JP2005202334A - Optical wavelength conversion module - Google Patents

Optical wavelength conversion module Download PDF

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JP2005202334A
JP2005202334A JP2004011076A JP2004011076A JP2005202334A JP 2005202334 A JP2005202334 A JP 2005202334A JP 2004011076 A JP2004011076 A JP 2004011076A JP 2004011076 A JP2004011076 A JP 2004011076A JP 2005202334 A JP2005202334 A JP 2005202334A
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wavelength conversion
optical
conversion element
optical wavelength
light
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Kaoru Yoshino
薫 吉野
Masao Yube
雅生 遊部
Hiroshi Miyazawa
弘 宮沢
Yoshiki Nishida
好毅 西田
Junji Yumoto
潤司 湯本
Hiroyuki Suzuki
博之 鈴木
Hideshi Kubota
英志 久保田
Osamu Tadanaga
修 忠永
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Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp
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Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical wavelength conversion module having a wide variable wavelength range with only one wavelength conversion element. <P>SOLUTION: In an optical wavelength conversion module 29 to which signal light λ<SB>A</SB>and control light λ<SB>B</SB>with mutually different wavelengths are input and which converts the signal light λ<SB>A</SB>into conversion light with a different wavelength λ<SB>C</SB>, the optical wavelength conversion module 29 is provided with the optical wavelength conversion element 21 composed of a material with a second order nonlinear optical effect and including an optical waveguide with a periodical polarization reversed structure and a plurality of temperature control elements 28a, 28b and a plurality of temperature detecting elements 27a, 27b thermally coupled with the wavelength conversion element 21 along an optical path direction of the wavelength conversion element 21, wherein temperatures along the optical path direction of the wavelength conversion element 21 are detected with the temperature detecting elements 27a, 27b and the respective temperature control elements 28a, 28b are controlled so as to provide a temperature gradient along the optical path direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

本発明は、光波長変換モジュールに関し、より詳細には、光通信、計測の分野で用いられるレーザ光源の波長を変換するための光波長変換モジュールに関する。   The present invention relates to an optical wavelength conversion module, and more particularly to an optical wavelength conversion module for converting the wavelength of a laser light source used in the fields of optical communication and measurement.

近年、光通信システムの通信容量の増大を図るために、波長の異なる複数の光を多重化して伝送する波長分割多重（ＷＤＭ）通信システムが積極的に導入されている。このようなＷＤＭ通信システムにおいては、限られた波長数を有効に利用するために、信号波長を任意の信号波長に変換する波長変換素子の実用化が求められている。従来、光の波長を変換する波長変換素子として、半導体光増幅器を応用した素子、四光波混合を利用する素子、二次非線形光学効果の一種である擬似位相整合による第二高調波発生、和周波発生、差周波発生を利用した波長変換素子等が知られている（例えば、特許文献１参照）。   In recent years, in order to increase the communication capacity of an optical communication system, a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) communication system that multiplexes and transmits a plurality of lights having different wavelengths has been actively introduced. In such a WDM communication system, in order to effectively use a limited number of wavelengths, there is a demand for practical use of a wavelength conversion element that converts a signal wavelength into an arbitrary signal wavelength. Conventionally, as a wavelength conversion element for converting the wavelength of light, an element using a semiconductor optical amplifier, an element using four-wave mixing, second harmonic generation by quasi-phase matching, which is a kind of second-order nonlinear optical effect, and sum frequency Wavelength conversion elements using generation and difference frequency generation are known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

