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    • 专利摘要:
    Modular reconfigurable optical distributor, system and procedure to transmit an optical signal through the modular reconfigurable optical distributor, which allows coupling and uncoupling waveguides by lateral contact, that is, in a stackable and unstackable way, and therefore reconfigurable. This optical distributor can be used in different applications such as passive optical hubs, optical couplers, optical filters, etc., without the fact of coupling or uncoupling each waveguide implying that the other output waveguides are significantly modified. the characteristics of the optical signal (power, phase, etc.) that it receives from an input waveguide. Likewise, the flat substrate used can be made of glass, plastic or even silicone, which enables it as a flexible and biocompatible multipurpose platform. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)
    公开号:ES2836854A1
    申请号:ES201931159
    申请日:2019-12-27
    公开日:2021-06-28
    发明作者:Villar Fernandez Ignacio Del；Sanz Jesús María Corres；Fernandez Javier Goicoechea；Lorenzo Omar Fuentes；Rodriguez Ismel Dominguez；Maestro Ignacio Raúl Matias
    申请人:Universidad Publica de Navarra；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    [0002] Modular reconfigurable optical distributor and system and procedure for transmitting an optical signal through the modular reconfigurable optical distributor
    [0004] Technical sector of the invention
    [0005] The following invention refers to a reconfigurable modular optical distributor, a system and a method for transmitting an optical signal through the reconfigurable modular optical distributor, allowing to couple and uncouple waveguides by lateral contact, that is to say in a stackable and unstackable way, and therefore Therefore, reconfigurable. This optical distributor can be used in different applications such as passive optical hubs, optical couplers, optical filters, etc., without the fact of coupling or uncoupling each waveguide implying that the other output waveguides are significantly modified. the characteristics of the optical signal (power, phase, etc.) that it receives from an input waveguide. Likewise, the flat substrate used can be made of glass, plastic or even silicone, which enables it as a flexible and biocompatible multipurpose platform.
    [0007] Background of the invention
    [0008] In a society where photonics plays an increasingly important role, it is vital to develop multipurpose platforms that allow connecting the growing number of communication lines that are required in a society where all equipment must be interconnected, very much in line with the Internet of things (IoT) or industry 4.0, among others. However, although there are patents that try to facilitate photonic connections, they only solve a specific problem. For example, there are patents related to coupling light to a waveguide (US2019064436A1, US2018341064A1, US2018267239A1), but they do not solve the problem of coupling light to more than one output.
    [0010] In this sense, a specific field of application where this problem has been addressed is that of optical communications, specifically with multiplexing in optical networks using addand drop multiplexer technology, for example. There are numerous patents related to this issue (US6429974B1, US20080106814A1, US6035080A, US6205269B1, EP1973252A1, EP1044529A1, US20040218926A1). However, as just mentioned, these types of platforms focus on multiplexing and are also static, that is, once manufactured they have a fixed number of inputs and outputs that can be used or not, but cannot be used. may exceed in utilization. In addition, they usually use various transmission wavelengths, one for each channel, causing the required bandwidth to be wide.
    [0012] The present invention differs in that it can work at the same wavelength, which does not require a wide bandwidth or it can also transmit different wavelengths and even an entire spectrum for each of the outputs. It can also be better understood as an optical sniffer , that is, a device that transmits the signal from an input channel to various output channels without changing the signal being transmitted, except in the aspect that it is attenuated. , so that it can be used as a listening system, that is to say, what is colloquially called "puncturing" a communication, in English tapping. This attenuation or insertion losses that occur when incorporating the platform can be reduced depending on the fibers used or even compensated by adding an optical amplifier, for example.
    [0014] In this sense, there are few studies that address this problem. There is some work such as (JI Mizusawa, Proceedings of the 2008 Australasian Telecommunication Networks and Applications Conference, ATNAC 4783286: 5-9, 2008), where an optical hub based on a circulator is proposed, but it does not offer the possibility of coupling and uncoupling guides. wave, plus it's just a theoretical design. Also in (MZ Iqbal, H. Fathallah, N. Belhadj, 8th International Conference on High-Capacity Optical Networks and Emerging Technologies, 164: 168, 2011) can be found another work that describes different methods to extract optical power from the fiber, such as bending the fiber, a V-cut in the fiber cover, to escape light in another direction, or using a Bragg grating that generates dispersion and in this way light is coupled in another direction . However, once the device is installed, there is always a light leak regardless of whether it is used or not. On the one hand, it does not allow the possibility of light leakage or not and, again, it does not offer versatility, consisting of being able to add or remove the system composed of a substrate and its corresponding waveguide, as is the case of the present invention, even reaching that optical power is not extracted, if no substrate is stacked.
