US20230344546A1 - Polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent (pm-sh-acd) architecture for optical communication links - Google Patents
Polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent (pm-sh-acd) architecture for optical communication links Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20230344546A1 US20230344546A1 US18/307,717 US202318307717A US2023344546A1 US 20230344546 A1 US20230344546 A1 US 20230344546A1 US 202318307717 A US202318307717 A US 202318307717A US 2023344546 A1 US2023344546 A1 US 2023344546A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- signal
- optical
- polarization
- signals
- phase
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 230000003287 optical effect Effects 0.000 title claims abstract description 287
- 230000001427 coherent effect Effects 0.000 title claims abstract description 55
- 230000006854 communication Effects 0.000 title claims abstract description 42
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 42
- 230000010287 polarization Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 161
- 238000011084 recovery Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 34
- 238000005259 measurement Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 22
- 239000000835 fiber Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 21
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 claims description 7
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 claims description 7
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 claims description 7
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 25
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 18
- 239000011159 matrix material Substances 0.000 description 11
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 10
- 239000013307 optical fiber Substances 0.000 description 9
- 238000006243 chemical reaction Methods 0.000 description 7
- 239000003550 marker Substances 0.000 description 6
- 230000010363 phase shift Effects 0.000 description 6
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 description 5
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 5
- 238000013459 approach Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- 239000004065 semiconductor Substances 0.000 description 3
- 208000036758 Postinfectious cerebellitis Diseases 0.000 description 2
- 230000009471 action Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000001514 detection method Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000000758 substrate Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000012546 transfer Methods 0.000 description 2
- 208000034564 Coronary ostial stenosis or atresia Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 241001442234 Cosa Species 0.000 description 1
- GPXJNWSHGFTCBW-UHFFFAOYSA-N Indium phosphide Chemical compound [In]#P GPXJNWSHGFTCBW-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910003327 LiNbO3 Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- XUIMIQQOPSSXEZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Silicon Chemical compound [Si] XUIMIQQOPSSXEZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 238000007792 addition Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007175 bidirectional communication Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003086 colorant Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000002452 interceptive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- GQYHUHYESMUTHG-UHFFFAOYSA-N lithium niobate Chemical compound [Li+].[O-][Nb](=O)=O GQYHUHYESMUTHG-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012544 monitoring process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012545 processing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010079 rubber tapping Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910052710 silicon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000010703 silicon Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000001228 spectrum Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002123 temporal effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000032258 transport Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000007 visual effect Effects 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04J—MULTIPLEX COMMUNICATION
- H04J14/00—Optical multiplex systems
- H04J14/06—Polarisation multiplex systems
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04B—TRANSMISSION
- H04B10/00—Transmission systems employing electromagnetic waves other than radio-waves, e.g. infrared, visible or ultraviolet light, or employing corpuscular radiation, e.g. quantum communication
- H04B10/07—Arrangements for monitoring or testing transmission systems; Arrangements for fault measurement of transmission systems
- H04B10/075—Arrangements for monitoring or testing transmission systems; Arrangements for fault measurement of transmission systems using an in-service signal
- H04B10/077—Arrangements for monitoring or testing transmission systems; Arrangements for fault measurement of transmission systems using an in-service signal using a supervisory or additional signal
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04B—TRANSMISSION
- H04B10/00—Transmission systems employing electromagnetic waves other than radio-waves, e.g. infrared, visible or ultraviolet light, or employing corpuscular radiation, e.g. quantum communication
- H04B10/60—Receivers
- H04B10/61—Coherent receivers
- H04B10/614—Coherent receivers comprising one or more polarization beam splitters, e.g. polarization multiplexed [PolMux] X-PSK coherent receivers, polarization diversity heterodyne coherent receivers
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04B—TRANSMISSION
- H04B10/00—Transmission systems employing electromagnetic waves other than radio-waves, e.g. infrared, visible or ultraviolet light, or employing corpuscular radiation, e.g. quantum communication
- H04B10/60—Receivers
- H04B10/61—Coherent receivers
- H04B10/63—Homodyne, i.e. coherent receivers where the local oscillator is locked in frequency and phase to the carrier signal
Definitions
- This disclosure relates to a polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent (PM-SH-ACD) architecture for optical communication links.
- PM-SH-ACD polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent
- optical communication is an important part of modern communication techniques due to the excessive bandwidth of the light spectrum. Theoretically, optical communication has much higher system throughput than its radio frequency (RF) communication counterpart. Therefore, it finds many applications and facilitates our lives.
- RF radio frequency
- Some architectures for optical communication links employ coherent modulation/demodulation, whereby both phase and amplitude of light are modulated to transmit data across an optical fiber channel.
- coherent communication it is necessary to perform carrier recovery (CR) to demodulate the signal at the receiver.
- CR consists of phase-locking an unmodulated carrier to the received modulated signal.
- FIG. 1 A is a block diagram of a system for polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent (PM-SH-ACD) optical communications having polarization recovery (PR) and carrier recovery (CR) prior to wavelength based demultiplexing.
- PM-SH-ACD polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent
- FIG. 1 B is a block diagram of a system for PM-SH-ACD optical communications having PR prior to and CR after wavelength based demultiplexing.
- FIG. 1 C is a block diagram of a system for PM-SH-ACD optical communications having PR and CR after wavelength based demultiplexing.
- FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram 200 of combined PR and CR block that includes 8 phase shifters and 4 phase couplers.
- FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an architecture for PM-SH-ACD optical communications having PR and CR prior to wavelength based demultiplexing.
- FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a transmitter system having a laser and coherent Mach-Zehnder modulators (MZMs) that are backwards compatible with intensity modulated direct detect (IMDD) formats.
- MZMs Mach-Zehnder modulators
- FIGS. 5 A - 5 C are schematic diagrams of receiver systems 501 502 and 503 for PM-SH-ACD optical communications that are backwards compatible with IMDD formats.
- FIGS. 6 A - 6 C are block diagrams of systems for PM-SH-ACD optical communications that are backwards compatible with IMDD formats.
- FIG. 7 shows a flow chart of a process flow for PM-SH-ACD optical communications.
- FIG. 8 A is an example of equations for how to obtain error signal e(t) for polarization closed-loop control block diagram and of components of a receiver.
- FIG. 8 B is an example of Jones matrices for proportional, integral, derivative (PID) tuning of the phase shifters and couplers of the PR and CR block.
- PID proportional, integral, derivative
- elements appearing in figures are assigned three-digit or four-digit reference designators, where the two least significant digits are specific to the element and the one or two most significant digit may be the figure number where the element is first introduced or fabricated.
- An element that is not described in conjunction with a figure may be presumed to have the same characteristics and function as a previously-described or subsequently-described element having the same reference designator or two least significant digits.
- Described herein is an implementation of an architecture for an optical communication link that employs coherent modulation/demodulation, whereby both phase and amplitude of light are modulated to transmit data across an optical fiber channel.
- coherent communication it is necessary to perform carrier recovery (CR) to demodulate the signal at the receiver.
- CR carrier recovery
- the CR may consist of phase-locking an unmodulated carrier to the received modulated signal.
- One approach to carrier recovery in an optical coherent link having optical fiber channels is based on transmitting an unmodulated carrier in addition to the modulated optical signal along a parallel channel.
- This consists of transmitting the unmodulated carrier in an orthogonal polarization on the same fiber as the modulated signal. This can be referred to as polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne (PM-SH) detection.
- PM-SH in addition to CR, the original transmitted state-of-polarization (SOP) needs to be recovered.
- the recovery of the initial transmitted SOP may be referred to as polarization recovery (PR).
- CR and PR may be done using digital signal processing (DSP). Alternatively, both CR and PR may be separately demonstrated in the analog circuit domain.
- a circuit such as a Costas Loop may be employed, with a phase-frequency detector (PFD) and a loop filter that feeds back to a local oscillator to phase lock it to the carrier of the received modulated signal.
- PFD phase-frequency detector
- a marker or pilot tone can be used to recover the original SOP at the TX.
- PM-SH-ACD polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent
- both PR and CR may be performed in the analog domain in a wavelength-multiplexed link without the need for dedicated high-frequency circuits, such as those running at 10 GHz RF. Both PR and CR may be done by maximizing the power of a pilot tone introduced to one or both of the quadratures (e.g., sine and cosine wave signals) of one of the two transmitted polarizations (e.g., 0 degree optical signal polarization and 90 degree optical signal polarization).
- a pilot tone introduced to one or both of the quadratures (e.g., sine and cosine wave signals) of one of the two transmitted polarizations (e.g., 0 degree optical signal polarization and 90 degree optical signal polarization).
- IMDD intensity-modulation direct-detection
- TIAs transimpedance amplifiers
- DSPs digital signal processors
- the analog circuits and DSP that are employed can be the same ones that are developed for 400 Gb/s 4-wavelength (or 4-fiber) 100 Gbaud pulse amplitude modulation (PAM4) IMDD links.
- PAM4 pulse amplitude modulation
- Some single-fiber architectures or transceivers may transmit a total data rate of 400 Gb/s PAM4 IMDD.
- a 400 G FR4 standard may transmit 400 Gb/s using 4 wavelengths.
- An 800 Gb/s architecture herein may be backwards compatible with the 400G FR4.
- Some DSP-based coherent transceivers may not be backwards compatible. This is because the PR is done in the digital domain, and thus the waveguide polarization dependent losses result in a penalty which may render IMDD operation unfeasible.
- 1.6 Tb/s and 3.2 Tb/s solutions described herein may be backwards compatible with the proposed 800 Gb/s and 1.6 Tb/s solutions, respectively.
- FIG. 1 A is a block diagram of a system 100 (e.g., an architecture) for polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent (PM-SH-ACD) optical communications having polarization recovery (PR) and carrier recovery (CR) at block 134 prior to wavelength based demultiplexing at 136 and 137 .
- System 100 includes a transmitter section or transmitter (TX) 110 transmitting optical signal 182 to fiber optic cable 180 from which a receiver section or receiver (RX) 130 receives signal 182 .
- TX transmitter section or transmitter
- RX receiver section or receiver 130 receives signal 182 .
- a system, an architecture or components thereof being described as “for” performing an action may also be “configured to” perform said action.
- transmitter 110 converts input electrical data signals 117 from the DSP 116 into optical signals 125 .
- transmitter slices 120 each corresponding to an optical wavelength of a different wavelength laser 112 (e.g., visual color of light) of each slice, which are multiplexed at MUX1 126 and MUX2 127 , after which polarization beam combiner (PBC) 128 forms polarization orthogonal optical signal 182 from the multiplexed signals.
- PBC polarization beam combiner
- the optical signal 182 propagates across some length of optical fiber 180 .
- a receiver (RX) 130 converts the optical signal 182 back into output electrical data signals 147 which include the same data as that of signals 117 .
- the receiver 130 also has one or more slices 140 (see also slices 162 and 172 of FIGS. 1 B and 1 C ), each corresponding to a demultiplexed optical wavelength (e.g., of a different wavelength laser 112 ).
- Transmitter 110 is an optical transmitting component including a transmitter digital signal processor (DSP) 116 sending electrical signals 117 to each of a number of transmitter slices 120 .
- Each TX slice 120 includes a laser 112 , a splitter 114 , drivers 118 , modulator 122 and SOA 124 .
- a first multiplexer (MUX1) is for receiving modulated optical signals 123 or 125 from all of the slices and sending a combination of those signals as part of signals 129 to a PBC 128 .
- a second multiplexer (MUX2) is for receiving unmodulated optical signals 115 from all of the slices and sending a combination of those signals as part of signals 129 to the PBC 128 .
- the PBC is for combining signals 129 into orthogonally polarized signals and sending them as signal 182 on optical fiber 180 , such as a fiber optic cable.
- pilot tone (PT) signal 192 added to only one quadrature of one of the slices 120 by modulator 122 .
- signal 192 is modulated onto one of quadrature I (cosine wave signals) or Q (sine wave signals) of the signals 121 that will be part of signals 123 , 125 and 129 of only the modulated one of the two transmitted polarizations (e.g., 0 degree optical signal polarization or 90 degree optical signal polarization) of signal 182 .
- signal 192 can add to both of the quadratures of only the modulated one of the two transmitted polarizations.
- the received signal 182 first goes to the polarization splitter rotator (PSR) 132 , then the PR and CR block 134 , and is then demultiplexed at DEMUX1 136 and DEMUX2 137 .
- the amplitude of the pilot tone signal 192 can be monitored at receiver 130 using: a tap 151 directed to a low-frequency photodiode (LF PD) 150 and a resistor (the resistor maybe in blocks 150 or in controller 158 ); measuring a voltage signal of a dedicated transimpedance amplifier (TIA) 154 ; and/or by measuring the voltage signal of one of the same TIAs 146 used for data transmission.
- LF PD low-frequency photodiode
- TIA dedicated transimpedance amplifier
- All three options may provide an output voltage signal with an amplitude based on the amplitude of signal 192 .
- These voltage signal output options are depicted as signal 152 output from blocks 150 , signal 156 output from TIA 154 and signal 153 output from one of TIAs 146 , any one or more of which are represented as feedback signal 155 , which may be a pilot signal measurement signal 155 .
- the amplitude of the pilot tone signal 192 is measured using a microcontroller ( ⁇ C) 158 , which may perform a PR and CR algorithm for or of block 134 .
- This measurement and/or feedback signal 155 may be based on selecting any one or more of signals 152 , 156 and/or 153 . In some cases, the measurement is an aggregate or other combination of two or more of signals 152 , 156 and/or 153 .
- each TX slice 120 contains a laser 112 that is operated at a constant output power at a particular wavelength (e.g., color) that is different for each Tx slice 120 .
- the constant laser output 113 is also referred to as continuous-wave (CW).
- Laser 112 may be a coherent light source for outputting a laser light 113 having one frequency and one phase to a splitter 114 .
- the laser output signal 113 is optically split into two paths by the splitter 114 .
- the power split signals 115 can be equal or unequal power among the two output paths.
- splitter 114 is for creating two equal power outputs 115 of the laser light 113 .
- the splitter’s upper output signal is directed to an electro-optic modulator 122 and lower output signal is directed to an optical wavelength multiplexer (MUX2) 127 .
- MUX2 optical wavelength multiplexer
- An input data signal (not shown), which is composed of one or multiple parallel electrical data streams, is processed by a transmitter digital signal processor (DSP) 116 .
- the DSP output 117 signal can be or include one or several parallel electrical channels, such as the 4 parallel channels shown. There may be fewer or more than 4 parallel channels.
- Each DSP output channel is in one of various modulation formats, such as non-return to zero (NRZ) or 4-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM4).
- the DSP outputs 117 are connected to the inputs of modulator drivers 118 , which may be voltage amplifiers 119 that amplify or QPSK modulate signal 117 into signals 121 .
- the modulator driver output electrical signals 121 are directed to electro-optic modulators 122 .
- the electro-optic modulators 122 such as Mach-Zehnder modulators (MZM), convert the voltage signals 121 into an optical signal 123 .
- the modulators are biased such that the output optical signal 123 is phase-modulated in a format such as quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) or 16-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (16QAM).
- QPSK quadrature phase shift keying
- 16QAM 16-ary quadrature amplitude modulation
- the modulator is biased at the null-transmission point to produce a phase-modulated signal 123 .
- the modulation may give QPSK phase values for two optical signals per quadrature, I+/- and Q+/- as optical signal 123 .
- a marker or pilot tone (PT) signal 192 from tone generator 190 is added to one or two of the quadratures of modulators 122 for PR and CR at the receiver 130 , 160 or 170 .
- Modulators 122 may add the PT signal 192 to only one quadrature, such as I -cosine wave signals or Q - sine wave signals of the signals 121 of each of the slices 120 .
- a signal 192 can add to both of the quadratures (e.g., sine and cosine wave signals) of the modulated one of the two transmitted polarizations.
- Each of the two tone signals 192 may be at different frequencies in order to distinguish them at receiver 130 .
- Modulator 122 may be an optical modulator for outputting an optical modulated data signal 123 (such as having 2 optical quadrature component signals (I+, Q+) of the output of the laser light 115 modulated with a data signal 121 and one or two pilot tone signal(s) 192 identifying the polarization of the modulated signal 123 .
- data signal 121 may be QPSK or IMDD.
- the PT signal 192 may be in the 1 MHz range (e.g., 0.5 - 10 MHz).
- the data signal 117 or 121 may be at a frequency that is at least 500x or 1000x the frequency of the signal 192 .
- the PT signal 192 may have an inconsequential amount of power as compared to the data signal 121 or 123 , such as with respect to the function of block 134 , DEMUXs 136 and 137 , hybrid 142 , PDs 144 , TIAs 146 and DSP 148 .
- the PT signal 192 may have between 1 and 10 percent of the power of signal 121 or 123 . It may have 5 percent of the power of signal 121 or 123 .
- the modulated signal 123 may then be amplified using an optical amplifier such as a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) 124 and is then directed as amplified signal 125 to an optical wavelength multiplexer (MUX1) 126 .
- SOA 124 may represent at least one SOA of transmitter 110 at and amplifying at least one of the signal 123 (as shown), the signal 115 , the signal 129 and/or the signal 119 . In some cases, SOA 124 does not exist.
- MUX1 126 and MUX2 127 are optical multiplexers, such as arrayed waveguide gratings (AWG).
- Multiplexer 126 takes multiple optical input signals 125 , one from each of the slices 120 , and combines the signals 125 into a single optical waveguide signal 129 .