図１に、従来の擬似位相整合型の波長変換素子を用いたレーザ光源の構成を示す。レーザ光源は、波長λＡの信号光Ａを出力するレーザダイオードモジュール１０ａと、波長λＢの制御光Ｂを出力するレーザダイオードモジュール１０ｂと、信号光Ａと制御光Ｂとを入力し、信号光Ａを波長λＣの変換光に変換して出力する光波長変換素子モジュール９とから構成されている。光波長変換素子モジュール９は、そのパッケージ内部に、金属製サブマウント４に載置された光波長変換素子１と、光波長変換素子１と熱的に結合された温度制御用素子であるペルチェ素子８と、温度検出用素子であるサーミスタ素子７とを備えている。 FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a laser light source using a conventional quasi phase matching type wavelength conversion element. The laser light source receives the signal light A and the laser diode module 10a that outputs the signal light A having the wavelength λ A , the laser diode module 10b that outputs the control light B having the wavelength λ B , and the signal light. An optical wavelength conversion element module 9 that converts A into converted light of wavelength λ C and outputs the converted light. The optical wavelength conversion element module 9 includes an optical wavelength conversion element 1 mounted on a metal submount 4 and a Peltier element that is a temperature control element thermally coupled to the optical wavelength conversion element 1. 8 and a thermistor element 7 which is a temperature detecting element.

レーザダイオードモジュール１０ａ，１０ｂの出力は、光コネクタ１１ａ，１１ｂを介して波長合成器モジュール１３に接続される。波長合成器モジュール１３によって合波された信号光Ａと制御光Ｂとは、光コネクタ１１ｃを介して光波長変換素子モジュール９に入力される。入力された光は、光波長変換素子１の非線形光学効果により、変換光Ｃへ変換され、変換光Ｃのみを取り出すインライン型の波長フィルタ１４を介して出力される。ここで、光ファイバ２ｂ〜２ｇは、偏波保持ファイバであり、光ファイバ２ａは、用途により偏波保持ファイバまたは通常の光ファイバを用いる。   The outputs of the laser diode modules 10a and 10b are connected to the wavelength synthesizer module 13 via the optical connectors 11a and 11b. The signal light A and the control light B combined by the wavelength synthesizer module 13 are input to the optical wavelength conversion element module 9 via the optical connector 11c. The input light is converted into converted light C by the non-linear optical effect of the optical wavelength conversion element 1 and is output through an in-line type wavelength filter 14 that takes out only the converted light C. Here, the optical fibers 2b to 2g are polarization maintaining fibers, and the optical fiber 2a is a polarization maintaining fiber or a normal optical fiber depending on the application.

光波長変換素子１は、通常、ニオブ酸リチウムなどの非線形光学結晶基板に、周期的な分極反転構造が作製され、光導波路が形成されている。光波長変換素子モジュール９は、同じニオブ酸リチウム素子を使った高速光変調器モジュールとほぼ同じ構造で作製されてきた。すなわち、光ファイバは、光波長変換素子の両端面に直接接着して、光学的に結合されている。ただし、温度制御用のペルチェ素子８を内蔵している点は異なる。光波長変換素子１は温度依存性が大きいため、最適な変換効率が得られるように、素子の温度を制御する必要があるからである。   In the optical wavelength conversion element 1, a periodically domain-inverted structure is usually formed on a nonlinear optical crystal substrate such as lithium niobate to form an optical waveguide. The optical wavelength conversion element module 9 has been manufactured with substantially the same structure as a high-speed optical modulator module using the same lithium niobate element. That is, the optical fiber is directly bonded to both end faces of the optical wavelength conversion element and optically coupled. However, the difference is that a Peltier element 8 for temperature control is incorporated. This is because the optical wavelength conversion element 1 has a large temperature dependence, and thus it is necessary to control the temperature of the element so that optimum conversion efficiency can be obtained.

