-locked to replicate the parent's characteristics. This segmentation allows one expensive component to support many cheaper components, reducing overall system cost and complexity while maintaining signal quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses injection locking to create optical copies of the parent laser's signal characteristics. Child lasers are locked to the parent laser's output, copying its narrow linewidth and wavelength stability without requiring the child lasers to inherently possess these high-performance characteristics. This copying mechanism enables multiple optical sources to achieve high signal quality through a single expensive reference source.
2Productivity
If multiple single-mode optical light sources are used to support increasing bandwidth demands, then the network capacity is improved, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single parent laser serves multiple functions simultaneously: it generates the optical signal for transmission and provides the injection locking reference for multiple child lasers across different network nodes. This multi-functionality allows one high-performance source to support multiple wavelength division multiplexing channels and multiple network locations, increasing network capacity without proportionally increasing the number of expensive lasers required.
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
Reduces the overall cost and size of coherent optical systems by using a single high-performance laser to generate multiple high-quality optical sources, enabling efficient and flexible distribution of optical signals with consistent characteristics across various components.
Implementation Method 1
coherent optical injection locking (COIL) system includes a plurality of optical source generators each having: a child laser; and an optical circulator coupled with the child laser to direct one of a plurality of injection locking signals to the child laser to cause the child laser to generate an optical source output that replicates the one injection locking signal
Data Source
AI summary
A coherent optical injection locking (COIL) apparatus generates multiple optical source outputs from a single optical source generated by a parent laser. The COIL apparatus includes a plurality of optical source generators each having a child laser, of lesser performance than the parent laser, that is injection locked to the single optical source. The optical source generators may have one or both of a shared configuration and a cascaded configuration that replicates the single optical source, or a single wavelength of the single optical source when it is a comb source.