Single-Side Optical Multiplexer for Compact Transceivers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical transceivers face challenges in scaling down while maintaining performance due to issues like insertion loss, polarization dependent loss, and thermal management, particularly in compact designs where heat from lasers affects optical multiplexer efficiency and channel stability.
Innovation Solution
An optical transmitter or transceiver design featuring an optical multiplexer with input and output ports on a single side, utilizing a reversed planar lightwave circuit (PLC) splitter that reduces footprint, minimizes fiber bending, and provides wavelength-independent operation, thereby enhancing channel-to-channel power stability and thermal management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the transceiver is scaled down to reduce size, then the transceiver module size decreases, but thermal management deteriorates due to heat from lasers affecting optical multiplexer efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The optical multiplexer is positioned at the distal end of the housing, utilizing the longitudinal dimension (length) of the transceiver module to separate the heat-generating lasers from the heat-sensitive multiplexer. This spatial arrangement in the longitudinal direction allows compact transverse dimensions while maintaining thermal separation, thus reducing module size without compromising thermal management.
2Length of stationary object
If conventional optical multiplexers with input and output ports on opposite sides are used, then optical signal transmission is achieved, but the transceiver length increases and fiber bending is required
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of the conventional configuration where input and output ports are on opposite sides of the multiplexer, this invention inverts the arrangement by placing both input ports and output port on the same side (front face) of the multiplexer. This inversion eliminates the need for long fiber routes and bending, thereby reducing transceiver length and simplifying fiber coupling operations.
3Productivity
If channel density and speed are increased, then transmission performance improves, but optical efficiency deteriorates due to insertion loss and polarization dependent loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs wavelength division multiplexing with specifically selected wavelength channels that are optimized for low loss transmission. By changing the operational parameter (wavelength selection) and using a multiplexer design with minimized polarization dependent loss, the system achieves high channel density and speed while maintaining optical efficiency and minimizing insertion loss.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-channel optical transmitter or transceiver includes an optical multiplexer with input and output ports on a single side. The optical multiplexer receives optical signals at different channel wavelengths on a plurality of mux input ports on one side and combines the optical signals into a multiplexed optical signal, which is output on an optical output port on the same side. The optical multiplexer may be located at a distal end of a transceiver or transmitter housing. In one embodiment, the optical multiplexer is a reversed planar lightwave circuit (PLC) splitter including splitter output ports that are used as the mux input ports and a splitter input port that is used as the mux output port. The mux input ports may be optically coupled to respective transmitter optical subassembly (TOSA) modules with optical fibers.