    [0016] On the other hand, a patent on a fiber optic leak detector (CA2841466) is striking, which could be focused on a sniffer, but which is rather aimed at analyzing how an optic fiber guides light and is again not versatile In other words, it is not designed to couple multiple waveguides, nor does it use substrates for coupling, but simply analyzes the losses in an optical fiber; in short, it is a very similar to continuity detectors in copper networks, again a very distant perspective from the present invention.
    [0018] Likewise, other patents can be found that fall within what is called an optical hub , devices that transmit light from one input to several outputs (CN106291815A, CN104749715A). However, although on this occasion the option of connecting or not the various output waveguides is offered, it is still a static device, since it is configured so that a maximum number of output waveguides is coupled, unlike the system that is presented in this document and that is detailed in the following sections, where the coupling of light is by lateral contact of flexible waveguides that are progressively stacked. presents a dynamic, modular device (from the point of view that it is stackable) and that can also be manufactured with flexible materials such as silicone, which will allow the development of applications that exceed those of a simple optical hub. For example, thin films can be deposited on each of the substrates and used to transmit and at the same time filter the input optical signal that propagates towards each of the output waveguides. In this sense, by depositing a thin film, the device can add the functionality of an optical filter to those it already has as a waveguide coupling, sniffer or passive optical hub. That is, you can dock, snort, and filter at the same time. Hence its great versatility.
    [0020] Therefore, and following the previous thread, the present invention can also be used as a photonic communications device of the optical filter type. In this case, we again find devices of the bulk type, that is, rigid blocks composed of a fixed number of layers that cannot be modified once manufactured (US2019212484A1), or based on fibers or special structures (CN109031519A, US2014313342A1) or using relatively complex optical systems, such as those based on phase interferences (WO2019032499A1, CN107024781A). All these examples are very far from planar, flexible and stackable structures. There is also another variant of optical filters that are used mainly in display applications and not for communications, as in US2019213963A1 and US2019177577A1.
    [0022] Explanation of the invention
    [0023] The reconfigurable modular optical distributor of the present invention is one that comprises a stack of substrates with waveguides, at least one of the substrates being provided with an input waveguide and adapted to receive an optical signal that is coupled through the waveguide in an input propagation direction, that is, in the direction insertion of the waveguide into the substrate, and transmit the optical signal to the rest of the stack substrates, at least one of the stack substrates being provided with an output waveguide adapted to collect at least part of the signal optics after passing through the stack.
    [0025] In essence, the optical dispenser is characterized in that the stack of substrates has a plurality of substrates with two flat faces parallel to each other on each substrate, the substrates being removably stacked on their flat faces in a stacking direction perpendicular to the direction of propagation. of input, allowing to couple or uncouple substrates with their respective waveguides to the stack of substrates, as modules, without the fact of coupling or uncoupling each substrate with its output waveguide implies that the other output waveguides see significantly modified the characteristics of the optical signal (power, phase, etc.) that it receives from the input waveguide.
    [0027] In this way it is possible to couple light, that is, an optical signal, coming from the input waveguide to the output waveguides without the fact of connecting or disconnecting one or more of the output waveguides significantly affecting to the intensity of light they receive from an input waveguide to the output waveguides. An example of an input and / or output waveguide is optical fibers. For this phenomenon to occur, it is necessary that each of the output waveguides be attached to a flat substrate that can be made of plastic, silicone or glass, to cite several examples, and that these substrates can be stacked in the direction transverse to the direction of propagation of the light, either on the horizontal or vertical axis. On the other hand, so that no significant changes are observed in the power coupled to the output waveguides when one or more of these are connected or disconnected, it is necessary that the input waveguide has a wide numerical aperture, so that the light is can scatter and be captured by the output waveguides. The larger the numerical aperture, the greater the scattering of the light (the light will propagate in many directions), so that that light will be collected in a balanced way by the different stacked output waveguides. If, on the other hand, the numerical aperture is small, the light will be more oriented in one direction and the previous objective will not be achieved.
    [0029] The operation of the optical distributor is based on uniformly dispersing the light in multiple directions so that in this way all the possible connected waveguides receive enough light power to detect the signal. In this sense, insertion losses can be significant (a lot of power is lost), but that can be solved in a simple way by means of an optical amplifier at the output or input of the optical distributor, or also through the use of high photosensitivity detectors.
    [0031] In a variant embodiment, the optical distributor comprises a plurality of substrates provided with respective input waveguides adapted to receive respective optical signals that are coupled through the respective waveguides in input propagation directions parallel to each other, in such a way that the distributor allows the multiplexed coupling of low or high frequency analog or digital signals from more than one input waveguide.