変換光Ｃの強度は、信号光Ａと制御光Ｂの強度の積に比例するので、制御光Βを一定強度にしておけば、信号Ａから変換光Ｃへ波長のみを変換することができる。例えば、λＡ＝１５５０ｎｍ、λＢ＝７７０ｎｍのとき、差周波としてλＣ＝１５３０ｎｍが得られる。ここで、制御光Ｂの波長をλＢ＝７７１ｎｍとすれば、変換光Ｃの波長λＣ＝１５３４ｎｍになる。このようにして、制御光Ｂの波長を変えることにより、出力波長を可変にすることができ、波長により信号を制御する波長交換に適用することができる。 Since the intensity of the converted light C is proportional to the product of the intensity of the signal light A and the control light B, only the wavelength can be converted from the signal A to the converted light C if the control light beam is kept at a constant intensity. For example, when λ A = 1550 nm and λ B = 770 nm, λ C = 1530 nm is obtained as the difference frequency. Here, if the wavelength of the control light B is λ B = 771 nm, the wavelength λ C = 1534 nm of the converted light C is obtained. In this way, by changing the wavelength of the control light B, the output wavelength can be made variable, and the present invention can be applied to wavelength exchange for controlling a signal by the wavelength.

一方、特定の波長に吸収帯を有する気体を検出するガスセンサ用の光源は、バックグラウンドノイズを避けるため、吸収波長を中心にある範囲で波長を振る必要がある。従って、上述した光波長変換素子を有するレーザ光源は、ガスセンサに用いる光源としても有用である。   On the other hand, a light source for a gas sensor that detects a gas having an absorption band at a specific wavelength needs to oscillate the wavelength within a range centered on the absorption wavelength in order to avoid background noise. Therefore, the laser light source having the above-described optical wavelength conversion element is also useful as a light source used for a gas sensor.

光波長変換素子の効率は、内部に形成された反転分極の周期に合致した波長以外では極端に低下する。単一周期の光波長変換素子では、可変帯域が実用上１ｎｍ以下と極めて狭い。そこで、波長を可変して用いるためには、反転分極の周期を徐々に変化（チャープ）させた専用の光波長変換素子を作製するか、または、光波長変換素子の温度依存性を利用して、温度を所望の波長に合わせて制御する必要があった。   The efficiency of the optical wavelength conversion element is extremely reduced except for wavelengths that match the period of the inversion polarization formed inside. In an optical wavelength conversion element having a single period, the variable band is practically extremely narrow as 1 nm or less. Therefore, in order to use with a variable wavelength, a dedicated optical wavelength conversion element in which the period of inversion polarization is gradually changed (chirped) or a temperature dependency of the optical wavelength conversion element is utilized. It was necessary to control the temperature according to the desired wavelength.

特開２００３−１４０２１４号公報JP 2003-140214 A

しかしながら、チャープさせた光波長変換素子では必然的に変換効率が下がるために、十分な出力を得るために素子長を長くするか、または信号光Ａと制御光Βのパワーを上げる必要がある。素子長を長くすると、光波長変換素子の製造上の歩留りが低下するとともに、モジュール化が困難になる。入力光のパワーを上げることは、消費電力の増加、素子寿命の低下、使用者の危険性が増すといった問題があった。従って、使用する波長帯域に合わせて最適なチャープ量を有する光波長変換素子を使う必要がある。しかし、特定の波長帯域に合わせた専用の光波長変換素子は、用途が限られるために素子自体が高価にならざるを得ない。また、システムの拡張時には、別の光波長変換素子を用いる必要があり、汎用性がないという問題もあった。   However, since the conversion efficiency is inevitably lowered in the chirped optical wavelength conversion element, it is necessary to increase the element length or increase the power of the signal light A and the control light so as to obtain a sufficient output. When the element length is increased, the manufacturing yield of the optical wavelength conversion element is reduced, and modularization becomes difficult. Increasing the power of input light has problems such as an increase in power consumption, a decrease in device life, and an increase in the danger to the user. Therefore, it is necessary to use an optical wavelength conversion element having an optimum amount of chirp according to the wavelength band to be used. However, a dedicated optical wavelength conversion element tailored to a specific wavelength band has a limited use, and thus the element itself must be expensive. Further, when expanding the system, it is necessary to use another optical wavelength conversion element, and there is a problem in that it is not versatile.