- Multiplexer 127 takes multiple optical input signals 115 , one from each of the slices 120 , and combines the signals 115 into a single optical waveguide signal 119 .
- Each input signal 125 and 115 corresponds to one TX slice 120 , each of which utilizes a unique carrier wavelength of signal 115 .
- MUX1 126 multiplexes the modulator output signals 125 of all the slices 120 and MUX2 127 multiplexes the unmodulated carrier signals that correspond to the splitter’s output signals 115 of all the slices 120 .
- MUX1 126 may be a multiplexer for combining the optical modulated data signals 125 of the slices 120 into a combined optical modulated data signal 129 ; and
- MUX2 127 may be a multiplexer for combining the laser light signals 115 of the slices 120 into a combined optical carrier signal 119 .
- the optical output signals 129 and 119 of MUX1 126 and MUX2 127 are typically in the same polarization.
- polarization beam combiner (PBC) 128 rotates one of the multiplexer output signals 129 or 119 to an orthogonal polarization and then combines the signals 129 and 119 (one having orthogonal polarization as compared to the other). Rotating may be rotating one of signals 129 or 119 to have an optical polarization that is 90 degrees different than that of the other signal of signals 129 or 119 .
- the optical signal 182 at the output of the PBC 128 is thus a wavelength-multiplexed dual-polarization signal. This output signal 128 is then coupled to a fiber 180 for transmission to the receiver 130 .
- PBC 128 may be for polarization rotating by 90 degrees (e.g., orthogonally) one of the combined optical modulated data signal 129 or the combined optical carrier signal 119 ; for combining into a polarized signal 182 , the polarization rotated one of and the other of the combined signals 129 and 119 ; and for transmitting to a fiber optic cable 180 the polarized signal 182 .
- the modulated signal 125 having PT signal 192 is in only one of the two transmitted polarizations of signal 182 . It may be in only signal 129 of signal 182 having a 0 degree optical polarization or a 90 degree optical polarization, while the other signal 119 has the other polarization. It may be in signal 129 while signal 119 has an orthogonal polarization compared to signal 129 .
- Cable 180 may be fiber optic or optical cables. It may be between a few feet and thousands of miles in length. It may extend between ten miles and hundreds of miles.
- Receiver 130 is an optical receiving component including a receiver polarization splitter rotator (PSR) 132 for receiving from cable 180 and combining the orthogonal polarized signal 182 into parallel orthogonal signals 133 and 135 which have their polarity and carrier recovered at PR and CR (e.g., PR plus CR) block 134 , which outputs optically demodulated data signal and carrier signals 135 .
- PR and CR at block 134 is controlled or performed by microcontroller 158 which receives feedback signal 155 based on the amplitude and signs of the pilot tones signal 192 .
- Signals 135 are demultiplexed at DEMUX1 136 and DEMUX2 137 which send optical signals 139 to each of a number of receiver slices 140 .
- Receiver digital signal processor (DSP) 148 receives electrical signals 147 from each of the slices 140 .
- Each slice 140 may be an optical signal to electrical signal converter. In some cases, it may convert to QPSK or to IMDD.
- Each RX slice 140 includes a 90 degree optical hybrid 142 , photodiodes 144 , and TIAs 146 .
- Each RX slice 140 also includes a tap 151 directed to an LF PD 150 and a resistor in blocks 150 or controller 158 ; and/or a dedicated TIA 154 . It also includes feedback signals 152 , 156 and/or 153 , any one or more of which are represented as feedback signal 155 to microcontroller ( ⁇ C) 158 .
- ⁇ C microcontroller
- the received optical signal 182 from cable 180 is coupled to the receiver 130 and directed to PSR 132 .
- the PSR 132 receives signal 182 with two orthogonal polarizations, which include all or parts of signals 129 and 119 , one orthogonally polarization to the other.
- the PSR 132 splits then rotates the two orthogonal polarizations to two same polarization signals 133 and 135 which the receiver waveguides are designed for. Rotating may be rotating one of polarization orthogonal signals 133 or 135 to have an optical signal polarization that is the same as that of the other signal of signals 133 and 135 .
- Signal 182 includes signals 129 and 119 , one orthogonally polarization to the other.
- each of signals 133 and 135 includes a part of both signals 129 and 119 , because the PSR 132 does not know the exact polarization of either or both of signals 129 and 119 , but has split off a randomly polarized pair of orthogonally polarization signals from signal 182 , and rotated one of those split off signals.
- Each of the randomly polarized pair of signals 133 and 135 will have part of signal 129 and part of signal 119 .
- the two output signals 133 and 135 are routed towards PR and CR block 134 .
- PSR 132 may be for receiving the polarized signal 182 ; polarization un-rotating by 90 degrees the polarized signal 182 into same polarized optical signals 133 and 135 , each having some of the combined laser light signals 119 and some of the combined optical modulated data signals 129 .
- Polarization recovery of signals 129 and 119 from signals 133 and 135 happens at PR and CR block 134 .
- the state-of-polarization (SOP) of signal 182 undergoes random time-varying rotations as it propagates along fiber 180 . For that reason, it is necessary to de-rotate the received SOP to recover the transmitted signals 129 and 119 .
- the PR and CR block 134 receives the rotated SOP of signals 133 and 135 , and outputs the original transmitted SOP with phase-locked unmodulated carrier signal 119 and phase-locked modulated (with data signals 121 ) carrier signal 129 .
- the PR and CR block 134 is or includes 8 phase shifters and 4 couplers; and is described further at FIG. 2 .
- Block 134 may be a reset-free polarization controller and carrier recovery based on phase shifters.
- PR and CR block 134 includes a polarization recover (PR) component for recovering the polarization of the polarized optical signals 133 and 135 using a received polarization recovery signal 159 from the microcontroller 158 , to recover a polarization fixed optical signal 129 having the data signal 121 and pilot tone signal 192 optically modulated with the laser light 115 and to recover a polarization fixed optical signal having the laser light 115 , where signals 129 and 115 have the same fixed polarization.
- PR polarization recover
- PR and CR block 134 also includes a carrier recovery (CR) component for: (a) recovering the frequency and phase of the second output of the laser light from the polarization fixed second optical signal; (b) demodulating the polarization fixed first optical signal into a polarizartion and frequency fixed first optical signal having the data signal and the pilot tone signal; and (c) demodulating the polarization fixed second optical signal into a polar, frequency and phase fixed second optical signal having or that is the second output of the laser light. Recovering the frequency and phase may be done using pairs of phase shifters and phase couplers as noted in FIG.
- the carrier recovery signal is or is based on a received polarization recovery signal.
- DEMUX1 136 and DEMUX2 137 are optical demultiplexers, such as arrayed waveguide gratings (AWG).
- the demultiplexers take a single optical input and separate it into multiple optical outputs, each corresponding to a different carrier wavelength. Each output corresponds to one RX slice of slices 140 .
- Demultiplexer 136 takes a single optical waveguide signal having combined data signals 129 for all slices 140 and splits signal 129 into multiple optical signals 125 , one for each of the slices 140 .
- Demultiplexer 137 takes a single optical waveguide signal having combined carrier signals 119 for all slices 140 and splits signal 119 into multiple optical signals 115 , one for each of the slices 140 .
- Each signal 125 and 115 corresponds to one RX slice 140 , and each has a unique carrier wavelength (color) of signal 115 .
- DEMUX1 136 and DEMUX1 137 may be for splitting each of the optical signals 129 and 119 into a number of polarized optical signals for the receiver slices 140 .
- the receiver 130 may have at least one SOA at and amplifying at least one of the signal 129 , the signal 119 , the signal 125 and/or the signal 115 . In some cases, none of these SOAs exist (as shown).
- a 90 degree optical hybrid 142 takes both the unmodulated signal 115 and the modulated signal 125 from the output of the PR and CR block 134 and outputs 4 optical signals 143 corresponding to the desired vectorial additions of the two input optical fields. Namely, hybrid 142 outputs two optical signals per quadrature, which may be the 4 quadrature signals I+ and I- (cosine wave quadrature signals) and Q+ and Q- (sine wave quadrature signals). In some cases, hybrid 142 outputs one optical signal per quadrature, which may be the 2 quadrature signals I+ and Q+.
- the hybrid 142 may be for splitting the polarization and frequency fixed optical signals 125 and 115 into 4 optical quadrature component signals (I+, I-, Q+, Q-). While the modulator 122 may only generate one optical signal 123 consisting of two quadratures I and Q; the 90-degree hybrid 142 may output 4 separate optical signals 143 by effectively splitting the (e.g., two quadrature) inputs into 4 paths and interfering the signals in those 4 paths.
- the I+ path of signals 143 no phase difference is added between the two input signals and the signals are interfered as is.
- the I- path of signals 143 a 180-degree phase difference is added between the signals and the signals are interfered.
- the phase difference is 90 degrees; and in the Q- path of signals 143 the phase difference is 270 degrees.
- the four output signals 143 of the hybrid 142 are directed to differential photodiodes (PDs) 144 .
- Each of the PDs 144 converts the optical field of one of signals 143 into an electrical photocurrent of electrical signals 145 that is proportional to the received signal power of the one signal of signals 143 .
- the optical field to photocurrent conversion mixes the unmodulated and modulated signals and demodulates the phase-modulated signal. This demodulation gives the QPSK phase values for the two optical signals per quadrature, I+/- and Q+/- as electrical current of signals 145 .
- the optical field to photocurrent conversion may be for converting at the frequencies of the data signals 117 or 121 , which may be around 10 s of 10 GHz, 30 GHz for 50 Gbaud, or around 60 GHz for 100 Gbaud. This conversion may not be for conversion at the frequency of the PT signal 192 (e.g., around 1 MHz).
- the 4 PDs 144 may be for converting the 4 optical quadrature component signals 143 into 4 electrical current quadrature signals 145 .
- the photocurrent signals 143 are then converted to voltage signals 147 using TIAs 146 , which output the signals 147 to the receiver DSP 148 .
- TIAs 146 may be two TIAs for converting the 4 electrical current quadrature signals 145 into 4 electrical voltage quadrature data signals 147 .
- the receiver DSP 148 processes the voltage signals 147 received from the TIAs 146 to recover the original data signals 117 or 121 transmitted by the TX DSP 116 .
- DSP 148 may be an Rx DSP for decoding or extracting the data signal from the 4 electrical voltage quadrature data signals 147 .
- One, two or up to all four of the four hybrid output signals 143 may have an optical tap 151 that is directed to a low frequency photodiode (LF PD) of block 150 to measure the amplitude of one, two or up to four of the PR+CR marker tone signals 192 in signals 143 .
- Each of taps 151 may divert an inconsequential amount of the optical signals 143 with respect to the function of PDs 144 ′s conversions. The taps may divert between 0.1 and 5 percent of the optical power of signals 143 .
- Each LF PD may convert the low frequency (e.g., around 1 MHz; or between 0.1 MHz and 10 MHz) optical field of one of signals 143 into an electrical photocurrent of electrical signal 152 that is proportional to the received signal power of the PT signal 192 of the tapped one of signals 143 .
- the optical field to photocurrent conversion may be for converting at the frequency of the PT signal 192 . It may not be for conversion at the frequencies of the data signals 117 or 121 .
- the LF PD may output across a resistor of block 150 or controller 158 to provide a voltage signal 152 that is proportional to the received signal power of the PT signal 192 .
- only one set of tap 151 , block 150 and signal 152 is shown for convenience there may be one set tapping two or each of the signals 143 and the signals 152 of those sets may be part of signal 155 .
- the amplitude of the PR+CR marker tone signal 192 in one, two or up to all four of signals 145 may be measured by measuring a voltage signal of one, two or up to all four dedicated transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs) 154 , one for each of the measured signals 145 .
- Each TIA 154 output may be monitored to measure the amplitude of the pilot tone signal 192 to perform PR+CR.
- Each TIA 154 may output a voltage signal 156 that is proportional to the received signal power of the PT signal 192 in one of the electrical signals 145 .
- each TIA 154 is shown outputting signal 156 for convenience; two or up to four TIAs 154 may exist to monitor two or each of the signals 145 , and each of the TIAs output signals 156 may be part of signal 155 .
- one, two or up to four of the TIA 146 outputs may be monitored to measure the amplitude of the pilot tone signal 192 to perform PR+CR.
- the amplitude of the PR+CR marker tone signal 192 in one, two or up to all four of signals 145 may be measured by measuring a voltage signal of one or more of TIAs 146 .
- Each TIA 146 may output a voltage signal 153 that is proportional to the received signal power of the PT signal 192 in one of the electrical signals 145 .
- each TIA 146 is shown with its output being monitored and outputting signal 153 for convenience; two or up to all four TIAs 146 may have their outputs monitored for two or each of the signals 145 , and each of the TIAs output signals 153 may be part of signal 155 .
- Each of the two or up to four tone signals 192 may be at different frequencies in order to distinguish them at each of the different ones of tap 151 and blocks 150 ; TIAs 154 ; and/or TIAs 146 .
- Each of the different ones may be tuned to receive only one frequency of the signals 192 generated by tone generator 190 , and modulated onto signal 123 by modulator 122 .
- the signal 192 measurements by TIAs 154 and 146 may be for measuring at the frequency of the PT signal 192 . They need not be for measuring at the frequencies of the data signals 117 or 121 .
- Each of the three options provide an output voltage signal with an amplitude based on the amplitude of signal 192 .
- These voltage signal output options are depicted as signal 152 output from blocks 150 , signal 156 output from TIA 154 and signal 153 output from one of TIAs 146 , any one or more of which are represented as feedback signal 155 .
- the amplitude of the pilot tone signal 192 is measured using a microcontroller ( ⁇ C) 158 , which may perform a PR and CR algorithm for or of block 134 .
- ⁇ C microcontroller
- This measurement may be based on selecting any one or more of signals 152 , 156 and/or 153 . In some cases, the measurement is an aggregate or other combination of two or more of signals 152 , 156 and/or 153 .
- Each of the three options for measuring the amplitude of signal 192 may be a polarization detector for detecting (e.g., measuring, monitoring and/or determining) a polarization of the pilot tone signal 192 to identify a polarization of the modulated signal 129 having signal 192 , and for outputting the pilot signal measurement signal 155 to the microcontroller 158 based on the detected polarization.
- Signal(s) 155 can then be used by controller 158 to determine or calculate signals 159 for controlling block 134 or 200 .
- Microcontroller 158 may be for sending the polarization recover signal 159 (which may also include a carrier recovery signal) to block 134 based on the received feedback signal 155 .
- PR and CR at block 134 is controlled or performed by microcontroller 158 through signals 159 .
- Controller 158 may perform a PR and CR algorithm, which the functionality of block 134 is based upon, such as using hardware, BIOIS, RAM, software or any combination thereof of controller 158 .
- the microcontroller 158 may output an analog signal (e.g., as signal 159 ) using a digital to analog converter (DAC) or a pulse-width modulation (PWM) module.
- DAC digital to analog converter
- PWM pulse-width modulation
- the DAC or PWM modules can be built into the microcontroller or can be external components that the microcontroller interfaces with (not shown).
- This analog voltage signal may either directly drive the phase shifters of block 134 , or indirectly by using external drivers that amplify the voltage and/or increase the range of the current delivered to the phase shifters.
- the phase shifters may be thermo-optic phase shifters or electro-optic phase shifters.
- FIG. 8 A is an example of equations 804 for how to obtain error signal e(t) for a polarization closed-loop control block, such as used by controller 158 and/or block 134 .
- FIG. 8 A also shows components of receiver 130 with two sets of tap 151 and block 150 ; and phase shifter control signals 159 from controller 158 to each of the phase shifters of block 134 .
- FIG. 8 B is an example of Jones matrices 806 for proportional, integral, derivative (PID) tuning of the phase shifters and couplers of block 134 using equations 804 , such as used by controller 158 and providing control of block 134 by signals 159 .
- Matrices 806 include phase shifter matrix 842 for tuning or controlling the phase of shifters ⁇ 1 - ⁇ 4 and ⁇ 1 ′- ⁇ 4 ’.
- Matrices 806 also include phase coupler matrix 844 for tuning or controlling the and the phase coupling of couplers 216 , 226 , 236 and 246 .
- two signals 192 are added to signal 123 by modulator 122 , one in each of quadratures I and Q of signal 123 .
- the following can be measured to obtain the polarization recovery error: 1) amplitude of the two tone signals 192 in their desired channels (e.g., I tone signal 192 in I channel, and Q tone signal 192 in Q channel), 2) amplitude of the tone signals 192 in the undesired channels (I tone signal 192 in Q channel, Q tone signal 192 in I channel), and 3) The sign of the 4 tone signals 192 (in phase (0 degree) or out of phase (180 degree)).
- Each of these measurements can be performed (e.g., in the 2 quadratures) by one or more of tap 151 and blocks 150 ; TIAs 154 ; and/or TIAs 146 which output the measurements as signals 152 , 156 and/or 153 (e.g., signal 155 ) to controller 158 .
- controller 158 a linear system of 4 equations is obtained, such as by controller 158 .
- Jones matrix 806 of the Fiber e.g., TFiber
- PR+CR e.g., TController
- Jones matrix 842 can be used for the phase shifters and matrix 844 can be used for the (2x2) phase couplers to describe how optical elements modify the state of polarization of polarized light.
- PR+CR phase shifter values of matrix 842 are known, another system of 4 equations can be solved to obtain the Jones matrix of only the Fiber.