    [0033] In a variant embodiment, at least one of the substrates is provided with an input waveguide at one end and an output waveguide at the other end, so as to allow the optical signal to be transmitted after passing through a substratum.
    [0035] In a variant of interest, the input waveguide (s) and the output waveguide (s) are arranged at opposite ends of the stack, allowing their mounting in a direct transmission system.
    [0037] In another variant of interest, the input waveguide (s) and the output waveguide (s) are arranged at the same end of the stack, the stack being provided with a reflective layer, at the other end, allowing their mounting in a reflection transmission system.
    [0039] In a variant embodiment, the stacking direction is equal to or perpendicular to the polarization direction of at least one of the received optical signals.
    [0041] In a variant embodiment, the substrates have a laminar geometry, similar to a microscope slide or coverslips.
    [0043] In a variant embodiment, the substrates are made of a material selected from glass, plastic or silicone, preferably, the substrates being silicone, the substrates are made of polydimethylsiloxane.
    [0045] In a variant embodiment, the stack has an end support with a lower refractive index than the stack substrate in contact with the end support, preferably with a refractive index lower than that of the substrate, so that the guiding of the light is more efficient.
    [0047] In a variant embodiment, the stack comprises at least one optical filter film, preferably made of a metal oxide, a polymer or a metal, deposited on at least one face of a substrate, this film can be at the end of the stack such as on the outer face of an end substrate of the stack, but it is also contemplated that at least one film is disposed between two substrates as a sandwich.
    [0049] In a variant of interest, the stack comprises several stacked optical filter films, for example, multiple films stacked on one or more of the substrates.
    [0051] By using one or more films in the stack, it is achieved that, at the same time that the optical signal is transmitted, a resonance is also transmitted that can act as an optical filter, being able to obtain a different optical filter for each output waveguide in function of the properties of the film deposited on the substrates.
    [0053] Preferably, at least one film is in the form of mutually parallel strips that extend over the face of a substrate, preferably in a longitudinal or transverse direction that allow better adjustment of the optical filtering parameters.
    [0055] Also disclosed is a method of transmitting an optical signal through the above-presented reconfigurable modular optical distributor, comprising: injecting an optical signal into an input waveguide of the optical distributor; receiving at least part of the optical signal in an output waveguide from the optical distributor; and coupling or uncoupling substrates with their respective waveguides to the stack of substrates of the optical distributor as modules to expand or reduce the number of waveguides of the optical distributor, without the fact of coupling or decoupling each substrate with output waveguide suppose that in the other output waveguides the characteristics of the optical signal (power, phase, etc.) that it receives from the input waveguide are significantly modified.
    [0057] With this reconfigurable modular optical distributor, a system can be formed that also comprises a set of modules of substrates with waveguides, the modules being adapted to be coupled in the stack of substrates to expand the number of input or output waveguides of the distributor. optical, without the fact of coupling or uncoupling each substrate with an output waveguide implying that the other output waveguides show significantly modified the characteristics of the optical signal (power, phase, etc.) that it receives from the input waveguide.
    [0059] Furthermore, this system may comprise optical generation means connected to the input waveguide (s) of the optical distributor and optical reception means connected to the output waveguide (s) of the optical distributor.
    [0061] The use of the reconfigurable modular optical distributor as a dynamic multi-substrate passive optical hub is also presented, to transmit analog or digital signals of low or high frequency from the input waveguide to several output waveguides, being able to add or remove output guides by stacking. side without the waveguides already present noticing the effect in terms of coupled power in a significant way.
    [0063] In addition, the use of the reconfigurable modular optical distributor as an optical sniffer is contemplated, so that the signal from an input channel is transmitted, that is, the optical signal from an input waveguide, to various output channels, that is, to the output waveguide (s), without a change in the transmitted signal except in the aspect that it attenuates very slightly. Thus, the reconfigurable modular optical distributor can be used in a listening system with minimal impact, from a power point of view, to the end receiver.
    [0065] In other words, based on this optical distributor, it is possible to implement a system in which a light signal is injected through the input waveguide and the light is coupled to the output waveguides, each of which will be connected. on the one hand to the substrate that allows the coupling of light and on the other to a detector. In this sense, the system comprises: - a light source that injects an optical signal through one end of the input waveguide, which can be, for example, an optical fiber, and through the other transmits the light signal in a wide range of angles.
    [0066] - a series of output waveguides, these may also be fiber optic, each one connected on one side to a glass, plastic or silicone substrate.
    [0067] - A series of photodetectors that are connected to the ends of the output waveguides not connected to the substrate.