一方、温度により波長を制御する方法は、温度調節に通常秒単位の時間がかかるので、通信システムにおける波長交換のように、速い切替を必要とする用途には使用できない。また、温度を正確に制御光と同期させないと、出力パワーのレベル変動を生ずるので、波長をある帯域でスキャンするガスセンサの様な用途に用いることが難しいという問題があった。以上述べたように、従来の光波長変換素子を有するレーザ光源は、半固定波長光源として使用しているに過ぎないという現状であった。   On the other hand, the method of controlling the wavelength by temperature usually takes time in seconds to adjust the temperature, and therefore cannot be used for applications that require fast switching, such as wavelength switching in a communication system. Further, if the temperature is not accurately synchronized with the control light, the output power level fluctuates, so that there is a problem that it is difficult to use for applications such as a gas sensor that scans a wavelength in a certain band. As described above, the laser light source having the conventional light wavelength conversion element is only used as a semi-fixed wavelength light source.

本発明は、このような問題に鑑みてなされたもので、その目的とするところは、１つの光波長変換素子で広範な波長可変範囲を有する光波長変換素子モジュールを提供することにある。   The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an optical wavelength conversion element module having a wide wavelength variable range with one optical wavelength conversion element.

本発明は、このような目的を達成するために、請求項１に記載の発明は、互いに波長の異なる信号光と制御光とを入力し、前記信号光を異なる波長の変換光に変換する光波長変換モジュールにおいて、二次非線形光学効果を有する材料からなり、周期的な分極反転構造を有する光導波路を含む光波長変換素子と、該光波長変換素子の光路方向に沿って、前記光波長変換素子と熱的に結合された複数の温度制御用素子および温度検出用素子とを備え、前記光波長変換素子の光路方向に沿った温度を前記温度検出用素子により検出し、光路方向に沿って温度勾配を付けるように、前記温度制御用素子の各々が制御されることを特徴とする。   In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, the invention described in claim 1 inputs light having different wavelengths and control light, and converts the signal light into converted light having different wavelengths. In the wavelength conversion module, an optical wavelength conversion element including an optical waveguide made of a material having a second-order nonlinear optical effect and having a periodic polarization inversion structure, and the optical wavelength conversion along the optical path direction of the optical wavelength conversion element A plurality of temperature control elements and temperature detection elements that are thermally coupled to the elements, the temperature along the optical path direction of the optical wavelength conversion element is detected by the temperature detection element, and along the optical path direction Each of the temperature control elements is controlled to give a temperature gradient.

請求項２に記載の発明は、請求項１に記載の前記光波長変換素子は、分極の周期をチャープさせた構造を有する光導波路を含むことを特徴とする。   According to a second aspect of the present invention, the optical wavelength conversion element according to the first aspect includes an optical waveguide having a structure in which a polarization period is chirped.

請求項３に記載の発明は、請求項１または２に記載の光波長変換モジュールにおいて、前記光波長変換素子と前記複数の温度制御用素子とは、前記温度制御用素子の消費電流と温度勾配の安定性とから求められた熱伝導率を有する金属サブマウントを介して、熱的に結合されていることを特徴とする。   According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the optical wavelength conversion module according to the first or second aspect, the optical wavelength conversion element and the plurality of temperature control elements are a current consumption and a temperature gradient of the temperature control element. It is characterized by being thermally coupled through a metal submount having a thermal conductivity obtained from the stability of the above.

以上説明したように、本発明によれば、光波長変換素子の光路方向に沿って、光波長変換素子と熱的に結合された複数の温度制御用素子を備え、波長変換素子の光路方向に沿って温度勾配を付けるように制御するので、１つの光波長変換素子で広範な波長可変範囲を有することが可能となる。   As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of temperature control elements thermally coupled to the optical wavelength conversion element are provided along the optical path direction of the optical wavelength conversion element. Therefore, it is possible to have a wide wavelength variable range with one optical wavelength conversion element.