- Each Jones matrix may contain 3 degrees of freedom, which correspond to the phase shifts set in the PR+CR block 200/134.
- the three error signals are fed into a controller, i.e. a PID controller, in order to generate the drive signal (such as signals 159 ) for the phase shifters ⁇ 1 - ⁇ 4 and ⁇ 1 ′- ⁇ 4 ’.
- Each of the two or up to four tone signals 192 may be at different frequencies in order to distinguish them at receiver 130 .
- both PR and CR can be performed simultaneously. So, the marker tones may be used to do PR and CR.
- FIG. 1 A both polarization recovery (PR) and carrier recovery (CR) at block 134 are performed before demultiplexing (at DEMUX1 136 and DEMUX2 137 ).
- FIG. 1 B is a block diagram of a system 102 for PM-SH-ACD optical communications having polarization recovery (PR) at 164 prior to and carrier recovery (CR) at 165 after wavelength based demultiplexing at 166 and 167 .
- FIG. 1 C is a block diagram of a system 104 for PM-SH-ACD optical communications having polarization recovery (PR) and carrier recovery (CR) at 172 after wavelength based demultiplexing at 176 and 177 .
- the transmitter 110 part of the link/system is identical, and the receivers 130 , 160 and 170 differ as shown.
- the components or blocks that are included in all of the variants were first described in a certain order for the variant of FIG. 1 A .
- FIGS. 1 B and 1 C may use the same blocks with the order of the blocks changed for each variant.
- PR is performed at block 164 before demultiplexing is performed at DEMUX1 166 and DEMUX2 167 .
- CR is performed at block 165 within each of slices 162 .
- the tone signal 192 is measured in each of slices 162 and is fed back to the microcontroller 158 using feedback signals 169 from each of slices 162 .
- Each of signals 169 may be similar to signal 155 but be for one specific slice.
- Measuring the tone signal 192 in each of slices 162 and feeding back signals 155 to the microcontroller 158 using feedback signals 169 may include or be using one or more of the three options (tap 151 and blocks 150 ; TIA 154 ; and/or using TIAs 146 ) in each slice as described for system 100 .
- Systems 100 and 102 are compatible with broadband optical switching.
- broadband is the wide-bandwidth data transmission that transports multiple signals at a wide range of frequencies and Internet traffic types, which enables messages to be sent simultaneously and is used in fast internet connections.
- broadband is used to mean any high-speed Internet access that is always on and faster than dial-up access over traditional analog or ISDN PSTN services.
- the demultiplexing at DEMUX1 176 and DEMUX2 177 is performed before both PR and CR are performed at block 174 within each of slices 172 .
- each of slices 172 contains a PR+CR block 174 .
- the tone signal 192 is measured and is fed back to the microcontrollers 178 using feedback signals 155 in each of slices 172 .
- Measuring the tone signal 192 in each of slices 172 and feeding back signals 155 to the microcontrollers 178 may include or be using one or more of the three options (tap 151 and blocks 150 ; TIA 154 ; and/or using TIAs 146 ) in each slice as described for system 100 .
- Wavelength-dependent optical switching may route (switch) signals between optical fibers on a per-wavelength basis or may us wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) which multiplexes a number of optical carrier signals onto a single optical fiber by using different wavelengths (i.e., colors) of laser light.
- WDM wavelength-division multiplexing
- FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram 200 of combined PR and CR block 134 that includes 8 phase shifters and 4 phase couplers.
- Block 134 may be a reset-free polarization controller and carrier recovery based on phase shifters.
- Block 134 has input signal X′ (e.g., for cosine or I waves), which corresponds to one of the two received polarizations in the signal 182 at the input of block 132 , to a first phase shifter ( ⁇ 1 ) which shifts signal X′ to a X′′ phase shifted signal.
- Block 134 has input signal Y′ (e.g., for sine or Q waves), which corresponds to the other of the two received polarizations in the signal 182 at the input of block 132 , to a second phase shifter ( ⁇ 1 ’) which shifts signal Y′ to a Y′′ phase shifted signal.
- phase coupler 216 couples the phase shifted signals from shifters ( ⁇ 1 ) and ( ⁇ 1 ’) and outputs split signals 217 and 218 , where signal 217 has a 90 degree phase shift as compared to signal 218 .
- phase coupler 226 couples the phase shifted signals from shifters ( ⁇ 2 ) and ( ⁇ 2 ’) and outputs split signals 227 and 228 , where signal 227 has a 90 degree phase shift as compared to signal 228 .
- the split signal 227 output from coupler 226 is an input signal to a fifth phase shifter ( ⁇ 3 ) which shifts signal 227 to a signal 227 ′′ degree phase shifted signal and the split signal 228 is an input signal to a sixth phase shifter ( ⁇ 3 ’) which shifts signal 228 to a signal 228′′ degree phase shifted signal.
- phase coupler 236 couples the phase shifted signals from shifters ( ⁇ 3 ) and ( ⁇ 3 ’) and outputs split signals 237 and 238 , where signal 237 has a 90 degree phase shift as compared to signal 238 .
- the split signal 237 output from coupler 236 is an input signal to a third phase shifter ( ⁇ 4 ) which shifts signal 237 to a signal 237 ′′ degree phase shifted signal and the split signal 238 is an input signal to a fourth phase shifter ( ⁇ 4 ’) which shifts signal 238 to a signal 238 ′′ degree phase shifted signal.
- phase coupler 246 couples the phase shifted signals from shifters ( ⁇ 4 ) and ( ⁇ 4 ’) and outputs split signal outputs of block 134 as outputs X and Y, where signal X has a 90 degree phase shift as compared to signal Y.
- the PR and CR block 134 includes four sets 210 , 220 , 230 and 240 , each of 2 phase shifters (e.g., 212 and 214 ) and 1 coupler (e.g., 216 ), each of the 2 phase shifters for phase shifting a separate input into a separate phase shifted output, and each of the 1 coupler for coupling the separate outputs of the 2 phase shifters into a coupled signal output.
- separate inputs of 2 phase shifters of a first set of the four sets can be for receiving the first and second polarized optical signals; and separate inputs of 2 phase shifters of a second, third and fourth set of the four sets are for receiving the coupled signal output from the 1 coupler of a prior set of the four sets.
- each pair of phase shifters ( ⁇ X ) and ( ⁇ X ’) of diagram 200 introduce a relative phase between their two output paths; and the 2x2 couplers (e.g., coupler 2X6) of diagram 200 split half the power of each input arm from those two shifters equally at the output (e.g., half of the power goes to each output 2X7 and 2X8) and also introduce a 90 degree relative phase between those 2 outputs.
- the concatenated blocks 210 , 220 , 230 and 240 allow the PR+CR block 134 to produce a reset-free arbitrary Jones matrix to recover both the polarization and recover the carrier.
- This Jones matrix may be Jones matrices 842 having matrix 842 for the shifters and 844 for the couplers.
- Diagram 200 may be divided into a separate PR section 164 and CR section 165 , such as noted for FIG. 1 B .
- diagram 200 can change by separating block 240 from 200 and utilizing block 240 as a standalone CR block 165 as a CR section 165 for each slice 162 , while using the sections 210 , 220 , 230 as PR block 164 for all slices 162 .
- a pair of phase shifters may be used to create block 165 for CR, and another two or three phase sifters for PR .
- the controller 158 may use signals 155 to calculate or create signals 159 to be sent to blocks 164 and 165 ,
- diagram 200 may be of combined PR and CR block 174 of FIG. 1 C .
- diagram 200 may also be unmodified and all the sections 210 , 220 , 230 , and 240 may be used together at block 174 .
- the controller 158 may use signals 155 to calculate or create signals 159 to be sent to each of blocks 178 of slices 172 ,
- FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of an architecture 300 for PM-SH-ACD optical communications having PR and CR at block 134 prior to wavelength based demultiplexing at DEMUX1 136 and DEMUX2 137 .
- Architecture 300 may be system 100 .
- the electro-optic transceiver of architecture 300 is assembled on top of a substrate 320 such as a printed circuit board (PCB) or a semiconductor carrier.
- the entire assembly of architecture 300 is referred to as a coherent optical subassembly (COSA) 340 .
- the COSA consists of a receiver (RX) photonic integrated circuit (PIC) 330 and a transmitter (TX) PIC 310 , analog electronics (TIAs 146 , Drivers), DSP 148 and a ⁇ C 158 .
- the COSA 340 components are interconnected using bond wires, flip-chip, vias, and/or electrical traces, such as shown by the lines connecting the different components of the architecture 300 .
- the PICs may be fabricated on a material such as silicon, indium phosphide (InP), or lithium niobate (LiNbO 3 ).
- This particular embodiment of architecture 300 provides the benefits that it utilizes four multiplexed wavelengths, requires no waveguide crossings, and utilizes distributed feedback (DFB) lasers 122 .
- the integrated-coherent receiver (ICR) blocks 344 contain optical 90-degree hybrids 142 and PDs 144 .
- the IQMs 122 are IQ-modulators.
- Systems 102 and 104 may also be on a substrate 320 , referred to as a COSAs, have PICs, analog electronics, DSPs, ⁇ Cs, interconnections, fabrication material, utilizes four multiplexed wavelengths, require no waveguide crossings and/or utilizes distributed feedback (DFB) lasers similar to the description for architecture 300 .
- COSAs have PICs, analog electronics, DSPs, ⁇ Cs, interconnections, fabrication material, utilizes four multiplexed wavelengths, require no waveguide crossings and/or utilizes distributed feedback (DFB) lasers similar to the description for architecture 300 .
- DSPs digital signal processor
- ⁇ Cs interconnections
- fabrication material utilizes four multiplexed wavelengths, require no waveguide crossings and/or utilizes distributed feedback (DFB) lasers similar to the description for architecture 300 .
- DFB distributed feedback
- FIGS. 4 and 5 A - 5 C are schematic diagrams of transmitter and receiver system for PM-SH-ACD optical communications that are backwards compatible with intensity modulated direct detect (IMDD) formats.
- FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a transmitter system 410 for PM-SH-ACD optical communications including laser 112 and coherent Mach-Zehnder modulators (MZM1) 401 and (MZM2) 402 that are backwards compatible with intensity modulated direct detect (IMDD) formats.
- MZM1 Mach-Zehnder modulators
- MZM2 coherent Mach-Zehnder modulators
- IMDD intensity modulated direct detect
- Modulator 422 is an IQ-modulator (IQM) used for quadrature amplitude modulation that is implemented using the two nested MZMs 401 and 402 .
- IQ-modulator 422 has MZM 401 for creating optical quadrature component signal I of the optical modulated data signal 123 and has MZM 402 for creating optical quadrature component signal Q of the optical modulated data signal 123 .
- Modulator 422 may be or be used in place of modulator 122 .
- Three tunable couplers 420 , 440 and 480 are added to render a conventional coherent transmitter such as TX 110 compatible with IMDD formats, such as PAM4.
- System 410 includes laser 112 , 6 phase shifters and 8 phase couplers, some of which are in each of tunable couplers 420 , 440 and 480 .
- Coupler 420 is a 2x2 coupler having phase shifter ( ⁇ 1 ) and phase couplers 421 and 424 .
- Coupler 440 is a 2x2 coupler having phase shifter ( ⁇ 2 ) and phase couplers 441 and 444 .
- Coupler 480 is a 2x2 coupler having phase shifter ( ⁇ 6 ) and optionally also phase shifter ( ⁇ 5 ), and phase couplers 481 and 484 .
- MZM 401 may include phase shifter ⁇ 3 and phase coupler 461 .
- MZM 402 may include phase shifter ⁇ 4 and phase coupler 464 .
- a phase shifter ⁇ 1 is adjusted for coupler 420 to select whether to route the light power (e.g., optical power) of laser 112 according to the desired modulation format, coherent or IMDD.
- the light power e.g., optical power
- IMDD all the power is directed by coupler 420 to the modulator 422 , and for coherent modulation a fraction (e.g., half) of the power is directed to the modulator 422 and a fraction (e.g., half) of the power is directed to the LO output which may go to MUX2 127 .
- Phase shifters ⁇ 2 and ⁇ 6 are also adjusted accordingly, with shifter ⁇ 2 adjusted so coupler 440 selects whether to direct all the light power coupler 440 receives to one of the two nested MZMs 401 or 402 for IMDD; or direct half of the power to each of the two nested MZMs 401 and 402 for coherent modulation.
- shifter ⁇ 6 is adjusted so coupler 480 select whether to receive all the light power from the directed to one of the two nested MZMs 401 or 402 for IMDD, or receive half of the power from each of the two nested MZMs 401 and 402 for coherent modulation.
- For IMDD only one MZM is needed because only one quadrature, I or Q, is needed to send the light power modulated communication signal, while for coherent modulation both quadratures are needed, such as for QPSK.
- the three phase shifters ⁇ 1 , ⁇ 2 and ⁇ 6 can be set or adjusted using open or closed-loop control.
- open-loop control a lookup table can be used to set the phase of the phase shifters.
- closed-loop control a tap at the LO path and a tap before or after one of the nested MZMs are directed to monitor PDs to measure the optical power.
- the measured optical powers can be processed by a circuit, such as a ⁇ C (not shown but connected to each of the three phase shifters), to continuously set the correct value of phase shifting of shifters ⁇ 1 , ⁇ 2 , and ⁇ 6 .
- phase shifters can be dithered to obtain the derivative of measured power for IMDD versus phase for coherent modulation, in order to maintain the desired power directing operating points for IMDD or coherent. Dithering is just one possible method.
- the phase shifters can be implemented using electro-optic phase shifters, such as thermal phase shifters, a p-type and n-type semiconductor material (PN) junction phase shifters, or any kind of material that produces an electro-optic response sufficient for this use.
- PN n-type semiconductor material
- the three phase shifters ⁇ 1 , ⁇ 2 and ⁇ 6 can be set or adjusted so that all of laser or light power is in modulated signal 125 (e.g., signal S) and none of the power is in carrier signal 115 (e.g., signal LO).
- modulated signal 125 e.g., signal S
- carrier signal 115 e.g., signal LO
- all of the light power may be in only one quadrature of the modulated light power signal 125 .
- the three phase shifters ⁇ 1 , ⁇ 2 and ⁇ 6 can be set or adjusted so that the light power is in or split between modulated signal 125 (e.g., signal S) and is in carrier signal 115 (e.g., signal LO) as noted for FIGS. 1 A - 8 C .
- phase shifter ⁇ 5 of tunable coupler 480 is set to 90 degrees in order to bias the parent modulator 422 at quadrature.
- Optical amplifiers such as SOAs can be utilized in the transmitter 110 to increase the optical power in order to close the optical link, i.e., to have enough power at the HF PDs 144 of the receiver 130 for those PDs to operate at the specified bit-error rate.
- FIGS. 5 A - 5 C are schematic diagrams of receiver systems 501 , 502 and 503 for PM-SH-ACD optical communications that are backwards compatible with IMDD formats.
- Systems 501 , 502 and 503 may be used in any of the for PM-SH-ACD optical communications systems and/or architectures herein.
- ICRs 544 , 545 and 546 of systems 501 , 502 and 503 may include the hybrids 142 and PDs 144 of any of receivers 130 , 160 and 170 of FIGS. 1 A - 1 C .
- ICRs 544 , 545 and 546 or some components thereof may be used in place of the hybrids 142 and PDs 144 , taps 151 and PDs 150 (and optionally resistors for PDs 150 ) of any of receivers 130 , 160 and 170 of FIGS. 1 A - 1 C .
- One or two tunable couplers 520 and 540 are added to hybrids 142 and PDs 144 to render a conventional coherent receiver such as any or RX 130 , 160 or 170 compatible with IMDD formats, such as PAM4.
- the polarization controller and/or PR and CR block 134 described in FIG. 4 enables backwards compatibility from coherent modulation to IMDD formats, by setting the phase shifters ( ⁇ 1 to ⁇ 4 ) and/or tunable couplers 420 , 440 and 480 of transmitter 410 such that all of the optical or light power is directed to the output that is connected to the S input of the ICR for IMDD.
- the backwards compatibility of transmitter 410 at the hybrid 142 in FIGS. 5 A - 5 C , for IMDD formats, all of laser or light power is in modulated signal 125 (e.g., at input S) and none of the power is in carrier signal 115 (e.g., at input LO).
- all of the light power may be in only one quadrature of the modulated light power signal 125/S.
- the light power is in or split between modulated signal 125 (e.g., at input S) and is in carrier signal 115 (e.g., at input LO) as noted for FIGS. 1 A - 3 .
- the backwards compatibility for IMDD can be implemented at the ICRs 544 , 545 and 546 by maximizing the power detected by the LF PD that detects an optical tap of the signal Es +E LO , such as shown in systems 501 / 100 , 502 / 102 and 503 / 104 , using open or closed loop control.
- the LF PD that detects an optical tap of the signal Es +E LO
- ICRs 544 , 545 , and 546 only have one LF PD 150 .
- optical power can be measured at the IMDD path Es +jE LO (e.g., the Q quadrature can be measured by any of the three options) and the controller 158 can be used to maximize to maximize that power measurement.
- the polarization controller’s X and Y outputs may be connected to the ICR’s S and LO inputs.
- Output X may be connected to input S and output Y connected to input LO; or output X may be connected to input LO and output Y connected to input S.
- the IMDD data signal similar to signal 145 but having IMDD data, can be monitored or detected at the ICRs 544 , 545 and 546 by detecting the data in the signal 155 from PD 150 from tap 151 and sending that signal to controller 158 or to RX DSP 148 .