    [0069] The light source can consist of an LED, an array of LEDs, a semiconductor laser or a halogen lamp, among other devices. The optical detectors that are connected to each output waveguide will preferably be photodetectors for their economy, although Interrogators or spectrometers that monitor at different wavelengths may also be used.
    [0071] In fact, using detectors that monitor the signal at different wavelengths can be in line with the idea of multiplexing signals transmitted at different wavelengths, improving communications efficiency. It is also possible to transmit signals from distributed sensors through the system. For example, those based on Bragg networks (AD Kersey, TA Berkoff, and WW Morey, Opt. Lett., 18 (16), 1370-1372, 1993), surface plasmon resonance (SPR) (Kretschmann and Raether, Z. Naturforsch. Teil A 23: 2315-2136, 1968) and resonances based on lossy modes near wavelength (LMR) (I. Del Villar et al. J. Lightwave Technol. 28: 110: 117, 2010 ) are based on the displacement of the wavelength of a resonance band, with which this monitoring would be of great interest in order to create sensor networks.
    [0073] Brief description of the drawings
    [0074] To complement the description that is being made and in order to facilitate the understanding of the characteristics of the invention, the present specification is accompanied by a set of drawings in which, by way of illustration and not limitation, the following has been represented:
    [0076] Figs. 1a and 1b show a front and side view of a reconfigurable modular optical distributor of the present invention in a first configuration.
    [0077] Figs. 2b and 2c, show a side and front view of the reconfigurable modular optical distributor of Figs. 1a and 1b in a second configuration.
    [0078] Fig. 3 shows a direct drive based system incorporating the optical distributor of Fig. 1a;
    [0079] Fig. 4a and 4b show a front and side view of the reconfigurable modular optical distributor of Fig. 1a in a third configuration;
    [0080] Fig. 5a shows the experimental setup implemented for the determination of insertion losses in the system of Fig. 3;
    [0081] Fig. 5b shows the power values coupled in the 1x3 scheme in the system of Fig. 5a at different wavelengths;
    [0082] Fig. 6a shows a system based on direct transmission as a passive optical hub or sniffer incorporating the reconfigurable modular optical distributor of Figs. 1c and d; and Fig. 6b shows results of the functionality test of the system of Fig. 6a.
    [0083] Detailed description of the drawings
    [0084] Figs. 1a and 1b present a first configuration of a reconfigurable modular optical distributor 1 of the present invention, comprising a stack 2 of substrates 3 with waveguides 4. As can be seen, at least one of the substrates provided with an input waveguide 5a and adapted to receive an optical signal that is coupled through the waveguide in an input propagation direction d, which is the direction in which the input waveguide 5a is inserted into the substrate 3, and transmit the optical signal towards the rest of the substrates 3 of the stack, at least one of the substrates 3 of the stack 2 being provided with an output waveguide 5b adapted to collect at least part of the optical signal after passing through the stack 2. The stack 2 of substrates 3 presents a plurality of substrates 3 with two flat faces 7 parallel to each other, each substrate 3, the substrates 3 being removably stacked on their flat faces 7 in a stacking direction perpendicular to the propagation direction. input ion. Advantageously, since the substrates 3 of the stack 2 are removably stacked, it is possible to couple or uncouple substrates 3 with their respective waveguides 4 to the stack 2 of substrates 3, as modules, without the fact of coupling or uncoupling each substrate 3 provided with an output waveguide 5b suppose that in the other output waveguides 5b the characteristics of the optical signal (power, phase, etc.) received from the input waveguide 5a are significantly modified. In this way it is possible to easily modify the stack 2, so that the optical distributor 1 is modified. Thus, if for example in an existing optical distributor 1 you want to add a new output, for example a new output waveguide 5b, only it will be necessary to place on the stack a new substrate 3 with a waveguide 4 that acts as an output waveguide 5b, so that the coupling of this new substrate 3 provided with an output waveguide 5b will not mean that in the other output waveguides 5b the characteristics of the optical signal (power, phase, etc.) received from the input waveguide 5a are significantly modified.
    [0086] Although in these Figures 1a and 1b the optical distributor 1 only comprises an input waveguide 5a connected to a substrate 3, it is envisaged that there may be a plurality of substrates 3 provided with respective input waveguides 5a adapted to receive respective optical signals which are coupled through the respective waveguides in input propagation directions parallel to each other. In this way, low or high frequency analog or digital signals coming from more than one input waveguide would be allowed to be multiplexed. These substrates 3 could be placed on the stack 2 as modules to increase the number of entries in stack 2. Each substrate 3 has a geometry like that of a sheet, preferably thin such as a
    [0089] microscope slide or coverslip, which will comprise two parallel flat faces 7. Each substrate 3 will be made of a material selected from glass, plastic or silicone, for example polydimethylsiloxane. The material of substrate 3 is expected to be similar to that of waveguide 4, because as long as a substrate material 3 with an index that differs more than that of waveguide 4 is chosen, the reflections originating from interferometric effect when light passes through a substrate 3 that is delimited by waveguides of different index than the substrate.