また、本発明によれば、少ない種類の光波長変換素子で多様な波長帯域に対応する光波長変換素子モジュールを構成することが可能となる。   Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to configure an optical wavelength conversion element module corresponding to various wavelength bands with a small number of types of optical wavelength conversion elements.

以下、図面を参照しながら本発明の実施形態について詳細に説明する。
図２に、本発明の一実施形態にかかる光波長変換素子モジュールを示す。レーザ光源は、波長λＡの信号光Ａを出力するレーザダイオードモジュール１０ａと、波長λＢの制御光Ｂを出力するレーザダイオードモジュール１０ｂと、信号光Ａと制御光Ｂとを入力し、信号光Ａを波長λＣの変換光に変換して出力する光波長変換素子モジュール２９とから構成されている。光波長変換素子モジュール２９は、そのパッケージ内部に、金属製サブマウント２４に載置された光波長変換素子２１を有し、金属製サブマウント２４の両端に、光波長変換素子２１と熱的に結合された温度制御用素子であるペルチェ素子２８および温度検出用素子であるサーミスタ素子２７とを２組備えている。 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 shows an optical wavelength conversion element module according to an embodiment of the present invention. The laser light source receives the signal light A and the laser diode module 10a that outputs the signal light A having the wavelength λ A , the laser diode module 10b that outputs the control light B having the wavelength λ B , and the signal light. It comprises an optical wavelength conversion element module 29 that converts A into converted light of wavelength λ C and outputs the converted light. The optical wavelength conversion element module 29 has an optical wavelength conversion element 21 mounted on the metal submount 24 inside the package, and is thermally connected to the optical wavelength conversion element 21 at both ends of the metal submount 24. Two sets of a Peltier element 28 that is a temperature control element and a thermistor element 27 that is a temperature detection element are provided.

レーザダイオードモジュール１０ａ，１０ｂの出力は、光コネクタ１１ａ，１１ｂを介して波長合成器モジュール１３に接続される。波長合成器モジュール１３によって合波された信号光Ａと制御光Ｂとは、光コネクタ１１ｃを介して光波長変換素子モジュール２９に入力される。入力された光は、光波長変換素子２１の非線形光学効果により、変換光Ｃへ変換され、変換光Ｃのみを取り出すインライン型の波長フィルタ１４を介して出力される。   The outputs of the laser diode modules 10a and 10b are connected to the wavelength synthesizer module 13 via the optical connectors 11a and 11b. The signal light A and the control light B combined by the wavelength synthesizer module 13 are input to the optical wavelength conversion element module 29 via the optical connector 11c. The input light is converted into converted light C by the non-linear optical effect of the optical wavelength conversion element 21, and is output through an in-line type wavelength filter 14 that takes out only the converted light C.

光波長変換素子２１は、通常、ニオブ酸リチウムなどの非線形光学結晶基板に、周期的な分極反転構造が作製され、光導波路が形成されている。光波長変換素子２１の素子長は６０ｍｍであり、変換効率を高めるために長くする。ペルチェ素子２８ａ，２８ｂおよびサーミスタ素子２７ａ，２７ｂは、金属製サブマウント２４の両端にそれぞれ熱的に結合されている。ペルチェ素子２８ａ，２８ｂおよびサーミスタ素子２７ａ，２７ｂは、図示しない制御回路に接続され、制御回路により、独立に温度を制御することができるように構成されている。   In the optical wavelength conversion element 21, a periodic polarization inversion structure is usually formed on a nonlinear optical crystal substrate such as lithium niobate, and an optical waveguide is formed. The optical wavelength conversion element 21 has an element length of 60 mm and is increased in order to increase the conversion efficiency. The Peltier elements 28a and 28b and the thermistor elements 27a and 27b are thermally coupled to both ends of the metal submount 24, respectively. The Peltier elements 28a and 28b and the thermistor elements 27a and 27b are connected to a control circuit (not shown) and are configured such that the temperature can be controlled independently by the control circuit.