- the microcontroller can adjust the phase shifters in the PR+CR block 134 to maximize the signal power received in the LF PD, which in FIGS. 5 A-C corresponds to the Es +jE LO output of the hybrid.
- no tone signal 192 is necessary and only the total received signal power is used.
- ICR 544 of FIG. 5 A includes the hybrids 142 , PDs 144 and tunable coupler 520 having phase shifter ⁇ 7 and phase couplers 521 and 524 .
- Tunable coupler 520 receives signal S (e.g., signal 125 ) and outputs signal 526 to input Es of hybrid 142 and/or outputs signal 528 to phase coupler 531 .
- Phase coupler 531 receives signal 528 and couples it with signal 143 from hybrid 142 to send as a coupled signal to input Es + E LO of PDs 144 , as shown.
- ICR 544 also includes tap 151 of one or multiple signals 143 to LF PD 150 , and signal 155 from PD 150 to microcontroller 158 .
- ICR 545 of FIG. 5 B includes the hybrids 142 , PDs 144 and tunable coupler 520 .
- Tunable coupler 520 receives signal S and outputs signal 526 to input Es of hybrid 142 and outputs signal 528 to new input Es of an additional HF PD 544 of PDs 144 which adds signal 528 to the I+ channel PD of PDs 144 .
- ICR 544 also includes tap 151 of one of signals 143 to LF PD 150 , and signal 155 from PD 150 to microcontroller 158 .
- ICR 546 of FIG. 5 C includes the hybrids 142 , PDs 144 , tunable coupler 520 and tunable coupler 540 having phase shifter ⁇ 8 and phase couplers 541 and 544 .
- Tunable coupler 540 receives signal 528 and outputs signal 543 to input Es + E LO of PDs 144 , as shown.
- ICR 544 also includes tap 151 of one of signals 143 to LF PD 150 , and signal 155 from PD 150 to microcontroller 158 .
- the optical 90-degree hybrid 142 can be bypassed by using a tunable coupler 520 , which is controlled by setting the value of phase shifter ⁇ 7 .
- phase shifter ⁇ 7 is set so that all of the optical power in the S path is routed to the Es input of the optical hybrid, as noted for FIGS. 1 A - 3 .
- phase shifter ⁇ 7 is set so none of the optical power in the S path is routed to the Es input of the optical hybrid 142 , but is instead routed as signal 528 .
- ICR 544 may use a 2x1 tunable coupler 520 to route the two paths to the I+ output of PDs 144 .
- Signal 526 is routed to input Es of hybrid 142 for coherent modulation or signal 528 routed directly to input Es + E LO of PDs 144 for IMDD.
- ICR 545 may add an additional HF PD 544 to the I+ channel PD of PDs 144 .
- Signal 526 is routed to input Es of hybrid 142 for coherent modulation or signal 528 routed directly to input Es of HP PD 544 and that output is added to add the HF PD output of the HF PDs 144 having input Es + E LO .
- ICR 546 may use coupler 520 and an additional two 2x1 tunable couplers 540 , which is controlled by setting phase shifter ⁇ 7 to route signal 526 to input Es of hybrid 142 for coherent modulation or to route signal 528 as signal 543 directly to input Es + E LO of PDs 144 for IMDD.
- Each of the tunable couplers 420 . 440 , 480 , 520 and 540 may have a first phase coupler for coupling a first and second input into a first and second output; a first phase shifter for outputting a phase shifted version of the first output; and a second phase coupler for coupling the phase shifted version and the second output.
- phase shifters ⁇ 7 and ⁇ 8 can be implemented via open loop control using a lookup table, or via closed-loop control by dithering phase shifter ⁇ 7 and ⁇ 8 . Dithering is just one possible method.
- DSP-based coherent solutions such as “DSP-Lite” and 400ZR, in which the carrier recovery and polarization control are performed in the digital domain using DSP.
- Optical amplifiers such as SOAs can be utilized in the receivers of ICRs 544 , 545 and 546 to increase the optical power in order to close the optical link, i.e., to have enough power at the HF PDs 144 and 544 to operate at the specified bit-error rate.
- a proposed subsequent generation 1.6 Tb/s and 3.2 Tb/s solutions may be future or backwards compatible with the 800 Gb/s and 1.6 Tb/s solutions (e.g., described herein), respectively.
- An architecture for 1.6 Tb/s may be based on 4-wavelength 100 Gbaud 16QAM transmission. This architecture for 1.6 Tb/s can interface with 800 Gb/s 4-wavelength 50 Gbaud 16QAM by operating both TX and RX at half the nominal data rate.
- An architecture for 3.2 Tb/s may be based on 8-wavelength 100 Gbaud 16 QAM transmission. This architecture for 3.2 Tb/s can interface with 1.6 Tb/s 4-wavelength 100 Gbaud 16QAM by only utilizing half of the slices of the TX and RX.
- FIGS. 6 A - 6 C are block diagrams of systems 601 , 602 and 603 for PM-SH-ACD optical communications that are backwards compatible with IMDD formats.
- Systems 601 , 602 and 603 may be systems 100 , 102 and 104 having architecture 400 and any of architectures 501 , 502 and 503 , respectively, to be backwards compatible with IMDD formats.
- systems 601 , 602 and 603 may be systems 100 , 102 and 104 having architecture 400 and architectures 503 .
- Each of Systems 601 , 602 and 603 may be a full transceiver block diagrams incorporating backward compatibility functions in TX and RX.
- Systems 601 , 602 and 603 show a PM-SH-ACD link architecture with tunable couplers 420 , 440 and 480 added to TX 110 to create TX 410 or TX 610 .
- System 601 shows a PM-SH-ACD link architecture with tunable couplers 520 and 540 added to RX 130 to create ICR 544 and/or RX 630 .
- System 602 shows a PM-SH-ACD link architecture with tunable couplers 520 and 540 added to RX 160 to create ICR 545 and/or RX 631 .
- System 603 shows a PM-SH-ACD link architecture with tunable couplers 520 and 540 added to RX 170 to create ICR 546 and/or RX 632 .
- FIG. 7 shows a flow chart of a process 700 flow for PM-SH-ACD optical communications.
- the process 700 may be performed by one or more of the systems, architectures, transmitters and/or receivers of FIGS. 1 A - 6 C .
- the process 700 starts at step 710 and can end at step 790 , but the process can also be cyclical by returning to step 710 after step 790 .
- the process may return to be performed additional times after changing data paths from or the TX DSP 116 , changing modulation at drivers 118 or changing modulation at modulator 122 .
- Step 710 is splitting laser light into a first and a second output of the laser light.
- Step 710 may include receiving a laser light having one frequency from a laser that is to be split.
- Step 710 may be performed by laser 112 and/or splitter 114 .
- Step 720 is outputting an optical modulated data signal of the first output of the laser light modulated with QPSK electrical data signals based on output channel data signals and a pilot tone signal identifying a polarization of the modulated signal.
- Step 720 may include receiving the electrical output channel data signals in one of various modulation formats.
- Step 720 may include voltage amplifying or QPSK modulating the electrical output channel data signals into electrical QPSK data signals prior to optical modulation with the laser light.
- Step 720 may be performed by TX DSP 116 , drivers 118 and/or modulator 122 .
- Step 730 is combining into two optical signals, by rotating the polarization of one of the signals by 90 degrees and adding the optic fields of the rotated signal one of and the non-rotated one of the optical modulated data signal and the second output of the laser light.
- Step 730 may include polarization rotating by 90 degrees one of the optical modulated data signal or the second output of the laser light, prior to combining or adding, step 730 may include transmitting the polarized signal to a fiber optic cable.
- Step 730 may be performed by PBC 128 .
- Step 740 is polarization un-rotating by 90 degrees the polarized signal into a first polarized optical signal and a second polarized optical signal, each having at least some of the second output of the laser light and some of the optical modulated data signal.
- Step 740 may include that the received signal’s two received polarizations are separated and then one of them is rotated by 90 degrees.
- Step 740 may include splitting of the two polarizations and 90-degree rotation of one of them.
- Step 740 may include receiving the polarized signal from the fiber optic cable. Step 740 may be performed by PSR 132 .
- Step 750 is recovering the original transmitted polarization of the signal 182 .
- Step 750 may include recovering the original transmitted polarization of the first 129 and second 119 polarized optical signals based on a received polarization recovery signal to recover a polarization fixed first optical signal, having the optical modulated data signal and to recover a polarization fixed second optical signal having the second output of the laser light, wherein the first and second polarization fixed first optical signal have the same polarization.
- Step 750 may be performed by block 134 , block 164 or block 174 .
- Steps 760 is demodulating the first and second polarizations of the optical signal 182 .
- Step 760 may include (a) recovering the frequency and phase of the second output of the laser light 119 from the polarization fixed second optical signal; (b) demodulating the polarization fixed first optical signal 125 into a polarization and frequency fixed first optical signal having the data signal and the pilot tone signal; and (c) demodulating the polarization fixed second optical signal into a polar, frequency and phase fixed second optical signal that is the second output of the laser light.
- (a) recovering the frequency and phase is not performed.
- Step 760 may be performed by block 134 , block 165 or block 174 .
- Steps 750 and 760 may be performed simultaneously by block 134 or 174 . In other cases, step 750 may be performed by block 164 and step 760 performed later by block 165 .
- Step 770 is splitting the polarization and frequency fixed first optical signal and the polar, frequency and phase fixed second optical signal into 4 optical quadrature component signals (I+, I-, Q+, Q-).
- Step 770 may also include converting the 4 optical quadrature component signals into 4 electrical current quadrature signals, and converting the 4 electrical current quadrature signals to 4 electrical voltage (e.g., QPSK) quadrature data signals.
- Step 770 may be performed by hybrid 142 , PDs 144 and TIAs 146 .
- step 770 may include (a) recovering the frequency and phase of the second output of the laser light 119 from the polarization fixed second optical signal; (b) demodulating the polarization fixed first optical signal 125 into a polarization and frequency fixed first optical signal having the data signal and the pilot tone signal; and (c) demodulating the polarization fixed second optical signal into a polar, frequency and phase fixed second optical signal that is the second output of the laser light.
- (a) recovering the frequency and phase is not performed. This part of step 770 may be performed by block 134 , block 165 or block 174 .
- Step 780 is decoding the (e.g., QPSK) data signal from the 4 electrical voltage QPSK quadrature data signals. Step 780 may be performed by RX DSP 148 .
- Step 790 is detecting a polarization of the pilot tone signal(s) to identify a polarization of the modulated signal.
- Step 790 may include detecting a polarization of one or two tone signals 192 ,
- Step 790 may also include outputting the pilot signal measurement signal to the microcontroller based on the detected polarization.
- Step 790 may also include sending the polarization recover signal to the polarization recover component based on a received pilot signal measurement signal.
- Step 790 may be performed by tap 151 and blocks 150 ; TIA 154 ; and/or using TIAs 146 to provide an output voltage signal 155 with an amplitude based on the amplitude of signal 192 .
- the amplitude of the pilot tone signal 192 is measured using a microcontroller ( ⁇ C) 158 , which may perform a PR and CR algorithm for or of block 134 ; 164 and 165 ; and/or 174 .
- ⁇ C microcontroller
- steps 710 - 730 or 740 - 790 are performed. In some cases, only steps 720 , 730 , 750 , 760 and 790 are performed.
- “plurality” means two or more. As used herein, a “set” of items may include one or more of such items.
- the terms “comprising”, “including”, “carrying”, “having”, “containing”, “involving”, and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of”, respectively, are closed or semi-closed transitional phrases with respect to claims.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
- Signal Processing (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Electromagnetism (AREA)
- Optical Communication System (AREA)
Abstract
A polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent (PM-SH-ACD) architecture for optical communication links has a receiver section that polarization un-rotates a signal from a fiber optic cable into first and second polarized optical signals; recovers a polarization of the first and second optical signals based on a received polarization recovery signal that is based on a pilot signal measurement signal; demodulates the first optical signal into optical QPSK data and pilot tone signals; demodulates the second optical signal into an optical modulating laser light; splits the first and second optical signals into optical QPSK quadrature signals; converts the optical QPSK quadrature signals into electrical QPSK quadrature signals; detects a polarization of the pilot tone signal and outputs the pilot signal measurement signal polarization recovery signal based on the detected polarization.
Description
- A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. This patent document may show and/or describe matter which is or may become trade dress of the owner. The copyright and trade dress owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright and trade dress rights whatsoever.
- This patent claims priority from U.S. Provisional Pat. Application No. 63/334,877, titled, POLARIZATION-MULTIPLEXED SELF-HOMODYNE ANALOG COHERENT (PM-SH-ACD) ARCHITECTURE FOR OPTICAL COMMUNICATION LINKS, filed Apr. 26, 2022 which is incorporated herein by reference.
- This disclosure relates to a polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent (PM-SH-ACD) architecture for optical communication links.
- Optical communication is an important part of modern communication techniques due to the excessive bandwidth of the light spectrum. Theoretically, optical communication has much higher system throughput than its radio frequency (RF) communication counterpart. Therefore, it finds many applications and facilitates our lives. Some typical optical communication scenarios include optical fiber communication, free-space optical communication, and visible light communication.
- Some architectures for optical communication links employ coherent modulation/demodulation, whereby both phase and amplitude of light are modulated to transmit data across an optical fiber channel. In coherent communication it is necessary to perform carrier recovery (CR) to demodulate the signal at the receiver. CR consists of phase-locking an unmodulated carrier to the received modulated signal.
-
FIG. 1A is a block diagram of a system for polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent (PM-SH-ACD) optical communications having polarization recovery (PR) and carrier recovery (CR) prior to wavelength based demultiplexing. -
FIG. 1B is a block diagram of a system for PM-SH-ACD optical communications having PR prior to and CR after wavelength based demultiplexing. -
FIG. 1C is a block diagram of a system for PM-SH-ACD optical communications having PR and CR after wavelength based demultiplexing. -
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram 200 of combined PR and CR block that includes 8 phase shifters and 4 phase couplers. -
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an architecture for PM-SH-ACD optical communications having PR and CR prior to wavelength based demultiplexing. -
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a transmitter system having a laser and coherent Mach-Zehnder modulators (MZMs) that are backwards compatible with intensity modulated direct detect (IMDD) formats. -
FIGS. 5A - 5C are schematic diagrams ofreceiver systems 501 502 and 503 for PM-SH-ACD optical communications that are backwards compatible with IMDD formats. -
FIGS. 6A - 6C are block diagrams of systems for PM-SH-ACD optical communications that are backwards compatible with IMDD formats. -
FIG. 7 shows a flow chart of a process flow for PM-SH-ACD optical communications. -
FIG. 8A is an example of equations for how to obtain error signal e(t) for polarization closed-loop control block diagram and of components of a receiver. -
FIG. 8B is an example of Jones matrices for proportional, integral, derivative (PID) tuning of the phase shifters and couplers of the PR and CR block. - Throughout this description, elements appearing in figures are assigned three-digit or four-digit reference designators, where the two least significant digits are specific to the element and the one or two most significant digit may be the figure number where the element is first introduced or fabricated. An element that is not described in conjunction with a figure may be presumed to have the same characteristics and function as a previously-described or subsequently-described element having the same reference designator or two least significant digits.
- Described herein is an implementation of an architecture for an optical communication link that employs coherent modulation/demodulation, whereby both phase and amplitude of light are modulated to transmit data across an optical fiber channel. In this coherent communication it is necessary to perform carrier recovery (CR) to demodulate the signal at the receiver. The CR may consist of phase-locking an unmodulated carrier to the received modulated signal.
- One approach to carrier recovery in an optical coherent link having optical fiber channels is based on transmitting an unmodulated carrier in addition to the modulated optical signal along a parallel channel. One example of this consists of transmitting the unmodulated carrier in an orthogonal polarization on the same fiber as the modulated signal. This can be referred to as polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne (PM-SH) detection. In PM-SH, in addition to CR, the original transmitted state-of-polarization (SOP) needs to be recovered. The recovery of the initial transmitted SOP may be referred to as polarization recovery (PR). In coherent fiber optic links, CR and PR may be done using digital signal processing (DSP). Alternatively, both CR and PR may be separately demonstrated in the analog circuit domain. In analog CR, a circuit such as a Costas Loop may be employed, with a phase-frequency detector (PFD) and a loop filter that feeds back to a local oscillator to phase lock it to the carrier of the received modulated signal. In analog PR, a marker or pilot tone can be used to recover the original SOP at the TX.
- The following describes architectures, systems, transmitters, receivers and processes for polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent (PM-SH-ACD) optical communications. These PM-SH-ACD optical communications have three key differentiating innovations and/or advantages.
- First, both PR and CR may be performed in the analog domain in a wavelength-multiplexed link without the need for dedicated high-frequency circuits, such as those running at 10 GHz RF. Both PR and CR may be done by maximizing the power of a pilot tone introduced to one or both of the quadratures (e.g., sine and cosine wave signals) of one of the two transmitted polarizations (e.g., 0 degree optical signal polarization and 90 degree optical signal polarization).
- Two, the use of this analog PR and CR approach may enable the use of conventional commercially-available intensity-modulation direct-detection (IMDD) analog circuits -drivers and transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs) - and digital signal processors (DSPs). For example, for an 800 Gb/s 4-wavelength 50 Gbaud 16 QAM implementation, the analog circuits and DSP that are employed can be the same ones that are developed for 400 Gb/s 4-wavelength (or 4-fiber) 100 Gbaud pulse amplitude modulation (PAM4) IMDD links. The use of commercially available analog circuits and DSPs from prior generation IMDD links can significantly reduce latency, power dissipation, and cost of optical transceivers.