    [0091] As illustrated, each waveguide 4 is connected to a substrate 3 through which light, ie an optical signal, will be coupled. This waveguide 4 will either be an input waveguide 5a to inject an external optical signal to a substrate 3 or an output waveguide 5b to receive part of the optical signal (s) injected into the stack 2. In the embodiment shown, The input waveguide (s) 5a and the output waveguide (s) 5b are arranged at opposite ends of the stack 2 for mounting in a direct transmission system.
    [0093] It is also envisaged that the input waveguide (s) 5a and the output waveguide (s) 5b are arranged at the same end of stack 2, in this case stack 2 being provided with a reflective layer at the other end for a mounting in a system by reflection.
    [0095] The choice of the length of the substrates 3 will be related to the bandwidth of the optical signals that pass through the waveguides 4, so that, the higher the working frequency, the smaller the substrate size 3 should be chosen in view of a good signal transmission. That is, if you want to "sniff" signals that are transmitted at speeds of around 1 Gbps, stack 2 will have a dimension 10 times smaller than if the transmission is around 100 Mbps; in the case of the example of embodiment shown In this invention, the length used was around 3 centimeters.
    [0097] As can be seen, the first configuration of the optical distributor 1 presented in Figs. 1a and 1b have an input waveguide 5a and two output waveguides 5b, with two substrates 3 provided with two output waveguides 5b and a substrate provided with an input waveguide 5a and an output waveguide 5b. The input waveguide 5a will be adapted to inject an optical signal into stack 2 and each of the output waveguides 5b will be adapted to collect at least part of the optical signal after passing through stack 2.
    [0099] If it is necessary to add a new output waveguide 5b to the stack 2, for example, to connect a new optical detector, a new substrate 3 with its respective output waveguide 5b to the stack of substrates, as a module.
    [0101] It is also possible to change the configuration of inputs and outputs, for example, removing one of the end substrates 3 of stack 2 together with its waveguide 4 and placing it at the other end of stack 2, as a module, thus obtaining the second configuration illustrated in Figs. 2a and 2b. In this way, it is possible to change the position of an output waveguide 5b in stack 2 without the fact of coupling the new substrate 3 with output waveguide 5b assuming that the other output waveguides 5b are modified accordingly. significantly the characteristics of the optical signal that it receives from the input waveguide 5a.
    [0103] Fig. 3 presents a system 100 for direct transmission and with the optical distributor 1 in its first configuration presented in Figs. 1a and 1b. The system 100 comprising optical generation means 101 connected to an input waveguide 5a of the optical distributor 1 and optical reception means 102 connected to an output waveguide 5b of the optical distributor. As optical reception means 102, respective photodetectors can be used, capable of measuring the intensity of light at a wavelength. In this case the stack 2 of substrates 3 of the optical distributor 1 has a horizontal stack, although of course this stack could be vertical. It is envisaged that to control the polarization of the input signal, the input waveguide is provided with polarizing means 103.
    [0105] Advantageously, since the system 100 is provided with the optical distributor 1 of the present invention, it is possible to modify the number of waveguides 4 of the stack simply by coupling or uncoupling substrates 3 with their respective waveguides 4 to the stack 2 as modules. to expand or reduce the number of waveguides 4 of the optical distributor, without the fact of coupling or uncoupling adding or removing input waveguides 5a or output waveguides 5b to the optical distributor 5b and without modifying the number of waveguides output 5b suppose that in the other output waveguides 5b the characteristics of the optical signal (power, phase, etc.) received from the input waveguide are significantly modified. Naturally, it is envisaged that the system 100 is also provided with a set of modules of substrates 3 with waveguides 4, the modules being adapted to be coupled in the stack 2 of substrates 3 to modify the number of input waveguides 5a or of output 5b of optical distributor 1.
    [0106] Thus, the reconfigurable modular optical distributor 1 of the present invention can be used as a dynamic multi-substrate passive optical hub to transmit low or high frequency analog or digital signals from the input waveguide 5a to several output waveguides 5b, being able adding or removing outlet guides 5b by side stacking without the guides already present noticing the effect in terms of coupled power in a significant way.
    [0108] Also the reconfigurable modular optical distributor 1 of the present invention can be used as an optical sniffer, that is, as a device that transmits the signal from one input channel to various output channels without there being a change in the transmitted signal except in the appearance of it being dimmed very slightly. Therefore, it can be considered as a listening system with a minimal impact, from the power point of view, for the final receiver.