なお、本実施形態では、金属製サブマウント２４の両端に２組のペルチェ素子２８およびサーミスタ素子２７を配置したが、光波長変換素子２１の光路方向に沿って、複数組を配置するようにしてもよい。   In this embodiment, two sets of Peltier elements 28 and thermistor elements 27 are arranged at both ends of the metal submount 24. However, a plurality of sets are arranged along the optical path direction of the optical wavelength conversion element 21. Also good.

金属製サブマウント２４の材質は、光波長変換素子２１と接する面がニオブ酸リチウムと線膨張係数が近いステンレスであり、ペルチェ素子２８と接する面がペルチェ基板と線膨張係数の近い鉄・ニッケル・コバルト合金である。一般的に、温度制御を行うモジュールでは、サブマウントの材質として銅、銅タングステン合金、アルミ合金などの高熱伝導材料を用いる。しかしながら、これら材料のように温度勾配を付けた場合に熱伝導が良すぎると、熱流量が大きいためにペルチェ素子の駆動電流が増大し、自己発熱が増えて温度制御が困難になる。   The material of the metal submount 24 is stainless steel whose surface in contact with the optical wavelength conversion element 21 has a linear expansion coefficient close to that of lithium niobate, and whose surface in contact with the Peltier element 28 has a coefficient of linear expansion close to that of the Peltier substrate. Cobalt alloy. In general, in a module for temperature control, a high heat conductive material such as copper, copper tungsten alloy, aluminum alloy or the like is used as a material of the submount. However, if a temperature gradient is applied as in these materials, if the heat conduction is too good, the heat flow is large, the drive current of the Peltier element increases, self-heating increases, and temperature control becomes difficult.

そこで、本実施形態の金属製サブマウント２４は、あえて熱伝導率の低い材質を採用する。この場合、所定の温度に達するまでに秒単位の時間がかかるようになる。しかしながら、実際に波長可変範囲を変更するのは、システムの変更、スキャン範囲の変更などのように、それほど高速性を要求される場面は少ないので実用上は問題ない。ただし、極端に熱伝導の低い材料（例えば、断熱性のマシナブルセラミックス材等）を用いると安定化までの時間が、数十秒から分単位と長くなって使いづらくなるので、用途に応じて材料を選択する。すなわち、温度制御用素子の消費電流と温度勾配の安定性とから求められた熱伝導率を有する金属製サブマウントを用いる。   Therefore, the metal submount 24 according to the present embodiment employs a material having low thermal conductivity. In this case, it takes time in seconds to reach a predetermined temperature. However, actually changing the wavelength variable range is not a problem in practical use because there are few scenes where high speed is required, such as system change and scan range change. However, if materials with extremely low thermal conductivity (for example, heat-insulating machinable ceramic materials) are used, the time until stabilization will increase from tens of seconds to minutes, making it difficult to use. Select material. That is, a metal submount having a thermal conductivity obtained from the current consumption of the temperature control element and the stability of the temperature gradient is used.

なお、金属製サブマウント２４の中央部を細くしたり、金属製サブマウント２４の中央部に溝や穴を設けた構造とすることで、長手方向の熱流量を制限することができ、ペルチェ素子の消費電力を抑えることができる。ニオブ酸リチウムの非線形光学効果を用いた光波長変換素子２１は、自己発熱しないために、放熱を考慮する必要がなく、熱流量が小さくても構わないからである。   Note that the heat flow rate in the longitudinal direction can be limited by narrowing the central portion of the metal submount 24 or providing a groove or hole in the central portion of the metal submount 24, so that the Peltier element Power consumption can be reduced. This is because the optical wavelength conversion element 21 using the non-linear optical effect of lithium niobate does not self-heat, so there is no need to consider heat dissipation and the heat flow may be small.