- Three, the use of this analog PR and CR approach offers backwards compatibility. Some single-fiber architectures or transceivers may transmit a total data rate of 400 Gb/s PAM4 IMDD. Specifically, a 400 G FR4 standard may transmit 400 Gb/s using 4 wavelengths. An 800 Gb/s architecture herein may be backwards compatible with the 400G FR4. Some DSP-based coherent transceivers may not be backwards compatible. This is because the PR is done in the digital domain, and thus the waveguide polarization dependent losses result in a penalty which may render IMDD operation unfeasible. Furthermore, 1.6 Tb/s and 3.2 Tb/s solutions described herein may be backwards compatible with the proposed 800 Gb/s and 1.6 Tb/s solutions, respectively.
-
FIG. 1A is a block diagram of a system 100 (e.g., an architecture) for polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent (PM-SH-ACD) optical communications having polarization recovery (PR) and carrier recovery (CR) atblock 134 prior to wavelength based demultiplexing at 136 and 137.System 100 includes a transmitter section or transmitter (TX) 110 transmittingoptical signal 182 tofiber optic cable 180 from which a receiver section or receiver (RX) 130 receivessignal 182. A system, an architecture or components thereof being described as “for” performing an action may also be “configured to” perform said action. - In general,
transmitter 110 converts input electrical data signals 117 from theDSP 116 intooptical signals 125. In thetransmitter 110 there are one or more transmitter slices 120, each corresponding to an optical wavelength of a different wavelength laser 112 (e.g., visual color of light) of each slice, which are multiplexed atMUX1 126 andMUX2 127, after which polarization beam combiner (PBC) 128 forms polarization orthogonaloptical signal 182 from the multiplexed signals. Theoptical signal 182 propagates across some length ofoptical fiber 180. At the other end of theoptical fiber 180, a receiver (RX) 130 converts theoptical signal 182 back into output electrical data signals 147 which include the same data as that ofsignals 117. Thereceiver 130 also has one or more slices 140 (see also slices 162 and 172 ofFIGS. 1B and 1C ), each corresponding to a demultiplexed optical wavelength (e.g., of a different wavelength laser 112). -
Transmitter 110 is an optical transmitting component including a transmitter digital signal processor (DSP) 116 sendingelectrical signals 117 to each of a number of transmitter slices 120. EachTX slice 120 includes alaser 112, asplitter 114,drivers 118,modulator 122 andSOA 124. A first multiplexer (MUX1) is for receiving modulatedoptical signals signals 129 to aPBC 128. A second multiplexer (MUX2) is for receiving unmodulatedoptical signals 115 from all of the slices and sending a combination of those signals as part ofsignals 129 to thePBC 128. The PBC is for combiningsignals 129 into orthogonally polarized signals and sending them assignal 182 onoptical fiber 180, such as a fiber optic cable. - In
system 100, intransmitter 110, there is a pilot tone (PT) signal 192 added to only one quadrature of one of theslices 120 bymodulator 122. Here, signal 192 is modulated onto one of quadrature I (cosine wave signals) or Q (sine wave signals) of thesignals 121 that will be part ofsignals signal 182. In other cases, signal 192 can add to both of the quadratures of only the modulated one of the two transmitted polarizations. - In
system 100, at thereceiver 130, the receivedsignal 182 first goes to the polarization splitter rotator (PSR) 132, then the PR and CR block 134, and is then demultiplexed atDEMUX1 136 andDEMUX2 137. Insystem 100, the amplitude of the pilot tone signal 192 can be monitored atreceiver 130 using: atap 151 directed to a low-frequency photodiode (LF PD) 150 and a resistor (the resistor maybe inblocks 150 or in controller 158); measuring a voltage signal of a dedicated transimpedance amplifier (TIA) 154; and/or by measuring the voltage signal of one of thesame TIAs 146 used for data transmission. All three options may provide an output voltage signal with an amplitude based on the amplitude ofsignal 192. These voltage signal output options are depicted assignal 152 output fromblocks 150, signal 156 output fromTIA 154 and signal 153 output from one ofTIAs 146, any one or more of which are represented asfeedback signal 155, which may be a pilotsignal measurement signal 155. Based on thesignal 155, the amplitude of the pilot tone signal 192 is measured using a microcontroller (µC) 158, which may perform a PR and CR algorithm for or ofblock 134. This measurement and/orfeedback signal 155 may be based on selecting any one or more ofsignals signals - In more detail, each
TX slice 120 contains alaser 112 that is operated at a constant output power at a particular wavelength (e.g., color) that is different for eachTx slice 120. Theconstant laser output 113 is also referred to as continuous-wave (CW).Laser 112 may be a coherent light source for outputting alaser light 113 having one frequency and one phase to asplitter 114. - The
laser output signal 113 is optically split into two paths by thesplitter 114. The power split signals 115 can be equal or unequal power among the two output paths. In some cases,splitter 114 is for creating twoequal power outputs 115 of thelaser light 113. InFIG. 1A , the splitter’s upper output signal is directed to an electro-optic modulator 122 and lower output signal is directed to an optical wavelength multiplexer (MUX2) 127. - An input data signal (not shown), which is composed of one or multiple parallel electrical data streams, is processed by a transmitter digital signal processor (DSP) 116. The
DSP output 117 signal can be or include one or several parallel electrical channels, such as the 4 parallel channels shown. There may be fewer or more than 4 parallel channels. Each DSP output channel is in one of various modulation formats, such as non-return to zero (NRZ) or 4-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM4). The DSP outputs 117 are connected to the inputs ofmodulator drivers 118, which may bevoltage amplifiers 119 that amplify or QPSK modulate signal 117 intosignals 121. The modulator driver outputelectrical signals 121 are directed to electro-optic modulators 122. - The electro-
optic modulators 122, such as Mach-Zehnder modulators (MZM), convert the voltage signals 121 into anoptical signal 123. The modulators are biased such that the outputoptical signal 123 is phase-modulated in a format such as quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) or 16-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (16QAM). In the case of a MZM, the modulator is biased at the null-transmission point to produce a phase-modulatedsignal 123. In the case of a phase-modulated signal, the modulation may give QPSK phase values for two optical signals per quadrature, I+/- and Q+/- asoptical signal 123. - Additionally, a marker or pilot tone (PT) signal 192 from
tone generator 190 is added to one or two of the quadratures ofmodulators 122 for PR and CR at thereceiver Modulators 122 may add the PT signal 192 to only one quadrature, such as I -cosine wave signals or Q - sine wave signals of thesignals 121 of each of theslices 120. In other cases, asignal 192 can add to both of the quadratures (e.g., sine and cosine wave signals) of the modulated one of the two transmitted polarizations. Each of the two tone signals 192 may be at different frequencies in order to distinguish them atreceiver 130.Modulator 122 may be an optical modulator for outputting an optical modulated data signal 123 (such as having 2 optical quadrature component signals (I+, Q+) of the output of thelaser light 115 modulated with adata signal 121 and one or two pilot tone signal(s) 192 identifying the polarization of the modulatedsignal 123. In some cases, data signal 121 may be QPSK or IMDD. - While the data signal 117 or 121 may be in a 10 GHz range (e.g., 5 - 30 GHz, in the case of a 50 Gbaud embodiment), the PT signal 192 may be in the 1 MHz range (e.g., 0.5 - 10 MHz). The data signal 117 or 121 may be at a frequency that is at least 500x or 1000x the frequency of the
signal 192. - The PT signal 192 may have an inconsequential amount of power as compared to the data signal 121 or 123, such as with respect to the function of
block 134,DEMUXs hybrid 142,PDs 144,TIAs 146 andDSP 148. The PT signal 192 may have between 1 and 10 percent of the power ofsignal signal - The modulated
signal 123 may then be amplified using an optical amplifier such as a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) 124 and is then directed as amplifiedsignal 125 to an optical wavelength multiplexer (MUX1) 126.SOA 124 may represent at least one SOA oftransmitter 110 at and amplifying at least one of the signal 123 (as shown), thesignal 115, thesignal 129 and/or thesignal 119. In some cases,SOA 124 does not exist. -
MUX1 126 andMUX2 127 are optical multiplexers, such as arrayed waveguide gratings (AWG).Multiplexer 126 takes multiple optical input signals 125, one from each of theslices 120, and combines thesignals 125 into a singleoptical waveguide signal 129.Multiplexer 127 takes multiple optical input signals 115, one from each of theslices 120, and combines thesignals 115 into a singleoptical waveguide signal 119. Eachinput signal TX slice 120, each of which utilizes a unique carrier wavelength ofsignal 115.MUX1 126 multiplexes themodulator output signals 125 of all theslices 120 andMUX2 127 multiplexes the unmodulated carrier signals that correspond to the splitter’s output signals 115 of all theslices 120.MUX1 126 may be a multiplexer for combining the optical modulated data signals 125 of theslices 120 into a combined optical modulated data signal 129; andMUX2 127 may be a multiplexer for combining the laser light signals 115 of theslices 120 into a combinedoptical carrier signal 119. - The
optical output signals MUX1 126 andMUX2 127 are typically in the same polarization. In that case, polarization beam combiner (PBC) 128 rotates one of themultiplexer output signals signals 129 and 119 (one having orthogonal polarization as compared to the other). Rotating may be rotating one ofsignals signals optical signal 182 at the output of thePBC 128 is thus a wavelength-multiplexed dual-polarization signal. Thisoutput signal 128 is then coupled to afiber 180 for transmission to thereceiver 130.PBC 128 may be for polarization rotating by 90 degrees (e.g., orthogonally) one of the combined optical modulated data signal 129 or the combinedoptical carrier signal 119; for combining into apolarized signal 182, the polarization rotated one of and the other of the combinedsignals fiber optic cable 180 thepolarized signal 182. - The modulated
signal 125, having PT signal 192 is in only one of the two transmitted polarizations ofsignal 182. It may be inonly signal 129 ofsignal 182 having a 0 degree optical polarization or a 90 degree optical polarization, while theother signal 119 has the other polarization. It may be insignal 129 whilesignal 119 has an orthogonal polarization compared to signal 129. -
Cable 180 may be fiber optic or optical cables. It may be between a few feet and thousands of miles in length. It may extend between ten miles and hundreds of miles. -
Receiver 130 is an optical receiving component including a receiver polarization splitter rotator (PSR) 132 for receiving fromcable 180 and combining the orthogonalpolarized signal 182 into parallelorthogonal signals block 134 is controlled or performed bymicrocontroller 158 which receivesfeedback signal 155 based on the amplitude and signs of the pilot tones signal 192.Signals 135 are demultiplexed atDEMUX1 136 andDEMUX2 137 which send optical signals 139 to each of a number of receiver slices 140. Receiver digital signal processor (DSP) 148 receiveselectrical signals 147 from each of theslices 140. Eachslice 140 may be an optical signal to electrical signal converter. In some cases, it may convert to QPSK or to IMDD. - Each
RX slice 140 includes a 90 degreeoptical hybrid 142,photodiodes 144, andTIAs 146. EachRX slice 140 also includes atap 151 directed to anLF PD 150 and a resistor inblocks 150 orcontroller 158; and/or adedicated TIA 154. It also includes feedback signals 152, 156 and/or 153, any one or more of which are represented asfeedback signal 155 to microcontroller (µC) 158. - In more detail, the received
optical signal 182 fromcable 180 is coupled to thereceiver 130 and directed toPSR 132. ThePSR 132 receives signal 182 with two orthogonal polarizations, which include all or parts ofsignals PSR 132 splits then rotates the two orthogonal polarizations to two same polarization signals 133 and 135 which the receiver waveguides are designed for. Rotating may be rotating one of polarizationorthogonal signals signals -
Signal 182 includessignals signals signals PSR 132 does not know the exact polarization of either or both ofsignals signal 182, and rotated one of those split off signals. Each of the randomly polarized pair ofsignals signal 129 and part ofsignal 119. The twooutput signals CR block 134.PSR 132 may be for receiving thepolarized signal 182; polarization un-rotating by 90 degrees thepolarized signal 182 into same polarizedoptical signals - Polarization recovery of
signals signals CR block 134. The state-of-polarization (SOP) ofsignal 182 undergoes random time-varying rotations as it propagates alongfiber 180. For that reason, it is necessary to de-rotate the received SOP to recover the transmittedsignals signals unmodulated carrier signal 119 and phase-locked modulated (with data signals 121)carrier signal 129. The PR and CR block 134 is or includes 8 phase shifters and 4 couplers; and is described further atFIG. 2 .Block 134 may be a reset-free polarization controller and carrier recovery based on phase shifters. - PR and CR block 134 includes a polarization recover (PR) component for recovering the polarization of the polarized
optical signals polarization recovery signal 159 from themicrocontroller 158, to recover a polarization fixedoptical signal 129 having the data signal 121 and pilot tone signal 192 optically modulated with thelaser light 115 and to recover a polarization fixed optical signal having thelaser light 115, where signals 129 and 115 have the same fixed polarization. - By implementing the closed-loop control described above, both PR and CR can be performed in the
same block 134, such as at the same time. PR and CR block 134 also includes a carrier recovery (CR) component for: (a) recovering the frequency and phase of the second output of the laser light from the polarization fixed second optical signal; (b) demodulating the polarization fixed first optical signal into a polarizartion and frequency fixed first optical signal having the data signal and the pilot tone signal; and (c) demodulating the polarization fixed second optical signal into a polar, frequency and phase fixed second optical signal having or that is the second output of the laser light. Recovering the frequency and phase may be done using pairs of phase shifters and phase couplers as noted inFIG. 2 ; and/or be using the received carrier recovery signal (e.g., signal 159) from themicrocontroller 158. In some cases, demodulating at (a) above is not performed. In some cases, the carrier recovery signal is or is based on a received polarization recovery signal. -
DEMUX1 136 andDEMUX2 137 are optical demultiplexers, such as arrayed waveguide gratings (AWG). The demultiplexers take a single optical input and separate it into multiple optical outputs, each corresponding to a different carrier wavelength. Each output corresponds to one RX slice ofslices 140.Demultiplexer 136 takes a single optical waveguide signal having combined data signals 129 for allslices 140 and splits signal 129 into multipleoptical signals 125, one for each of theslices 140.Demultiplexer 137 takes a single optical waveguide signal having combined carrier signals 119 for allslices 140 and splits signal 119 into multipleoptical signals 115, one for each of theslices 140. Eachsignal RX slice 140, and each has a unique carrier wavelength (color) ofsignal 115.DEMUX1 136 andDEMUX1 137 may be for splitting each of theoptical signals - Although not shown, the
receiver 130 may have at least one SOA at and amplifying at least one of thesignal 129, thesignal 119, thesignal 125 and/or thesignal 115. In some cases, none of these SOAs exist (as shown). - A 90 degree
optical hybrid 142 takes both theunmodulated signal 115 and the modulatedsignal 125 from the output of the PR and CR block 134 andoutputs 4optical signals 143 corresponding to the desired vectorial additions of the two input optical fields. Namely, hybrid 142 outputs two optical signals per quadrature, which may be the 4 quadrature signals I+ and I- (cosine wave quadrature signals) and Q+ and Q- (sine wave quadrature signals). In some cases, hybrid 142 outputs one optical signal per quadrature, which may be the 2 quadrature signals I+ and Q+. - The hybrid 142 may be for splitting the polarization and frequency fixed
optical signals modulator 122 may only generate oneoptical signal 123 consisting of two quadratures I and Q; the 90-degree hybrid 142 mayoutput 4 separateoptical signals 143 by effectively splitting the (e.g., two quadrature) inputs into 4 paths and interfering the signals in those 4 paths. In the I+ path ofsignals 143, no phase difference is added between the two input signals and the signals are interfered as is. In the I- path ofsignals 143, a 180-degree phase difference is added between the signals and the signals are interfered. In the Q+ path ofsignals 143, the phase difference is 90 degrees; and in the Q- path ofsignals 143 the phase difference is 270 degrees. - The four
output signals 143 of the hybrid 142 are directed to differential photodiodes (PDs) 144. Each of thePDs 144 converts the optical field of one ofsignals 143 into an electrical photocurrent ofelectrical signals 145 that is proportional to the received signal power of the one signal ofsignals 143. The optical field to photocurrent conversion mixes the unmodulated and modulated signals and demodulates the phase-modulated signal. This demodulation gives the QPSK phase values for the two optical signals per quadrature, I+/- and Q+/- as electrical current ofsignals 145. The optical field to photocurrent conversion may be for converting at the frequencies of the data signals 117 or 121, which may be around 10 s of 10 GHz, 30 GHz for 50 Gbaud, or around 60 GHz for 100 Gbaud. This conversion may not be for conversion at the frequency of the PT signal 192 (e.g., around 1 MHz). The 4PDs 144 may be for converting the 4 optical quadrature component signals 143 into 4 electrical current quadrature signals 145. - The photocurrent signals 143 are then converted to
voltage signals 147 usingTIAs 146, which output thesignals 147 to thereceiver DSP 148.TIAs 146 may be two TIAs for converting the 4 electrical current quadrature signals 145 into 4 electrical voltage quadrature data signals 147. - The
receiver DSP 148 processes the voltage signals 147 received from theTIAs 146 to recover the original data signals 117 or 121 transmitted by theTX DSP 116.DSP 148 may be an Rx DSP for decoding or extracting the data signal from the 4 electrical voltage quadrature data signals 147. - One, two or up to all four of the four hybrid output signals 143 may have an
optical tap 151 that is directed to a low frequency photodiode (LF PD) ofblock 150 to measure the amplitude of one, two or up to four of the PR+CR marker tone signals 192 insignals 143. Each oftaps 151 may divert an inconsequential amount of theoptical signals 143 with respect to the function ofPDs 144′s conversions. The taps may divert between 0.1 and 5 percent of the optical power ofsignals 143. - Each LF PD may convert the low frequency (e.g., around 1 MHz; or between 0.1 MHz and 10 MHz) optical field of one of