    [0110] Furthermore, many other configurations of the reconfigurable modular optical distributor 1 of the present invention are contemplated, even incorporating other accessory elements, such as one or two end supports 9 or stacked optical filter films 10, as presented below in a third optical distributor setup 1.
    [0112] Figs. 4a and 4b present a third configuration of the optical distributor 1 in which the stack 2 has an end support 9 with a refractive index lower than the substrate 3 of the stack 2 in contact with the end support 9 and preferably with a refractive index less than that of the substrate, so that the guiding of the light is more efficient. Furthermore, this third configuration presents optical filter films 10, one arranged on one face 7 of a substrate 3, specifically on the outer face 7 of a substrate 3 end of the stack 2, and another arranged between two substrates 3. Of course it could also comprise several stacked optical filter films 10. These films on one or more of the substrates 3 allow that, while the optical signal is transmitted, a resonance is also transmitted that can act as an optical filter, being able to obtain a different optical filter for each output waveguide 5b depending on of the properties of the film 10 deposited on each substrate 3. These films could be in the form of strips parallel to each other that extend on the face 7 of a substrate 3, preferably in a longitudinal or transverse direction in order to better adjust the filtering parameters. optical. These films 10 are envisioned to be of a metal oxide, a polymer or a metal. Therefore, it is envisaged that some of the substrates 3 have deposited a thin film 10 capable of acting as an optical filter of the input signal towards the photodetector connected to said output waveguide. This thin film 10 can be
    [0115] depositing not only on one but on several substrates 3, in which case it will filter the input optical signal that reaches the photodetectors connected to the corresponding output waveguides. In the presented configuration it is observed that a film 10 is deposited on top of the upper substrate. With this representation, the possibility of simultaneously transmitting and filtering the input optical signal is enabled.
    [0117] For the analysis of the behavior of the present invention, various techniques can be used, such as the bit error rate, BER (the rate of errors per transmitted bit), with which the quality of the transmission link between the waveguides can be determined. input and output. Another way to measure the quality of the link is by obtaining the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the transmitted signal or also the attenuation experienced by the signal that has been received in each of the detectors compared to the signal. that has been issued. In any case, it is more relevant to analyze the waveforms of the pulses that propagate along the platform, to observe their shapes, jitter, noise levels, signal strengths, etc. The best way to analyze all these characteristics together is by obtaining an eye diagram. In this sense, two embodiments of the system 100 will be presented. The first one, illustrated in Figs. 5a and 5b, related to the optical power values received by the detectors and the second, illustrated in Figs. 6a and 6b, aimed at obtaining the eye diagram corresponding to the input and output signals, in order to appreciate their degradation as the platform passes.
    [0119] Figs. 5a and 5b describe an embodiment of a system 100 of the present invention, using the optical distributor 1 in the second configuration presented in Figs. 2a and 2b, based on direct transmission in a similar way to the system 100 of Fig. 3. The The objective is to determine the attenuation (insertion loss) experienced by the input waveguide signal with respect to the output waveguides. In this case, the emitting means 101 as a light source correspond, depending on the working wavelength, to a Pyroistech laser source. SL COB-840, for 650nm wavelength, RIFOCS 665R Laser Source for 1310nm and a 666R Laser Source for 1500nm. On the other hand, as receiver 102 a RIFOCS 671RS Controller Power Meter was used connected to a multimode fiber with a 62.5 / 125 ^ m diameter core and sheath respectively, which acts as a waveguide. One end of each of these two fibers is stripped and not connectorized, that is, it only has the core and the cover, and in turn is attached to one end of a sheet of polydimethylsiloxane - PDMS (MR Querry, Contractor Report CRDEC-CR -88009, 1987). The other end of each of the two input and output fibers is connected to the light source 101 and photodetector 102, respectively. With this setup, an optical signal is transmitted through the fiber connected to the LED source which, after passing through the stacked PDMS sheets, is received by each photodetector which, in turn, is connected through another fiber pigtail. optics to one of the stacked PDMS sheets. The power obtained in the photodetector for each of the output waveguides is shown in the table in Fig. 5b. In the case of the 1310 nm wavelength, for example, the optical power delivered to the platform is -6.54 dBm and that obtained in the photodetector connected to the output (3c) when no other foil or above or below, it is -18.63 dBm. If another PDMS sheet is now placed on top of the previous one, an optical power of -20.62 dBm is obtained. If a third sheet is still added above the previous two, the power at the output detected in the photodetector corresponding to the output (3c) now has a value of -21.04 dBm. Therefore, the insertion losses are around 14 dBs in all cases. However, the objective is achieved that coupling a new transmission line (3b) or (3a) does not involve a significant change in the power previously transmitted by the first transmission line (3c). In this case, the maximum variation would be around 2 dB.
