Optical Node Device Multicore Amplification Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multicore optical fiber amplifiers struggle to maintain constant output signal optical power per wavelength despite changes in input signal optical power, making them unsuitable for use in optical nodes where consistent output is required.
Innovation Solution
An optical node device comprising a multicore optical amplification unit, a separation unit, an optical cross-connect switch, single-core optical amplification units, and a control unit that adjusts optical attenuators and amplifiers to maintain constant output power across wavelengths, using a cladding-pumped erbium-doped fiber and core-pumped single-core amplifiers to regulate signal power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If cladding pumped multicore fiber amplifier uses high-output multimode semiconductor laser, then number of excitation light sources is reduced to one, but independent control of gain and output optical power for respective cores becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the amplification system into a shared multicore amplification stage and individual single-core amplification stages. The single excitation light source is used in the multicore amplifier for efficient pumping, while the subsequent single-core amplifiers provide independent control capability for each core's output power, thus maintaining low complexity while enabling independent control
Solution Approach 2:
The optical cross-connect switch acts as an intermediary that distributes signals from the multicore amplifier to individual single-core amplifiers. This intermediary structure enables the system to use one excitation source while still achieving independent control of each core's output through the subsequent single-core amplification stages
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 device ensures constant output signal optical power per wavelength even with changes in input power, effectively addressing the limitations of existing multicore amplifiers by precise control of attenuation and amplification.
Implementation Method 1
a cladding pumped multicore optical amplifier including a double-clad rare earth doped fiber
Implementation Method 2
cladding pumped multicore optical amplifier including a double-clad rare earth doped fiber and a high-output multimode excitation light source
Implementation Method 3
an optical attenuator that individually attenuates light input from each of the plurality of input-side single-core fibers
Implementation Method 4
separates the light in accordance with a wavelength, and outputs the separated light to an output-side single-core fiber
Data Source
AI summary
An optical node device includes: a multicore optical amplification unit that amplifies collectively light transmitted along a multicore fiber; a separation unit that inputs the amplified light in each core to each of a plurality of input-side single-core fibers; an optical cross-connect switch that attenuates the light input from each of the plurality of input-side single-core fibers through an optical attenuator, separates the light in accordance with a wavelength, and outputs the separated light to an output-side single-core fiber of a plurality of output-side single-core fibers related to a respective output destination; a plurality of single-core optical amplification units that amplify the light transmitted along the corresponding output-side single-core fibers; and an output unit that outputs the light transmitted along each of the plurality of output-side single-core fibers to a multicore fiber. A control unit controls the optical attenuator and the single-core optical amplification unit based on input signal optical power and output optical signal power.