signals 143 into an electrical photocurrent ofelectrical signal 152 that is proportional to the received signal power of the PT signal 192 of the tapped one ofsignals 143. The optical field to photocurrent conversion may be for converting at the frequency of thePT signal 192. It may not be for conversion at the frequencies of the data signals 117 or 121. The LF PD may output across a resistor ofblock 150 orcontroller 158 to provide avoltage signal 152 that is proportional to the received signal power of thePT signal 192. Although only one set oftap 151, block 150 and signal 152 is shown for convenience there may be one set tapping two or each of thesignals 143 and thesignals 152 of those sets may be part ofsignal 155. - The amplitude of the PR+CR marker tone signal 192 in one, two or up to all four of
signals 145 may be measured by measuring a voltage signal of one, two or up to all four dedicated transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs) 154, one for each of the measured signals 145. EachTIA 154 output may be monitored to measure the amplitude of the pilot tone signal 192 to perform PR+CR. EachTIA 154 may output avoltage signal 156 that is proportional to the received signal power of the PT signal 192 in one of theelectrical signals 145. Although only oneTIA 154 is shown outputtingsignal 156 for convenience; two or up to fourTIAs 154 may exist to monitor two or each of thesignals 145, and each of the TIAs output signals 156 may be part ofsignal 155. - Also, one, two or up to four of the
TIA 146 outputs may be monitored to measure the amplitude of the pilot tone signal 192 to perform PR+CR. The amplitude of the PR+CR marker tone signal 192 in one, two or up to all four ofsignals 145 may be measured by measuring a voltage signal of one or more ofTIAs 146. EachTIA 146 may output avoltage signal 153 that is proportional to the received signal power of the PT signal 192 in one of theelectrical signals 145. Although only oneTIA 146 is shown with its output being monitored and outputtingsignal 153 for convenience; two or up to all fourTIAs 146 may have their outputs monitored for two or each of thesignals 145, and each of the TIAs output signals 153 may be part ofsignal 155. - Each of the two or up to four tone signals 192 may be at different frequencies in order to distinguish them at each of the different ones of
tap 151 and blocks 150;TIAs 154; and/orTIAs 146. Each of the different ones may be tuned to receive only one frequency of thesignals 192 generated bytone generator 190, and modulated ontosignal 123 bymodulator 122. Thesignal 192 measurements byTIAs PT signal 192. They need not be for measuring at the frequencies of the data signals 117 or 121. - Each of the three options (tap 151 and blocks 150;
TIAs 154; and/or TIAs 146) provide an output voltage signal with an amplitude based on the amplitude ofsignal 192. These voltage signal output options are depicted assignal 152 output fromblocks 150, signal 156 output fromTIA 154 and signal 153 output from one ofTIAs 146, any one or more of which are represented asfeedback signal 155. Based on thesignal 155, the amplitude of the pilot tone signal 192 is measured using a microcontroller (µC) 158, which may perform a PR and CR algorithm for or ofblock 134. This measurement may be based on selecting any one or more ofsignals signals signal 192 may be a polarization detector for detecting (e.g., measuring, monitoring and/or determining) a polarization of the pilot tone signal 192 to identify a polarization of the modulatedsignal 129 havingsignal 192, and for outputting the pilotsignal measurement signal 155 to themicrocontroller 158 based on the detected polarization. Signal(s) 155 can then be used bycontroller 158 to determine or calculatesignals 159 for controllingblock -
Microcontroller 158 may be for sending the polarization recover signal 159 (which may also include a carrier recovery signal) to block 134 based on the receivedfeedback signal 155. PR and CR atblock 134 is controlled or performed bymicrocontroller 158 throughsignals 159.Controller 158 may perform a PR and CR algorithm, which the functionality ofblock 134 is based upon, such as using hardware, BIOIS, RAM, software or any combination thereof ofcontroller 158. - The
microcontroller 158 may output an analog signal (e.g., as signal 159) using a digital to analog converter (DAC) or a pulse-width modulation (PWM) module. The DAC or PWM modules can be built into the microcontroller or can be external components that the microcontroller interfaces with (not shown). This analog voltage signal may either directly drive the phase shifters ofblock 134, or indirectly by using external drivers that amplify the voltage and/or increase the range of the current delivered to the phase shifters. The phase shifters may be thermo-optic phase shifters or electro-optic phase shifters. -
FIG. 8A is an example ofequations 804 for how to obtain error signal e(t) for a polarization closed-loop control block, such as used bycontroller 158 and/or block 134.FIG. 8A shows four equations 832 that can be solved to obtain error e(t) for each degree of freedom (e.g., of polarization ) of a transfer function for closed-loop polarization control, such as used for polarization demultiplexing and carrier recovery where thecontroller 158 andfiber 180 transfer functions satisfy TControllerTFiber = ± I.FIG. 8A also shows components ofreceiver 130 with two sets oftap 151 and block 150; and phase shifter control signals 159 fromcontroller 158 to each of the phase shifters ofblock 134. -
FIG. 8B is an example ofJones matrices 806 for proportional, integral, derivative (PID) tuning of the phase shifters and couplers ofblock 134 usingequations 804, such as used bycontroller 158 and providing control ofblock 134 bysignals 159.Matrices 806 includephase shifter matrix 842 for tuning or controlling the phase of shifters Φ1- Φ4 and Φ1′- Φ4’.Matrices 806 also includephase coupler matrix 844 for tuning or controlling the and the phase coupling ofcouplers - In some cases, two
signals 192 are added to signal 123 bymodulator 122, one in each of quadratures I and Q ofsignal 123. In these cases, the following can be measured to obtain the polarization recovery error: 1) amplitude of the two tone signals 192 in their desired channels (e.g., I tone signal 192 in I channel, andQ tone signal 192 in Q channel), 2) amplitude of the tone signals 192 in the undesired channels (I tone signal 192 in Q channel,Q tone signal 192 in I channel), and 3) The sign of the 4 tone signals 192 (in phase (0 degree) or out of phase (180 degree)). Each of these measurements can be performed (e.g., in the 2 quadratures) by one or more oftap 151 and blocks 150;TIAs 154; and/or TIAs 146 which output the measurements assignals controller 158. With this information, a linear system of 4 equations is obtained, such as bycontroller 158. - Solving the
equations 804 or 832, such as atcontroller 158, gives the combinedJones matrix 806 of the Fiber (e.g., TFiber) and PR+CR (e.g., TController). Notably,Jones matrix 842 can be used for the phase shifters andmatrix 844 can be used for the (2x2) phase couplers to describe how optical elements modify the state of polarization of polarized light. Because the PR+CR phase shifter values ofmatrix 842 are known, another system of 4 equations can be solved to obtain the Jones matrix of only the Fiber. Each Jones matrix may contain 3 degrees of freedom, which correspond to the phase shifts set in the PR+CR block 200/134. Therefore, three error signals can be obtained by subtracting each of the three angles Error1 = FiberAngle1 - PRCRAngle1, and so on, such as ofequations 804. The three error signals are fed into a controller, i.e. a PID controller, in order to generate the drive signal (such as signals 159) for the phase shifters Φ1- Φ4 and Φ1′- Φ4’. - Each of the two or up to four tone signals 192 may be at different frequencies in order to distinguish them at
receiver 130. By eliminating the errors of error signals e(t) for each degree of freedom, both PR and CR can be performed simultaneously. So, the marker tones may be used to do PR and CR. - In
FIG. 1A , both polarization recovery (PR) and carrier recovery (CR) atblock 134 are performed before demultiplexing (atDEMUX1 136 and DEMUX2 137).FIG. 1B is a block diagram of asystem 102 for PM-SH-ACD optical communications having polarization recovery (PR) at 164 prior to and carrier recovery (CR) at 165 after wavelength based demultiplexing at 166 and 167.FIG. 1C is a block diagram of asystem 104 for PM-SH-ACD optical communications having polarization recovery (PR) and carrier recovery (CR) at 172 after wavelength based demultiplexing at 176 and 177. - In the three variants of a general communication link architecture shown as
systems transmitter 110 part of the link/system is identical, and thereceivers FIG. 1A . However, the other variantsFIGS. 1B and 1C may use the same blocks with the order of the blocks changed for each variant. - In
system 102, PR is performed atblock 164 before demultiplexing is performed atDEMUX1 166 andDEMUX2 167. After demultiplexing, CR is performed atblock 165 within each of slices 162. In this variant, the tone signal 192 is measured in each ofslices 162 and is fed back to themicrocontroller 158 using feedback signals 169 from each of slices 162. Each of signals 169 may be similar to signal 155 but be for one specific slice. Measuring thetone signal 192 in each ofslices 162 and feeding backsignals 155 to themicrocontroller 158 using feedback signals 169 may include or be using one or more of the three options (tap 151 and blocks 150;TIA 154; and/or using TIAs 146) in each slice as described forsystem 100.Systems - In
system 104, the demultiplexing atDEMUX1 176 andDEMUX2 177 is performed before both PR and CR are performed atblock 174 within each of slices 172. Here, each ofslices 172 contains a PR+CR block 174. In this variant, the tone signal 192 is measured and is fed back to themicrocontrollers 178 using feedback signals 155 in each of slices 172. Measuring thetone signal 192 in each ofslices 172 and feeding backsignals 155 to themicrocontrollers 178 may include or be using one or more of the three options (tap 151 and blocks 150;TIA 154; and/or using TIAs 146) in each slice as described forsystem 100.System 104 is compatible with both broadband optical switching and wavelength-dependent optical switching. Wavelength-dependent optical switching may route (switch) signals between optical fibers on a per-wavelength basis or may us wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) which multiplexes a number of optical carrier signals onto a single optical fiber by using different wavelengths (i.e., colors) of laser light. This technique enables bidirectional communications over a single strand of fiber, also called wavelength-division duplexing, as well as multiplication of capacity. -
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram 200 of combined PR and CR block 134 that includes 8 phase shifters and 4 phase couplers.Block 134 may be a reset-free polarization controller and carrier recovery based on phase shifters. -
Block 134 has input signal X′ (e.g., for cosine or I waves), which corresponds to one of the two received polarizations in thesignal 182 at the input ofblock 132, to a first phase shifter (Φ1) which shifts signal X′ to a X″ phase shifted signal.Block 134 has input signal Y′ (e.g., for sine or Q waves), which corresponds to the other of the two received polarizations in thesignal 182 at the input ofblock 132, to a second phase shifter (Φ1’) which shifts signal Y′ to a Y″ phase shifted signal. Then,phase coupler 216 couples the phase shifted signals from shifters (Φ1) and (Φ1’) and outputs splitsignals signal 217 has a 90 degree phase shift as compared to signal 218. - Next, the split signal 217 output from
coupler 216 is an input signal to a third phase shifter (Φ2) which shifts signal 217 to asignal 217″ phase shifted signal and thesplit signal 218 is an input signal to a fourth phase shifter (Φ2’) which shifts signal 218 to asignal 218″ degree phase shifted signal. Then,phase coupler 226 couples the phase shifted signals from shifters (Φ2) and (Φ2’) and outputs splitsignals signal 227 has a 90 degree phase shift as compared to signal 228. - Then, the split signal 227 output from
coupler 226 is an input signal to a fifth phase shifter (Φ3) which shifts signal 227 to asignal 227″ degree phase shifted signal and thesplit signal 228 is an input signal to a sixth phase shifter (Φ3’) which shifts signal 228 to asignal 228″ degree phase shifted signal. Then,phase coupler 236 couples the phase shifted signals from shifters (Φ3) and (Φ3’) and outputs splitsignals signal 237 has a 90 degree phase shift as compared to signal 238. - Next, the split signal 237 output from
coupler 236 is an input signal to a third phase shifter (Φ4) which shifts signal 237 to asignal 237″ degree phase shifted signal and thesplit signal 238 is an input signal to a fourth phase shifter (Φ4’) which shifts signal 238 to asignal 238″ degree phase shifted signal. Then,phase coupler 246 couples the phase shifted signals from shifters (Φ4) and (Φ4’) and outputs split signal outputs ofblock 134 as outputs X and Y, where signal X has a 90 degree phase shift as compared to signal Y. - In some cases, the PR and CR block 134 includes four
sets - In some cases, each pair of phase shifters (ΦX) and (ΦX’) of diagram 200 introduce a relative phase between their two output paths; and the 2x2 couplers (e.g., coupler 2X6) of diagram 200 split half the power of each input arm from those two shifters equally at the output (e.g., half of the power goes to each output 2X7 and 2X8) and also introduce a 90 degree relative phase between those 2 outputs. Together, the concatenated
blocks Jones matrices 842 havingmatrix 842 for the shifters and 844 for the couplers. - Diagram 200 may be divided into a
separate PR section 164 andCR section 165, such as noted forFIG. 1B . In this case, diagram 200 can change by separatingblock 240 from 200 and utilizingblock 240 as a standalone CR block 165 as aCR section 165 for eachslice 162, while using thesections PR block 164 for all slices 162. Additionally, a pair of phase shifters may be used to create block 165 for CR, and another two or three phase sifters for PR .FIG. 1B , thecontroller 158 may usesignals 155 to calculate or createsignals 159 to be sent toblocks - In some cases, diagram 200 may be of combined PR and CR block 174 of
FIG. 1C . Here, diagram 200 may also be unmodified and all thesections block 174. ForFIG. 1C , thecontroller 158 may usesignals 155 to calculate or createsignals 159 to be sent to each ofblocks 178 ofslices 172, -
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of anarchitecture 300 for PM-SH-ACD optical communications having PR and CR atblock 134 prior to wavelength based demultiplexing atDEMUX1 136 andDEMUX2 137.Architecture 300 may besystem 100. - The electro-optic transceiver of
architecture 300 is assembled on top of asubstrate 320 such as a printed circuit board (PCB) or a semiconductor carrier. The entire assembly ofarchitecture 300 is referred to as a coherent optical subassembly (COSA) 340. The COSA consists of a receiver (RX) photonic integrated circuit (PIC) 330 and a transmitter (TX) PIC 310, analog electronics (TIAs 146, Drivers),DSP 148 and aµC 158. The COSA 340 components are interconnected using bond wires, flip-chip, vias, and/or electrical traces, such as shown by the lines connecting the different components of thearchitecture 300. The PICs may be fabricated on a material such as silicon, indium phosphide (InP), or lithium niobate (LiNbO3). - This particular embodiment of
architecture 300, provides the benefits that it utilizes four multiplexed wavelengths, requires no waveguide crossings, and utilizes distributed feedback (DFB)lasers 122. The integrated-coherent receiver (ICR) blocks 344 contain optical 90-degree hybrids 142 andPDs 144. TheIQMs 122 are IQ-modulators. -
Systems substrate 320, referred to as a COSAs, have PICs, analog electronics, DSPs, µCs, interconnections, fabrication material, utilizes four multiplexed wavelengths, require no waveguide crossings and/or utilizes distributed feedback (DFB) lasers similar to the description forarchitecture 300. -
FIGS. 4 and 5A - 5C are schematic diagrams of transmitter and receiver system for PM-SH-ACD optical communications that are backwards compatible with intensity modulated direct detect (IMDD) formats.FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of atransmitter system 410 for PM-SH-ACD opticalcommunications including laser 112 and coherent Mach-Zehnder modulators (MZM1) 401 and (MZM2) 402 that are backwards compatible with intensity modulated direct detect (IMDD) formats. IMDD may be a cost-effective communication scheme compared to coherent ones. In IMDD, the intensity, or optical power, of the light beam from a laser or a light-emitting diode (LED) is modulated by the information bits and no phase information is needed. Thus, only one quadrature I or Q is needed, not both. Also, due to this nature, no local oscillator is required for IMDD communication, which greatly eases the cost of the hardware. -
System 410 may be used in any of the for PM-SH-ACD optical communications systems and/or architectures herein.Modulator 422 is an IQ-modulator (IQM) used for quadrature amplitude modulation that is implemented using the two nestedMZMs modulator 422 hasMZM 401 for creating optical quadrature component signal I of the optical modulated data signal 123 and hasMZM 402 for creating optical quadrature component signal Q of the optical modulated data signal 123.Modulator 422 may be or be used in place ofmodulator 122. Threetunable couplers TX 110 compatible with IMDD formats, such as PAM4. -
System 410 includeslaser 112, 6 phase shifters and 8 phase couplers, some of which are in each oftunable couplers Coupler 420 is a 2x2 coupler having phase shifter (Φ1) andphase couplers Coupler 440 is a 2x2 coupler having phase shifter (Φ2) andphase couplers Coupler 480 is a 2x2 coupler having phase shifter (Φ6) and optionally also phase shifter (Φ5), andphase couplers MZM 401 may include phase shifter Φ3 andphase coupler 461.MZM 402 may include phase shifter Φ4 andphase coupler 464. - A phase shifter Φ1 is adjusted for
coupler 420 to select whether to route the light power (e.g., optical power) oflaser 112 according to the desired modulation format, coherent or IMDD. For IMDD all the power is directed bycoupler 420 to themodulator 422, and for coherent modulation a fraction (e.g., half) of the power is directed to themodulator 422 and a fraction (e.g., half) of the power is directed to the LO output which may go to MUX2 127. Phase shifters Φ2 and Φ6 are also adjusted accordingly, with shifter Φ2 adjusted socoupler 440 selects whether to direct all thelight power coupler 440 receives to one of the two nestedMZMs MZMs coupler 480 select whether to receive all the light power from the directed to one of the two nestedMZMs MZMs - In both cases, IMDD and coherent, the three phase shifters Φ1, Φ2 and Φ6 can be set or adjusted using open or closed-loop control. In open-loop control, a lookup table can be used to set the phase of the phase shifters. In closed-loop control, a tap at the LO path and a tap before or after one of the nested MZMs are directed to monitor PDs to measure the optical power. The measured optical powers can be processed by a circuit, such as a µC (not shown but connected to each of the three phase shifters), to continuously set the correct value of phase shifting of shifters Φ1, Φ2, and Φ6. For example, the phase shifters can be dithered to obtain the derivative of measured power for IMDD versus phase for coherent modulation, in order to maintain the desired power directing operating points for IMDD or coherent. Dithering is just one possible method. The phase shifters can be implemented using electro-optic phase shifters, such as thermal phase shifters, a p-type and n-type semiconductor material (PN) junction phase shifters, or any kind of material that produces an electro-optic response sufficient for this use.