    [0121] With the stack 2 of the optical distributor 1 being formed by a single sheet, as a substrate 3, a second sheet is added above it and the photodetector connected to it, output (3b) is measured, a power value of - 28.72 dBm. In other words, a power of the "snorted" signal would be achieved of about 10 dB below the direct waveguide. Let us remember that the direct waveguide would have losses of less than 2 dB. And if a third sheet is added and the Power detected in the photodetector connected to said output (3a), has a value of -34.77 dBm, that is, about 6 dB less than the previous one. Consequently, in the case of 3 superimposed sheets, each time a sheet is coupled To the former, the signal detected in the latter has losses of less than 10 dB below the former. The same happens if instead of overlapping in the upper part, it is done in the lower part. Similarly, similar results in the case of horizontal coupling. In this way, it is verified that the optical distributor 1 allows to couple or uncouple substrates 3 with their respective waveguides to the stack 2 of substrates of the optical distributor 1 as modules to expand or reduce the number of or waveguides 4 of the optical distributor, without the fact of coupling or uncoupling each substrate with an output waveguide means that the characteristics of the optical signal received from the output waveguide are significantly modified in the other output waveguides. input waveguide. Although in this case a system 100 has been presented mounting in direct transmission, the same losses are obtained in an embodiment in which the transmission is by reflection, in which the input waveguide (s) and the output waveguide (s) are arranged in the
    [0124] same end of stack 2, the stack being provided with a reflective layer at the other end.
    [0126] Finally, the functionality of this assembly as a passive optical hub or sniffer has been tested and is represented in Fig. 6a. As in the previous figure, in the upper part another embodiment of a system 100 of the present invention is described, using optical distributor 1 in the second configuration presented in Figures 2a and 2b, based on direct transmission mounted on a system. as previously described in Fig. 3. The objective in this case is to study the eye diagrams of the signals that transmit through the input and output waveguides. In this case, with respect to the previous figure, an Agilent Technologies 81133A pulse generator with a module for generating patterns for eye diagram analysis is added to the system. An eye diagram corresponds to a diagram that shows the superposition of the different possible combinations of ones and zeros in a certain time range or quantity of bits. This signal, generated by the Agilent Technologies 81133A team, modulates a HFBR-1414PTZ LED source. The receiver, in this case, consists of a silicon detector model AFBR-2418TZ. Both the transmitter and the optical receiver belong to the evaluation kit AFBR-0549Z, with a bandwidth of 100 MHz. Finally, an Agilent Infiniium 54833A DSO oscilloscope has been used that shows the eye diagram of the digital signals both at the entrance as those that have been transmitted at the exit of the platform.
    [0128] Fig. 6b shows some results of the functionality test to transmit baseband digital signals from a transmitter to several receivers at frequencies of at least 100Mbps, by means of the eye diagram. Specifically, in Fig. 6b, the following are represented: a) Eye diagram of a direct transmission using an optical fiber, to appreciate the characteristics of the equipment used
    [0129] b) Eye diagram in the direct waveguide, that is, the one corresponding to the output (3c) c) Eye diagram at the output (3b)
    [0130] d) Eye diagram at the start (3a)
    [0132] As can be seen in the previous figures, there is a certain deterioration of the signal in the different outputs, but the quality of the signal is still perfectly adequate for use in communications. That is, not only is the power at the different outputs reduced by only around 10 dB, but the reduction in the rest of the characteristics of the transmitted optical signals is very slight. And the impact of the direct waveguide when one or more plates are attached to it is only 2 dB, from the point of view of its sniffing function. And in the case of an optical hub, the losses in the different output waveguides
    [0135] they would be around 10 dB, which should be compensated with an optical amplifier, if necessary. Therefore, it is demonstrated that by means of the reconfigurable modular optical distributor 1 of the present invention it is possible to couple or uncouple substrates with their respective waveguides to the stack of substrates, as modules, without the fact of coupling or uncoupling each substrate with output waveguide suppose that in the other output waveguides the characteristics of the optical signal received from the input waveguide are significantly modified
    [0137] In systems 100 of Figs. 5a and 6a, a vertical stacking from bottom to top has been considered. Similar results are obtained when the vertical stacking is from top to bottom, to both sides or when it is horizontal.