次に、温度制御の方法について説明する。ニオブ酸リチウムの光波長変換素子２１の温度依存性は、０．１ｎｍ／℃程度である。従って、ペルチェ素子２８の一方を２５℃、他方を８５℃に設定して、６０℃程度の温度勾配を付けることによって、６ｎｍ帯域の範囲で波長を可変することができる。高密度な波長分割多重伝送システムでは、波長間隔は大体１ｎｍ以下であるので、１台の光波長変換素子モジュールで６〜７チャンネルに対応できる。より少ないチャンネルで用いるときは、温度勾配を小さくすることにより対応することができる。波長可変範囲を狭めれば変換効率は向上するので、１台の光波長変換素子モジュールでシステムに合わせて常に最適条件で動作させることができる。   Next, a temperature control method will be described. The temperature dependence of the light wavelength conversion element 21 of lithium niobate is about 0.1 nm / ° C. Therefore, by setting one of the Peltier elements 28 at 25 ° C. and the other at 85 ° C. and applying a temperature gradient of about 60 ° C., the wavelength can be varied in the 6 nm band range. In a high-density wavelength division multiplex transmission system, the wavelength interval is approximately 1 nm or less, so that one optical wavelength conversion element module can handle 6 to 7 channels. When using with fewer channels, it can be accommodated by reducing the temperature gradient. If the wavelength variable range is narrowed, the conversion efficiency is improved, so that one optical wavelength conversion element module can always be operated under optimum conditions according to the system.

また、ガスセンサや光部品の計測用に用いれば、最初に粗くスキャンして、次に範囲を狭めて効率を上げることにより、高感度な測定を行うことができる。なお、計測用として光波長変換素子モジュールの使用温度を、室温近辺のみに限定できるならば、２個のペルチェ素子の温度差を１００℃以上に設定することができるので、波長可変範囲を拡大することもできる。分極反転構造の周期が一定である光導波路を含む光波長変換素子を用いれば、温度勾配を逆にしても波長可変範囲は変わらない。一方、分極反転構造の周期をチャープさせた光導波路を含む光波長変換素子を用いれば、逆方向に温度勾配を付けることにより、理論的には波長可変範囲を最大２倍に拡大することができるという効果を有する。   Moreover, if it is used for measurement of a gas sensor or an optical component, highly sensitive measurement can be performed by first scanning roughly and then narrowing the range to increase efficiency. If the operating temperature of the optical wavelength conversion element module can be limited to only around room temperature for measurement, the temperature difference between the two Peltier elements can be set to 100 ° C. or more, so the wavelength variable range is expanded. You can also. If an optical wavelength conversion element including an optical waveguide having a constant period of the domain-inverted structure is used, the wavelength variable range does not change even if the temperature gradient is reversed. On the other hand, if an optical wavelength conversion element including an optical waveguide having a chirped period of the domain-inverted structure is used, the wavelength tunable range can theoretically be expanded up to two times by applying a temperature gradient in the opposite direction. It has the effect.

従来の擬似位相整合型の波長変換素子を用いたレーザ光源を示す構成図である。It is a block diagram which shows the laser light source using the conventional wavelength conversion element of a quasi phase matching type. 本発明の一実施形態にかかる光波長変換素子モジュールを示す構成図である。It is a block diagram which shows the optical wavelength conversion element module concerning one Embodiment of this invention.

符号の説明Explanation of symbols

１，２１ 光波長変換素子
２，２２ 光ファイバ
４，２４ 金属製サブマウント
７，２７ サーミスタ素子
８，２８ ペルチェ素子
９，２９ 光波長変換素子モジュール
１０ レーザダイオードモジュール
１１ 光コネクタ
１３ 波長合成器モジュール
１４ 波長フィルタ 1, 21 Optical wavelength conversion element 2, 22 Optical fiber 4, 24 Metal submount 7, 27 Thermistor element 8, 28 Peltier element 9, 29 Optical wavelength conversion element module 10 Laser diode module 11 Optical connector 13 Wavelength synthesizer module 14 Wavelength filter