- Consequently, for IMDD, the three phase shifters Φ1, Φ2 and Φ6 can be set or adjusted so that all of laser or light power is in modulated signal 125 (e.g., signal S) and none of the power is in carrier signal 115 (e.g., signal LO). Here, all of the light power may be in only one quadrature of the modulated
light power signal 125. For coherent, the three phase shifters Φ1, Φ2 and Φ6 can be set or adjusted so that the light power is in or split between modulated signal 125 (e.g., signal S) and is in carrier signal 115 (e.g., signal LO) as noted forFIGS. 1A - 8C . - For coherent modulation, phase shifter Φ5 of
tunable coupler 480 is set to 90 degrees in order to bias theparent modulator 422 at quadrature. - Optical amplifiers, such as SOAs can be utilized in the
transmitter 110 to increase the optical power in order to close the optical link, i.e., to have enough power at theHF PDs 144 of thereceiver 130 for those PDs to operate at the specified bit-error rate. -
FIGS. 5A - 5C are schematic diagrams ofreceiver systems Systems ICRs systems hybrids 142 andPDs 144 of any ofreceivers FIGS. 1A - 1C . Also,ICRs hybrids 142 andPDs 144, taps 151 and PDs 150 (and optionally resistors for PDs 150) of any ofreceivers FIGS. 1A - 1C . One or twotunable couplers hybrids 142 andPDs 144 to render a conventional coherent receiver such as any orRX - The polarization controller and/or PR and CR block 134 described in
FIG. 4 enables backwards compatibility from coherent modulation to IMDD formats, by setting the phase shifters (Φ1 to Φ4) and/ortunable couplers transmitter 410 such that all of the optical or light power is directed to the output that is connected to the S input of the ICR for IMDD. As a result of the backwards compatibility oftransmitter 410, at the hybrid 142 inFIGS. 5A - 5C , for IMDD formats, all of laser or light power is in modulated signal 125 (e.g., at input S) and none of the power is in carrier signal 115 (e.g., at input LO). Here, all of the light power may be in only one quadrature of the modulatedlight power signal 125/S. For coherent modulation, the light power is in or split between modulated signal 125 (e.g., at input S) and is in carrier signal 115 (e.g., at input LO) as noted forFIGS. 1A - 3 . - Thus, the backwards compatibility for IMDD can be implemented at the
ICRs systems 501/100, 502/102 and 503/104, using open or closed loop control. For simplicity, only one of the four LF PDs is shown, however two or each of the four outputs of 142 may have a tap and an LF PD. For example,ICRs LF PD 150. There may be anothertap 151,LP PD 150 and signal 152 (or any of the other two measurement options) for the two tonesolutions having signal 192 for each quadrature I and Q, or each of the hybrid outputs. In the particular case of IMDD mode, optical power can be measured at the IMDD path Es +jELO (e.g., the Q quadrature can be measured by any of the three options) and thecontroller 158 can be used to maximize to maximize that power measurement. The polarization controller’s X and Y outputs (seeFIGS. 2 and 8A-C ) may be connected to the ICR’s S and LO inputs. Output X may be connected to input S and output Y connected to input LO; or output X may be connected to input LO and output Y connected to input S. The IMDD data signal, similar to signal 145 but having IMDD data, can be monitored or detected at theICRs signal 155 fromPD 150 fromtap 151 and sending that signal tocontroller 158 or toRX DSP 148. In the case of IMDD, the microcontroller can adjust the phase shifters in the PR+CR block 134 to maximize the signal power received in the LF PD, which inFIGS. 5 A-C corresponds to the Es +jELO output of the hybrid. For IMDD, no tone signal 192 is necessary and only the total received signal power is used. -
ICR 544 ofFIG. 5A includes thehybrids 142,PDs 144 andtunable coupler 520 having phase shifter Φ7 andphase couplers Tunable coupler 520 receives signal S (e.g., signal 125) and outputs signal 526 to input Es ofhybrid 142 and/or outputs signal 528 tophase coupler 531.Phase coupler 531 receivessignal 528 and couples it withsignal 143 fromhybrid 142 to send as a coupled signal to input Es + ELO ofPDs 144, as shown.ICR 544 also includestap 151 of one ormultiple signals 143 toLF PD 150, and signal 155 fromPD 150 tomicrocontroller 158. -
ICR 545 ofFIG. 5B includes thehybrids 142,PDs 144 andtunable coupler 520.Tunable coupler 520 receives signal S and outputs signal 526 to input Es ofhybrid 142 and outputs signal 528 to new input Es of anadditional HF PD 544 ofPDs 144 which adds signal 528 to the I+ channel PD ofPDs 144.ICR 544 also includestap 151 of one ofsignals 143 toLF PD 150, and signal 155 fromPD 150 tomicrocontroller 158. - ICR 546 of
FIG. 5C includes thehybrids 142,PDs 144,tunable coupler 520 andtunable coupler 540 having phase shifter Φ8 andphase couplers Tunable coupler 540 receivessignal 528 and outputs signal 543 to input Es + ELO ofPDs 144, as shown.ICR 544 also includestap 151 of one ofsignals 143 toLF PD 150, and signal 155 fromPD 150 tomicrocontroller 158. - In all the variants of
ICRs degree hybrid 142 can be bypassed by using atunable coupler 520, which is controlled by setting the value of phase shifter Φ7. In coherent operation, phase shifter Φ7 is set so that all of the optical power in the S path is routed to the Es input of the optical hybrid, as noted forFIGS. 1A - 3 . In IMDD operation, phase shifter Φ7 is set so none of the optical power in the S path is routed to the Es input of theoptical hybrid 142, but is instead routed assignal 528. -
ICR 544 may use a 2x1tunable coupler 520 to route the two paths to the I+ output ofPDs 144.Signal 526 is routed to input Es ofhybrid 142 for coherent modulation or signal 528 routed directly to input Es + ELO of PDs 144 for IMDD.ICR 545 may add anadditional HF PD 544 to the I+ channel PD ofPDs 144.Signal 526 is routed to input Es ofhybrid 142 for coherent modulation or signal 528 routed directly to input Es ofHP PD 544 and that output is added to add the HF PD output of theHF PDs 144 having input Es + ELO. ICR 546 may usecoupler 520 and an additional two 2x1tunable couplers 540, which is controlled by setting phase shifter Φ7 to route signal 526 to input Es ofhybrid 142 for coherent modulation or to route signal 528 assignal 543 directly to input Es + ELO of PDs 144 for IMDD. - Each of the
tunable couplers 420. 440, 480, 520 and 540 may have a first phase coupler for coupling a first and second input into a first and second output; a first phase shifter for outputting a phase shifted version of the first output; and a second phase coupler for coupling the phase shifted version and the second output. - For all
ICRs FIG. 4 in transmitter backwards compatibility, the control of phase shifters Φ7 and Φ8 can be implemented via open loop control using a lookup table, or via closed-loop control by dithering phase shifter Φ7 and Φ8. Dithering is just one possible method. - The systems, architectures and processes to achieve receiver backwards compatibility from coherent modulation to IMDD described herein is also applicable to DSP-based coherent solutions, such as “DSP-Lite” and 400ZR, in which the carrier recovery and polarization control are performed in the digital domain using DSP.
- Optical amplifiers, such as SOAs can be utilized in the receivers of
ICRs HF PDs - A proposed subsequent generation 1.6 Tb/s and 3.2 Tb/s solutions may be future or backwards compatible with the 800 Gb/s and 1.6 Tb/s solutions (e.g., described herein), respectively. An architecture for 1.6 Tb/s may be based on 4-
wavelength 100 Gbaud 16QAM transmission. This architecture for 1.6 Tb/s can interface with 800 Gb/s 4-wavelength 50 Gbaud 16QAM by operating both TX and RX at half the nominal data rate. An architecture for 3.2 Tb/s may be based on 8-wavelength 100 Gbaud 16 QAM transmission. This architecture for 3.2 Tb/s can interface with 1.6 Tb/s 4-wavelength 100 Gbaud 16QAM by only utilizing half of the slices of the TX and RX. -
FIGS. 6A - 6C are block diagrams ofsystems Systems systems architectures systems systems architectures 503. Each ofSystems -
Systems tunable couplers TX 110 to createTX 410 orTX 610.System 601 shows a PM-SH-ACD link architecture withtunable couplers RX 130 to createICR 544 and/orRX 630.System 602 shows a PM-SH-ACD link architecture withtunable couplers RX 160 to createICR 545 and/orRX 631.System 603 shows a PM-SH-ACD link architecture withtunable couplers RX 632. -
FIG. 7 shows a flow chart of aprocess 700 flow for PM-SH-ACD optical communications. Theprocess 700 may be performed by one or more of the systems, architectures, transmitters and/or receivers ofFIGS. 1A - 6C . Theprocess 700 starts atstep 710 and can end atstep 790, but the process can also be cyclical by returning to step 710 afterstep 790. For example, the process may return to be performed additional times after changing data paths from or theTX DSP 116, changing modulation atdrivers 118 or changing modulation atmodulator 122. - Step 710 is splitting laser light into a first and a second output of the laser light. Step 710 may include receiving a laser light having one frequency from a laser that is to be split. Step 710 may be performed by
laser 112 and/orsplitter 114. - Step 720 is outputting an optical modulated data signal of the first output of the laser light modulated with QPSK electrical data signals based on output channel data signals and a pilot tone signal identifying a polarization of the modulated signal. Step 720 may include receiving the electrical output channel data signals in one of various modulation formats. Step 720 may include voltage amplifying or QPSK modulating the electrical output channel data signals into electrical QPSK data signals prior to optical modulation with the laser light. Step 720 may be performed by
TX DSP 116,drivers 118 and/ormodulator 122. - Step 730 is combining into two optical signals, by rotating the polarization of one of the signals by 90 degrees and adding the optic fields of the rotated signal one of and the non-rotated one of the optical modulated data signal and the second output of the laser light. Step 730 may include polarization rotating by 90 degrees one of the optical modulated data signal or the second output of the laser light, prior to combining or adding, step 730 may include transmitting the polarized signal to a fiber optic cable. Step 730 may be performed by
PBC 128. - Step 740 is polarization un-rotating by 90 degrees the polarized signal into a first polarized optical signal and a second polarized optical signal, each having at least some of the second output of the laser light and some of the optical modulated data signal. Step 740 may include that the received signal’s two received polarizations are separated and then one of them is rotated by 90 degrees. Step 740 may include splitting of the two polarizations and 90-degree rotation of one of them. Step 740 may include receiving the polarized signal from the fiber optic cable. Step 740 may be performed by
PSR 132. - Step 750 is recovering the original transmitted polarization of the
signal 182. Step 750 may include recovering the original transmitted polarization of the first 129 and second 119 polarized optical signals based on a received polarization recovery signal to recover a polarization fixed first optical signal, having the optical modulated data signal and to recover a polarization fixed second optical signal having the second output of the laser light, wherein the first and second polarization fixed first optical signal have the same polarization. Step 750 may be performed byblock 134, block 164 or block 174 . -
Steps 760 is demodulating the first and second polarizations of theoptical signal 182. Step 760 may include (a) recovering the frequency and phase of the second output of thelaser light 119 from the polarization fixed second optical signal; (b) demodulating the polarization fixed firstoptical signal 125 into a polarization and frequency fixed first optical signal having the data signal and the pilot tone signal; and (c) demodulating the polarization fixed second optical signal into a polar, frequency and phase fixed second optical signal that is the second output of the laser light. In some case, (a) recovering the frequency and phase is not performed. Step 760 may be performed byblock 134, block 165 or block 174 . -
Steps block step 750 may be performed byblock 164 and step 760 performed later byblock 165. - Step 770 is splitting the polarization and frequency fixed first optical signal and the polar, frequency and phase fixed second optical signal into 4 optical quadrature component signals (I+, I-, Q+, Q-). Step 770 may also include converting the 4 optical quadrature component signals into 4 electrical current quadrature signals, and converting the 4 electrical current quadrature signals to 4 electrical voltage (e.g., QPSK) quadrature data signals. Step 770 may be performed by
hybrid 142,PDs 144 andTIAs 146. - In some cases,
step 770 may include (a) recovering the frequency and phase of the second output of thelaser light 119 from the polarization fixed second optical signal; (b) demodulating the polarization fixed firstoptical signal 125 into a polarization and frequency fixed first optical signal having the data signal and the pilot tone signal; and (c) demodulating the polarization fixed second optical signal into a polar, frequency and phase fixed second optical signal that is the second output of the laser light. In some case, (a) recovering the frequency and phase is not performed. This part ofstep 770 may be performed byblock 134, block 165 or block 174 . - Step 780 is decoding the (e.g., QPSK) data signal from the 4 electrical voltage QPSK quadrature data signals. Step 780 may be performed by
RX DSP 148. - Step 790 is detecting a polarization of the pilot tone signal(s) to identify a polarization of the modulated signal. Step 790 may include detecting a polarization of one or two tone signals 192,
Step 790 may also include outputting the pilot signal measurement signal to the microcontroller based on the detected polarization. Step 790 may also include sending the polarization recover signal to the polarization recover component based on a received pilot signal measurement signal. Step 790 may be performed bytap 151 and blocks 150;TIA 154; and/or usingTIAs 146 to provide anoutput voltage signal 155 with an amplitude based on the amplitude ofsignal 192. Based on thesignal 155, the amplitude of the pilot tone signal 192 is measured using a microcontroller (µC) 158, which may perform a PR and CR algorithm for or ofblock 134; 164 and 165; and/or 174. - In some cases, only steps 710 - 730 or 740 - 790 are performed. In some cases, only steps 720, 730, 750, 760 and 790 are performed.
- Throughout this description, the embodiments and examples shown should be considered as exemplars, rather than limitations on the apparatus and procedures disclosed or claimed. Although many of the examples presented herein involve specific combinations of method acts or system elements, it should be understood that those acts and those elements may be combined in other ways to accomplish the same objectives. With regard to flowcharts, additional and fewer steps may be taken, and the steps as shown may be combined or further refined to achieve the methods described herein. Acts, elements and features discussed only in connection with one embodiment are not intended to be excluded from a similar role in other embodiments.
- As used herein, “plurality” means two or more. As used herein, a “set” of items may include one or more of such items. As used herein, whether in the written description or the claims, the terms “comprising”, “including”, “carrying”, “having”, “containing”, “involving”, and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of”, respectively, are closed or semi-closed transitional phrases with respect to claims. Use of ordinal terms such as “first”, “second”, “third”, etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim elements. As used herein, “and/or” means that the listed items are alternatives, but the alternatives also include any combination of the listed items.
Claims (23)
1. A system for polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent (PM-SH-ACD) architecture for optical communication links, the system comprising:
a receiver section having:
a polarization splitter rotator (PSR) for:
receiving a polarized signal from a fiber optic cable;
polarization un-rotating by 90 degrees the polarized signal into a first polarized optical signal and a second polarized optical signal, each having some of a second output of a laser light and some of an optical modulated data signal;
a polarization recover (PR) component for recovering a polarization of the first and second polarized optical signals based on a received polarization recovery signal based on a pilot signal measurement signal to recover a polarization fixed first optical signal having the optical modulated data signal and to recover a polarization fixed second optical signal having the second output of the laser light, wherein the first and second polarization fixed first optical signal have a same polarization;
a carrier recovery (CR) component for: (a) recovering a frequency and a phase of the second output of the laser light from the polarization fixed second optical signal; (b) demodulating the polarization fixed first optical signal into a polarization and frequency fixed first optical signal having a QPSK data signal and a pilot tone signal; and (c) demodulating the polarization fixed second optical signal into a polar, frequency and phase fixed second optical signal that is the second output of the laser light;
a 90 degree optical hybrid component for splitting the polarization and frequency fixed first optical signal and the polar, frequency and phase fixed second optical signal into 4 optical QPSK quadrature component signals (I+, I-, Q+, Q-);
4 photodiodes (PDs) for converting the 4 optical quadrature component signals into 4 electrical current quadrature signals;
two TIAs for converting the 4 electrical current quadrature signals to 4 electrical voltage QPSK quadrature data signals; and
a polarization detector for detecting a polarization of the pilot tone signal to identify a polarization of the modulated signal and outputting the pilot signal measurement signal based on the detected polarization.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a transmitter section having:
an optical modulator for outputting the optical modulated data signal of a first output of a laser light modulated with a QPSK data signal and the pilot tone signal identifying the polarization of the modulated signal; and
a polarization beam combiner (PBC) for:
polarization rotating by 90 degrees one of the optical modulated data signal or the second output of the laser light;
combining into a polarized signal, the polarization rotated one of and the other of the optical modulated data signal and the second output of the laser light;
transmitting the polarized signal to the fiber optic cable.