    权利要求:
    Claims (21)
    [1]
    1. - Reconfigurable modular optical distributor (1) comprising a stack (2) of substrates (3) with waveguides (4), at least one of the substrates being provided with an input waveguide (5a) and adapted to receive an optical signal that is coupled through the waveguide in an input propagation direction (d), and transmitting the optical signal to the rest of the substrates of the stack, at least one of the substrates of the stack being provided with a output waveguide (5b) adapted to collect at least part of the optical signal after passing through the stack, characterized in that the stack of substrates has a plurality of substrates with two flat faces (7) parallel to each other, each substrate being the substrates removably stacked on their flat faces in a stacking direction perpendicular to the inlet propagation direction, allowing substrates to be coupled or uncoupled with their respective wave guides to the stack of substrates, as modules, without the fact of aco Plar or decouple each substrate with an output waveguide suppose that in the other output waveguides the characteristics of the optical signal received from the input waveguide are significantly modified.
    [2]
    2. - Optical distributor (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of substrates (3) provided with respective input waveguides (5a) adapted to receive respective optical signals that are coupled through the respective guides of wave in input directions of propagation (d) parallel to each other.
    [3]
    3. - Optical distributor (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the substrates (3) is provided with an input waveguide (5a) at one end and another output waveguide ( 5b) at the other end.
    [4]
    4. - Optical distributor (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the input waveguides (5a) and the output waveguides (5b) are arranged at opposite ends of the stack (2 ).
    [5]
    5. - Optical distributor (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the input waveguides (5a) and the output waveguides (5b) are arranged at the same end of the stack (2), the stack being provided with a reflective layer at the other end.
    [6]
    6. - Optical distributor (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stacking direction is equal to or perpendicular to the polarization direction of at least one of the received optical signals.
    [7]
    7. - Optical dispenser (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the substrates (3) have a laminar geometry similar to a microscope slide or coverslips.
    [8]
    8. - Optical distributor (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the substrates (3) are made of a material selected from glass, plastic or silicone.
    [9]
    9. - Optical dispenser (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that, being the substrates (3) made of silicone, the substrates are made of polydimethylsiloxane.
    [10]
    10. - Optical distributor (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stack has an end support (9) with a lower refractive index than the substrate (3) of the stack (2) in contact with the support extreme.
    [11]
    11. - Optical dispenser (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one optical filter film (10) arranged on at least one face (7) of a substrate (3).
    [12]
    12. - Optical distributor (1) according to one of the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises at least one film (10) arranged between two substrates (3).
    [13]
    13. - Optical distributor (1) according to any one of claims 11 to 12, characterized in that it comprises at least one film (10) on the outer face (7) of a substrate (3) end of the stack (2).
    [14]
    14. Optical dispenser (1) according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that it comprises several stacked optical filter films (10).
    [15]
    15. Optical distributor (1) according to any one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that at least one film (10) is in the form of strips parallel to each other that extend over the face of a substrate (3), preferably in a longitudinal or transverse direction.
    1
    [16]
    16. - Optical distributor according to any one of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that the film (s) (10) are made of a metal oxide, a polymer or a metal.
    [17]
    17. - Procedure for transmitting an optical signal by means of a reconfigurable modular optical distributor (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that it comprises:
    - injecting an optical signal into an input waveguide (5a) of the optical distributor; - receiving at least part of the optical signal in an output waveguide (5b) of the optical distributor; Y
    - coupling or decoupling substrates (3) with their respective waveguides to the stack (2) of substrates of the optical distributor as modules to expand or reduce the number of waveguides (4) of the optical distributor, without the fact of coupling or decoupling each substrate with the output waveguide, suppose that in the other output waveguides the characteristics of the optical signal received from the input waveguide are significantly modified
    [18]
    18. - System (100) comprising a reconfigurable modular optical distributor according to any one of claims 1 to 16 and a set of substrate modules (3) with wave guides (4), the modules being adapted to be coupled in the stack of substrates to expand the number of input (5a) or output (5b) waveguides of the optical distributor
    [19]
    19. - System (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it also comprises optical generation means (101) connected to an input waveguide (5a) of the optical distributor (1) and optical reception means (102) connected to an output waveguide (5b) of the optical distributor.
    [20]
    20. - Use of a reconfigurable modular optical distributor according to any one of claims 1 to 16 as a passive dynamic multi-substrate optical hub.
    [21]
    21. - Use of a reconfigurable modular optical dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 16 as an optical sniffer.
    2
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    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    ES2836854B2|2021-10-27|
    引用文献:
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    CN106291815A|2014-02-21|2017-01-04|杭州天野通信设备有限公司|A kind of one point of No. 16 optical branching device of integrated-type and preparation method thereof|
    US20160238759A1|2015-02-18|2016-08-18|Materion Corporation|Near infrared optical interference filters with improved transmission|
    CN109031519A|2018-07-28|2018-12-18|中国地质大学（北京）|A kind of narrow-band optical filter and all-optical diode|
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