Claims (3)

互いに波長の異なる信号光と制御光とを入力し、前記信号光を異なる波長の変換光に変換する光波長変換モジュールにおいて、
二次非線形光学効果を有する材料からなり、周期的な分極反転構造を有する光導波路を含む光波長変換素子と、
該光波長変換素子の光路方向に沿って、前記光波長変換素子と熱的に結合された複数の温度制御用素子および温度検出用素子とを備え、
前記光波長変換素子の光路方向に沿った温度を前記温度検出用素子により検出し、光路方向に沿って温度勾配を付けるように、前記温度制御用素子の各々が制御されることを特徴とする光波長変換モジュール。 In an optical wavelength conversion module that inputs signal light and control light having different wavelengths from each other, and converts the signal light into converted light of different wavelengths,
An optical wavelength conversion element including an optical waveguide made of a material having a second-order nonlinear optical effect and having a periodic polarization inversion structure;
A plurality of temperature control elements and temperature detection elements thermally coupled to the light wavelength conversion element along the optical path direction of the light wavelength conversion element,
Each of the temperature control elements is controlled so that a temperature along the optical path direction of the optical wavelength conversion element is detected by the temperature detection element and a temperature gradient is applied along the optical path direction. Optical wavelength conversion module. 前記光波長変換素子は、分極の周期をチャープさせた構造を有する光導波路を含むことを特徴とする請求項１に記載の光波長変換モジュール。   The optical wavelength conversion module according to claim 1, wherein the optical wavelength conversion element includes an optical waveguide having a structure in which a polarization period is chirped. 前記光波長変換素子と前記複数の温度制御用素子とは、前記温度制御用素子の消費電流と温度勾配の安定性とから求められた熱伝導率を有する金属サブマウントを介して、熱的に結合されていることを特徴とする請求項１または２に記載の光波長変換モジュール。   The optical wavelength conversion element and the plurality of temperature control elements are thermally connected via a metal submount having a thermal conductivity obtained from current consumption of the temperature control element and stability of a temperature gradient. The optical wavelength conversion module according to claim 1, wherein the optical wavelength conversion module is coupled.
JP2004011076A 2004-01-19 2004-01-19 Optical wavelength conversion module Pending JP2005202334A (en)

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Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2007043560A1 (en) * 2005-10-12 2007-04-19 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Wavelength conversion module, laser light source device, two-dimensional image display, backlight light source, liquid crystal display and laser material processing system
JP2008177336A (en) * 2007-01-18 2008-07-31 Seiko Epson Corp Light source device, projector, and monitoring equipment
CN113168070A (en) * 2018-11-20 2021-07-23 日本电信电话株式会社 Wavelength conversion device

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2007043560A1 (en) * 2005-10-12 2007-04-19 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Wavelength conversion module, laser light source device, two-dimensional image display, backlight light source, liquid crystal display and laser material processing system
US7692848B2 (en) 2005-10-12 2010-04-06 Panasonic Corporation Wavelength conversion module, laser light source device, two-dimensional image display device, backlight light source, liquid crystal display device and laser processing device
JP4837671B2 (en) * 2005-10-12 2011-12-14 パナソニック株式会社 Wavelength conversion module, laser light source device, two-dimensional image display device, backlight light source, liquid crystal display device, and laser processing device
CN101288024B (en) * 2005-10-12 2012-08-22 松下电器产业株式会社 Wavelength conversion module, laser light source device, two-dimensional image display, backlight light source, liquid crystal display and laser material processing system
JP2008177336A (en) * 2007-01-18 2008-07-31 Seiko Epson Corp Light source device, projector, and monitoring equipment
CN113168070A (en) * 2018-11-20 2021-07-23 日本电信电话株式会社 Wavelength conversion device
US11971644B2 (en) 2018-11-20 2024-04-30 Nippon Telegraph And Telephone Corporation Wavelength conversion device

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