Coherent Optical Injection Locking for Multi-Source Laser Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of digital coherent technologies into optical access networks faces challenges due to high power consumption and cost requirements, particularly in the access network environment, where traditional high-performance lasers are costly and large, and low-cost lasers do not generate optical signals of sufficient quality for coherent optical systems.
Innovation Solution
The use of coherent optical injection locking (COIL) systems, which employ a high-performance parent laser to injection lock multiple child lasers, replicating the optical source characteristics such as phase, wavelength, and linewidth, thereby reducing costs and power consumption while maintaining high-quality optical signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple high-performance lasers are used to generate optical sources for coherent optical systems, then the optical signal quality is sufficient, but the cost and power consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple optical source generation functions into a single high-performance laser system. One optical source generator produces a main optical source signal, while simultaneously generating injection locking signals that are distributed to multiple child lasers. This merging approach allows multiple optical sources to be derived from a single high-performance laser, reducing the total number of high-power-consumption devices while maintaining signal quality through coherent injection locking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces injection locking signals as an intermediary mechanism between the single parent laser and multiple child lasers. These intermediary signals carry the optical characteristics (phase, wavelength, frequency) from the high-performance parent laser to the child lasers, enabling the child lasers to replicate high-quality optical sources without requiring each child laser to be a high-performance device itself. This intermediary approach resolves the contradiction by decoupling the quality requirement from the power consumption of each individual laser.
2Reliability
If multiple high-performance lasers are used to generate optical sources, then the optical signal quality is sufficient, but the system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the function of multiple expensive high-performance lasers into a single parent laser system. By having one optical source generator produce both the main optical source and the injection locking signals for multiple child lasers, the system reduces the number of high-cost components. The child lasers can be lower-cost devices since they only need to replicate characteristics rather than generate independent high-quality signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses optical copying through injection locking, where the injection locking signals carry the optical characteristics (phase, wavelength, frequency) from the parent laser to the child lasers. The child lasers essentially copy the optical properties of the parent laser's output, creating multiple high-quality optical sources without needing multiple expensive original generators. This copying mechanism maintains signal quality while reducing system cost.
3Device complexity
If low-cost lasers are used in optical access networks, then the system cost and power consumption are reduced, but the optical signal quality becomes insufficient for coherent optical systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses injection locking signals as an intermediary that transfers optical quality from a single high-performance parent laser to multiple child lasers. The child lasers can be low-cost devices, but they receive injection locking signals that impose the high-quality optical characteristics (narrow linewidth, stable phase, precise wavelength) onto their output. This intermediary mechanism allows low-cost lasers to produce high-quality optical signals suitable for coherent optical systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the child lasers through injection locking. By injecting the parent laser's output into the child lasers, the child lasers' output parameters (linewidth, phase stability, wavelength accuracy) are transformed from typical low-cost laser specifications to high-quality parameters matching the parent laser. This parameter transformation enables low-cost hardware to achieve high-performance output characteristics.
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
This approach allows for the generation of multiple high-performance optical sources from a single high-quality laser, significantly reducing the overall cost and power consumption of coherent optical systems, enabling efficient distribution of optical sources within optical communication networks.
Implementation Method 1
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.