Resonator Arrangement for Stable Optical Data Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
In optical networks using wavelength division multiplexing, the instability of laser modes within frequency channels leads to unreliable data transmission at higher bandwidths, as the receiver cannot distinguish between mode fluctuations and the useful signal, especially at transmission rates above 2.5 Gbit/s, resulting in costly maintenance and stock requirements for diverse SFPs.
Innovation Solution
A method employing a resonator arrangement with coprime ring resonators to filter out unwanted wavelengths, using the Vernier effect to ensure each transmitter is excited by a single natural mode, stabilizing the laser emission within specific frequency channels, thus preventing mode jumping and enabling reliable data transmission across multiple channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If broadband lasers are used to excite transmitters with multiple modes, then cost is reduced by using universal SFPs, but transmission reliability deteriorates at higher bandwidths due to mode fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the broadband laser spectrum into discrete wavelength channels using a resonator arrangement. Each resonator is tuned to a specific wavelength, dividing the continuous broadband output into separate, stable frequency channels that can be individually assigned to transmitters, thereby eliminating mode fluctuations while maintaining cost efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The resonator arrangement acts as an intermediary between the broadband laser and the transmitters. It filters and stabilizes the broadband light into specific wavelength modes before reaching the transmitters, preventing direct coupling of multiple unstable modes while enabling reliable high-bandwidth transmission.
2Productivity
If multiple laser modes are excited within frequency channels, then bandwidth is increased, but signal stability deteriorates as receiver cannot distinguish mode fluctuations from useful signal
Solution Approach 1:
The resonator arrangement segments the broadband laser output into discrete, non-overlapping wavelength channels. Each channel is stabilized by the resonator's natural mode structure, ensuring that while multiple channels provide high bandwidth, each individual channel maintains stable signal composition that the receiver can reliably distinguish.
Solution Approach 2:
Each wavelength channel is given distinct local quality through resonator filtering. The resonators are tuned to specific wavelengths with narrow bandwidths, creating locally stable signal characteristics in each channel while the overall system maintains high total bandwidth through the combination of multiple channels.
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 solution allows for stable and efficient data transmission at higher bandwidths, such as 10 Gbit/s, using universal SFPs without the need for extensive wavelength stabilization, reducing maintenance and stock costs by ensuring only one mode is excited per channel, thereby maintaining reliable data transfer.
Implementation Method 1
A method employing a resonator arrangement with coprime ring resonators to filter out unwanted wavelengths, using the Vernier effect to ensure each transmitter is excited by a single natural mode
Implementation Method 2
A method for optical data transmission... employing a resonator arrangement with coprime ring resonators... using the Vernier effect to ensure each transmitter is excited by a single natural mode, stabilizing the laser emission within specific frequency channels
Implementation Method 3
stabilizing the laser emission within specific frequency channels, thus preventing mode jumping and enabling reliable data transmission across multiple channels
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to optical data transmission between a plurality of optical transmitters (11-1n) and optical receivers (21-2n) via optical waveguides and multiplexers/demultiplexers (3, 4, 3', 4') in an optical network using different frequency channels. The transmitters (11-1n), which emit laser light modulated with the data to be transmitted as a carrier signal, are excited by an optical arrangement (5) comprising at least one light source to emit carrier signals with wavelengths that differ from each other and from their assignment to the frequency channels by means of mode-locking. Each transmitter (11-1n) is locked by a different mode provided by the optical arrangement (5), which are equidistant with respect to their wavelength.To avoid the alternating excitation of different eigenmodes of the laser of a transmitter (11 - 1n) that lie within a frequency channel, individual modes of the spectrum provided by the optical arrangement (5) are filtered out.