3. The system of claim 2 , the transmitter section further comprising:
a transmitter digital signal processor (TX DSP) sending output channel data signals in one of various modulation formats, the QPSK data signal based on the output channel data signals;
a laser for outputting a laser light having one frequency and one phase to a splitter for creating the first and the second output of the laser light;
the receiver section further comprising:
a receiver digital signal processor (Rx DSP) for decoding output channel data signals from the 4 electrical voltage QPSK quadrature data signals;
a microcontroller for sending the polarization recover signal to the polarization recover component based on a received pilot signal measurement signal; and
wherein the polarization detector outputs the pilot signal measurement signal to the microcontroller.
4. The system of claim 2 , the transmitter section further comprising:
a plurality of transmitter slices each having:
a laser with a different frequency than a laser of any other of the plurality of transmitter slices;
the splitter for splitting the laser;
drivers for creating the QPSK data signal that is a different than a QPSK data signal of any other of the plurality of transmitter slices from the output channel data signals;
the optical modulator for outputting the optical modulated data signal;
a first multiplexer (MUX1) for combining the optical modulated data signal of the plurality of transmitter slices into a combined optical modulated data signal;
a second multiplexer (MUX2) for combining the second output of the laser light of the plurality of transmitter slices into a combined optical carrier signal;
wherein the PBC is for:
the receiver section further comprising:
polarization rotating by 90 degrees one of the combined optical modulated data signal or the combined optical carrier signal;
combining into a polarized signal, the polarization rotated one of and the other of the combined optical modulated data signal and the combined optical carrier signal; and
a first demultiplexer (DEMUX1) for splitting the polar, frequency and phase fixed first polarized optical signal into a plurality of first polarized optical signals for the plurality of receiver slices;
a second demultiplexer (DEMUX2) for splitting the polar, frequency and phase fixed second polarized optical signal into a plurality of second polarized optical signals for the plurality of receiver slices;
a plurality of receiver slices each having:
the 90 degree optical hybrid component;
the 4 photodiodes (PDs);
the two TIAs; and
the polarization detector.
5. The system of claim 4 , the transmitter section further comprising at least one SOA for amplifying at least one of the optical modulated data signal and the second output of the laser light, at least one of prior to or after the MUX1 and MUX2; and
the receiver section further comprising at least one SOA for amplifying at least one of the first polarized optical signal, the plurality of first polarized optical signals, the second polarized optical signal, or the plurality of second polarized optical signals.
6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the optical modulator is an IQ-modulator having a first Mach-Zehnder Modulator (MZM1) for creating optical quadrature component signals (I+, I-) of the optical modulated data signal and having a second Mach-Zehnder Modulator (MZM2) for creating optical QPSK quadrature component signals (Q+, Q-) of the optical modulated data signal.
7. The system of claim 6 , further comprising an architecture for coherent modulation that is a backwards compatible architecture for IMDD, the architecture having:
a first tunable coupler between a laser and the IQ-modulator, the first tunable coupler for selecting whether to route (a) all power of the second output of the laser to the IQ-modulator for IMDD; or (b) some power of the second output of the laser to the IQ-modulator and some of the power the second output of the laser signal to the MUX2 for coherent modulation;
a second tunable coupler between the first tunable coupler and the IQ-modulator for select whether to direct (a) all the light power the second tunable coupler receives from the first tunable coupler to one of the two MZMs for IMDD; or (b) half of the power the second tunable coupler receives from the first tunable coupler to each of the two MZMs for coherent modulation; and
a third tunable coupler between the first and second MZMs and the MUX1 for selecting whether to (a) receive all the light power from the one of the two MZMs for IMDD, or (b) receive half of the light power from each of the two MZMs for coherent modulation.
8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising one of:
a fourth tunable coupler between DEMUX1 and the 90 degree optical hybrid component, the fourth tunable coupler for selecting whether to route all power of the polar, frequency and phase fixed first polarized optical signal to the 4 photodiodes for IMDD or to the 90 degree optical hybrid component for coherent modulation;
a fifth tunable coupler between DEMUX1 and the 90 degree optical hybrid component, the fifth tunable coupler for selecting whether to route all power of the polar, frequency and phase fixed first polarized optical signal to a fifth HF photodiode added to the 4 photodiodes for IMDD, or to the 90 degree optical hybrid component for coherent modulation; or
the fourth tunable coupler and a sixth tunable coupler between (the fourth tunable coupler and the 90 degree optical hybrid component) and the 4 photodiodes (PDs) for selecting whether to route all power from the fourth tunable coupler to the 4 photodiodes for IMDD or from the 90 degree optical hybrid component to the 4 photodiodes for coherent modulation.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein each of the first - sixth tunable couplers has a first phase coupler for coupling a first and second input into a first and second output; a first phase shifter for outputting a phase shifted version of the first output; and a second phase coupler for coupling the phase shifted version and the second output.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the PR and CR components form a combined PR and CR block comprising four sets of 2 phase shifters and 1 coupler, each of the 2 phase shifters for phase shifting a separate input into a separate phase shifted output, and each of the 1 coupler for coupling the separate outputs of the 2 phase shifters into a coupled signal output;
wherein separate inputs of 2 phase shifters of a first set of the four sets are for receiving the first and second polarized optical signals; and
wherein separate inputs of 2 phase shifters of a second, third and fourth set of the four sets are for receiving the coupled signal output from the 1 coupler of a prior set of the four sets.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the polarization detector includes:
at least one first voltage tap having a low frequency photodiode and a resistor for reading at least one first voltage signal from at least one of the 4 optical quadrature component signals;
at least one TIA and at least one band passed filter for reading at least one second voltage signal of at least one of the 4 electrical voltage quadrature data signals; or
at least one of the two TIAs and at least one band passed filter for reading at least one third voltage signal of at least one of the 4 electrical voltage quadrature data signals;
wherein the pilot signal measurement signal is one of the first, second or third at least one voltage signal.
12. A system for polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent (PM-SH-ACD) architecture for optical communication links, the system comprising:
a polarization splitter rotator (PSR) for:
receiving a polarized signal from a fiber optic cable;
polarization un-rotating by 90 degrees the polarized signal into a first polarized optical signal and a second polarized optical signal, each having some of a laser light and some of an optical modulated data signal;
a polarization recover (PR) component for recovering a polarization of the first and second polarized optical signals based on a received polarization recovery signal based on a pilot signal measurement signal to recover a polarization fixed first optical signal having the optical modulated data signal and to recover a polarization fixed second optical signal having the laser light;
a carrier recovery (CR) component for: (a) recovering a frequency and phase of the laser light from the polarization fixed second optical signal; (b) demodulating the polarization fixed first optical signal into a polarization and frequency fixed first optical signal having a data signal and a pilot tone signal; and (c) demodulating the polarization fixed second optical signal into a polar, frequency and phase fixed second optical signal that is the laser light;
a 90 degree optical hybrid component for splitting the polarization and frequency fixed first optical signal and the polar, frequency and phase fixed second optical signal into 4 optical quadrature component signals;
photodiodes (PDs) for converting the 4 optical quadrature component signals into 4 electrical current quadrature signals;
TIAs for converting the 4 electrical current quadrature signals to 4 electrical voltage quadrature data signals having a data signal;
a polarization detector for detecting a polarization of the pilot tone signal and outputting the pilot signal measurement signal based on the detected polarization.
13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising:
an optical modulator for outputting the optical modulated data signal of laser light modulated with the data signal and the pilot tone signal identifying a polarization of the modulated signal; and
a polarization beam combiner (PBC) for:
polarization rotating by 90 degrees one of the optical modulated data signal or the laser light;
combining into a polarized signal, the polarization rotated one of and the other of the optical modulated data signal and the laser light;
transmitting the polarized signal to a fiber optic cable.
14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:
a plurality of transmitter slices each having:
a laser with a different frequency than a laser of any other of the plurality of transmitter slices;
the splitter for splitting laser light of the laser;
drivers for creating the QPSK data signal that is a different than a QPSK data signal of any other of the plurality of transmitter slices;
the optical modulator for outputting the optical modulated data signal;
a first multiplexer (MUX1) for combining the optical modulated data signal of the plurality of transmitter slices into a combined optical modulated data signal;
a second multiplexer (MUX2) for combining the laser light of the plurality of transmitter slices into a combined optical carrier signal;
wherein the PBC is for:
polarization rotating by 90 degrees one of the combined optical modulated data signal or the combined optical carrier signal;
combining into a polarized signal, the polarization rotated one of and the other of the combined optical modulated data signal and the combined optical carrier signal;
a first demultiplexer (DEMUX1) for splitting the polar, frequency and phase fixed first polarized optical signal into a plurality of first polarized optical signals for the plurality of receiver slices;
a second demultiplexer (DEMUX2) for splitting the polar, frequency and phase fixed second polarized optical signal into a plurality of second polarized optical signals for the plurality of receiver slices;
a plurality of receiver slices each having:
the 90 degree optical hybrid component;
the 4 photodiodes (PDs);
the two TIAs; and
the polarization detector.
15. The system of claim 13 , further comprising an architecture for coherent modulation that is a backwards compatible architecture for IMDD, the architecture having:
a first tunable coupler between a laser providing the laser light and the modulator, the first tunable coupler for selecting whether to route (a) all power of the laser light to the modulator for IMDD; or (b) some power of the laser light to the modulator and some of the power the laser light to the MUX2 for coherent modulation;
a second tunable coupler between the first tunable coupler and the modulator for select whether to direct (a) all the light power the second tunable receives from the first tunable coupler to one of the two MZMs for IMDD; or (b) half of the power the second tunable coupler receives from the first tunable couple to each of the two MZMs for coherent modulation; and
a third tunable coupler between the first and second MZMs and the MUX1 for selecting whether to (a) receive all the light power from the one of the two MZMs for IMDD, or (b) receive half of the light power from each of the two MZMs for coherent modulation.
16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising one of:
a fourth tunable coupler between DEMUX1 and the 90 degree optical hybrid component, the fourth tunable coupler for selecting whether to route all power of the polar, frequency and phase fixed first polarized optical signal to the 4 photodiodes for IMDD or to the 90 degree optical hybrid component for coherent modulation;
a fifth tunable coupler between DEMUX1 and the 90 degree optical hybrid component, the fifth tunable coupler for selecting whether to route all power of the polar, frequency and phase fixed first polarized optical signal to a fifth HF photodiode added to the 4 photodiodes for IMDD, or to the 90 degree optical hybrid component for coherent modulation; or
the fourth tunable coupler and a sixth tunable coupler between (the fourth tunable coupler and the 90 degree optical hybrid component) and the 4 photodiodes (PDs) for selecting whether to route all power from the fourth tunable coupler to the 4 photodiodes for IMDD or from the 90 degree optical hybrid component to the 4 photodiodes for coherent modulation.
17. (canceled)
18. (canceled)
19. (canceled)
20. (canceled)
21. (canceled)
22. (canceled)
23. (canceled)
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US18/307,717 US11811499B1 (en) | 2022-04-26 | 2023-04-26 | Polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent (PM-SH-ACD) architecture for optical communication links |
US18/492,575 US20240056214A1 (en) | 2022-04-26 | 2023-10-23 | Polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent (pm-sh-acd) architecture for optical communication links |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US202263334877P | 2022-04-26 | 2022-04-26 | |
US18/307,717 US11811499B1 (en) | 2022-04-26 | 2023-04-26 | Polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent (PM-SH-ACD) architecture for optical communication links |
Related Child Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US18/492,575 Continuation US20240056214A1 (en) | 2022-04-26 | 2023-10-23 | Polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent (pm-sh-acd) architecture for optical communication links |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20230344546A1 true US20230344546A1 (en) | 2023-10-26 |
US11811499B1 US11811499B1 (en) | 2023-11-07 |
Family
ID=88414836
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US18/307,717 Active US11811499B1 (en) | 2022-04-26 | 2023-04-26 | Polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent (PM-SH-ACD) architecture for optical communication links |
US18/492,575 Pending US20240056214A1 (en) | 2022-04-26 | 2023-10-23 | Polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent (pm-sh-acd) architecture for optical communication links |
Family Applications After (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US18/492,575 Pending US20240056214A1 (en) | 2022-04-26 | 2023-10-23 | Polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent (pm-sh-acd) architecture for optical communication links |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (2) | US11811499B1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20210149115A1 (en) * | 2020-12-23 | 2021-05-20 | Duanni Huang | Photonic wavelength division multiplexing (wdm) receiver with polarization diversity and/or low reflectance |
Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US9209900B2 (en) * | 2013-06-17 | 2015-12-08 | Zte Corporation | Method and apparatus for digital polarization scrambling in coherent optical communication systems employing both transmit and receive digital signal processing |
US10985843B2 (en) * | 2018-06-08 | 2021-04-20 | Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. | Systems and methods for polarization control using blind source separation |
US11626926B2 (en) * | 2019-11-06 | 2023-04-11 | Google Llc | Coherent receiver with mixed signal processing |
Family Cites Families (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US10763968B1 (en) | 2019-03-01 | 2020-09-01 | Google Llc | Coherent/IM-DD dual operation optical transceiver |
-
2023
- 2023-04-26 US US18/307,717 patent/US11811499B1/en active Active
- 2023-10-23 US US18/492,575 patent/US20240056214A1/en active Pending
Patent Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US9209900B2 (en) * | 2013-06-17 | 2015-12-08 | Zte Corporation | Method and apparatus for digital polarization scrambling in coherent optical communication systems employing both transmit and receive digital signal processing |
US10985843B2 (en) * | 2018-06-08 | 2021-04-20 | Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. | Systems and methods for polarization control using blind source separation |
US11626926B2 (en) * | 2019-11-06 | 2023-04-11 | Google Llc | Coherent receiver with mixed signal processing |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US11811499B1 (en) | 2023-11-07 |
US20240056214A1 (en) | 2024-02-15 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US8625997B2 (en) | Method and apparatus for local optimization of an optical transmitter | |
US8831436B2 (en) | Method and apparatus for local optimization of an optical transmitter | |
EP2026478B1 (en) | Coherent light receiving system | |
US8548333B2 (en) | Transceiver photonic integrated circuit | |
US7269356B2 (en) | Optical device with tunable coherent receiver | |
EP1330054B1 (en) | System and method for multi-level phase modulated communication | |
US10944482B2 (en) | Coherent optical receiver | |
US7076169B2 (en) | System and method for orthogonal frequency division multiplexed optical communication | |
CN101895495B (en) | Method and system for transmitting and receiving by orthogonally dual-polarized differential quaternary phase shift keying | |
US7555061B2 (en) | Optical communication device | |
US20100021166A1 (en) | Spectrally Efficient Parallel Optical WDM Channels for Long-Haul MAN and WAN Optical Networks | |
US20110229149A1 (en) | Optical transmitter supplying optical signals having multiple modulation formats | |
US8270847B2 (en) | Polarization multiplexing with different DPSK modulation schemes and system incorporating the same | |
KR20170125390A (en) | The polarization state aligner (PSA) | |
CN103067091A (en) | Optical transmitter, optical transmission method, and optical transmission/reception system | |
US9880351B2 (en) | Directly-modulated multi-polarization optical transmitters | |
US20240056214A1 (en) | Polarization-multiplexed self-homodyne analog coherent (pm-sh-acd) architecture for optical communication links | |
US9246597B2 (en) | Dual rate QPSK/TCM-QPSK optical modulation | |
US8805204B2 (en) | Generating higher-level quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) using a delay line interferometer and systems and methods incorporating same | |
WO2010035662A1 (en) | Optical transmitter, optical receiver, and optical communication system | |
US8811827B2 (en) | System for generating optical RZ signals based on electrical RZ signals | |
US7336906B2 (en) | Optical signal transmission | |
JP7239822B2 (en) | Polarization multiplexing optical transceiver circuit | |
Olsson et al. | Electro-optical subcarrier modulation transmitter for 100 GbE DWDM transport | |
Gnauck et al. | Optical duobinary format from demodulation of DPSK using athermal delay interferometer |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: LUCIDEAN, INC., DELAWARE Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:MAHARRY, AARON;PAEZ, HECTOR ADOLFO ANDRADE;SCHOW, CLINT LEE;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:063454/0329 Effective date: 20230426 |
|
FEPP | Fee payment procedure |
Free format text: ENTITY STATUS SET TO UNDISCOUNTED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: BIG.); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY |
|
FEPP | Fee payment procedure |
Free format text: ENTITY STATUS SET TO SMALL (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: SMAL); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY |
|
STCF | Information on status: patent grant |
Free format text: PATENTED CASE |