Planar Optical Amplifier Package for Compact Pluggable Modules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical amplifiers face challenges with size reduction and increased loss due to the use of hybrid components, which complicate manufacturability and alignment, and fail to achieve the necessary compactness for integration in pluggable modules or transceivers.
Innovation Solution
A compact optical amplifier is developed using a planar optical package with free-space optics and discrete components, allowing for individual alignment and reduced fiber management, thereby minimizing size and loss while enabling automation in manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If hybrid components are used to reduce size, then device compactness is improved, but manufacturing complexity and alignment difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The optical amplifier is divided into separate discrete components (pump laser, combiner, active fiber, isolators, filter, photo detector) that can be individually manufactured and tested, then assembled on a planar substrate. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while simplifying manufacturing and alignment processes compared to integrated hybrid components.
2Volume of moving object
If hybrid components are used to reduce size, then device compactness is improved, but alignment precision becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The optical components are arranged on a planar substrate (two-dimensional plane) rather than in three-dimensional space, which simplifies alignment procedures. The planar configuration allows all components to be aligned within a single plane, reducing the complexity of spatial alignment while achieving compact device size.
3Ease of manufacture
If discrete components are used instead of hybrid components, then manufacturability and alignment are improved, but device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple discrete optical components (pump laser, combiner, active fiber, isolators, filter, photo detector) are merged and assembled on a single planar substrate. This integration of discrete components onto one platform reduces the overall device size while maintaining the manufacturing and alignment advantages of using discrete, individually optimizable components.
4Adaptability or versatility
If more components are integrated into the optical amplifier, then functionality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The planar substrate serves as a universal platform that can accommodate various optical components and configurations. The modular design allows the same substrate structure to support different component arrangements and optical amplifier configurations, enabling versatile functionality without proportionally increasing structural 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 compact optical amplifier achieves size reduction without performance sacrifice, improves manufacturability, and allows for easier integration into smaller form factors like pluggable modules, with enhanced alignment capabilities and reduced thermal issues.
Implementation Method 1
a combiner for combining the signal light and the pump light into combined light
Implementation Method 2
a free-space optical system for filtering amplified signal light from the amplified light, wherein the free-space optical system includes beam shaping optics that enlarge a beam size of the amplified light prior to the filtering
Data Source
AI summary
An optical device may include a package having a first port for receiving signal light, a source for providing pump light, a combiner for combining the signal light and the pump light into combined light, a second port for sending the combined light, a third port for receiving amplified light, and a free-space optical system for filtering amplified signal light from the amplified light, and a fourth port for sending the amplified signal light. The free-space optical system may include beam shaping optics that enlarge a beam size of the amplified light prior to the filtering.