Patents Assigned to Genoa Corporation
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Patent number: 6614583Abstract: A method and system for introducing optical delay. Using a tunable laser in combination with a group velocity dispersive element, laser tuning is used to create the desired amount of optical delay.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2001Date of Patent: September 2, 2003Assignee: Genoa CorporationInventor: John M. Wachsman
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Patent number: 6577654Abstract: An optical signal power monitor and regulator comprises: a lasing semiconductor optical amplifier for receiving the optical signal and whose laser output is used to monitor a power level of the optical signal; a monitor circuit which receives the laser output and outputs a monitoring signal; a tunable element for receiving a version of the optical signal and whose level of amplification is adjustable and for outputting an amplified optical signal; and a regulator circuit for receiving the monitoring signal and adjusting the amplification of the tunable optical amplifier depending upon the monitoring signal. The tunable element may comprise a tunable gain-clamped semiconductor optical amplifier. Such an embodiment is capable of automatically regulating the tunable element such that a power level of the amplified optical signal is kept stable.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2001Date of Patent: June 10, 2003Assignee: Genoa CorporationInventors: Sol P. Dijaili, Jeffrey D. Walker
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Patent number: 6560010Abstract: A broadband semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) device includes at least two gain-clamped SOAs having different spectral responses. The gain-clamped SOAs are coupled so that the broadband SOA device has a spectral response which is not attainable by any one of the gain-clamped SOAs. The gain-clamped SOAs may be coupled in different ways. For example, they may be coupled in parallel, in series, or in another different and/or more complex ways. In one implementation, the gain-clamped SOAs are vertically lasing semiconductor optical amplifiers.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2001Date of Patent: May 6, 2003Assignee: Genoa CorporationInventors: Sol P. DiJaili, Jeffrey D. Walker, Frank G. Patterson
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Patent number: 6549331Abstract: An optical amplifier module that is insensitive to polarization comprises a first fiber, a second fiber, a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), and a polarization dependent loss (PDL) unit. The first fiber provides for optical input to the SOA. The SOA amplifies the optical signal received and outputs the amplified signal. The output of the SOA is optically coupled to the PDL unit. The PDL unit provides polarization dependent loss and the loss is preferably selected to match the polarization dependent gain of the SOA such that when two are coupled there is no overall polarization dependence. The output of the PDL is optically coupled to the fiber for transmission output.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2001Date of Patent: April 15, 2003Assignee: Genoa CorporationInventors: Jeffrey D. Walker, Sol P. Dijaili, Richard P. Ratowsky
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Patent number: 6512629Abstract: A multi-stage lasing semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) device amplifies an optical signal. The multi-stage SOA includes at least two SOA stages coupled in series. Each SOA stage includes a semiconductor gain medium and a laser cavity including the semiconductor gain medium. The medium is pumped above a lasing threshold for the laser cavity, which clamps the gain of the medium. An optical signal propagating through the medium is amplified by the gain-clamped medium. The SOA stages are characterized by a design parameter which varies from stage to stage. In a preferred embodiment, the design parameter includes a noise figure and a saturable power, with both parameters increasing as the optical signal propagates from stage to stage. As a result, the multi-stage SOA can achieve better noise performance and higher power outputs compared to comparable SOAs of constant noise figure and saturable power.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 1999Date of Patent: January 28, 2003Assignee: Genoa CorporationInventors: Sol P. Dijaili, Jeffrey D. Walker
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Patent number: 6445495Abstract: A tunable-gain lasing semiconductor optical amplifier comprises a vertical-lasing semiconductor optical amplifier that includes a tunable region which allows the gain of the vertical-lasing semiconductor optical amplifier to be tuned. The tunable region comprises a region whose loss and/or phase may be tuned by adjusting a physical characteristic of the region. For example, the region may comprise a liquid crystal layer whose transmissivity may be adjusted by applying different voltages across the layer to adjust the reflectivity of a cavity mirror, or a cavity mirror whose reflectivity may be adjusted by ion implantation. In an alternative embodiment of this invention, the tunable-gain lasing semiconductor optical amplifier comprises a tunable loss element in series after the gain-clamped semiconductor optical amplifier.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 1999Date of Patent: September 3, 2002Assignee: Genoa CorporationInventors: Jeffrey D. Walker, Sol P. Dijaili, Daniel A. Francis
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Patent number: 6347104Abstract: An optical signal power monitor and regulator comprises: a lasing semiconductor optical amplifier for receiving the optical signal and whose laser output is used to monitor a power level of the optical signal; a monitor circuit which receives the laser output and outputs a monitoring signal; a tunable element for receiving a version of the optical signal and whose level of amplification is adjustable and for outputting an amplified optical signal; and a regulator circuit for receiving the monitoring signal and adjusting the amplification of the tunable optical amplifier depending upon the monitoring signal. The tunable element may comprise a tunable gain-clamped semiconductor optical amplifier. Such an embodiment is capable of automatically regulating the tunable element such that a power level of the amplified optical signal is kept stable.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 1999Date of Patent: February 12, 2002Assignee: Genoa CorporationInventors: Sol P. Dijaili, Jeffrey D. Walker
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Patent number: 6310720Abstract: An optical amplifier module that is insensitive to polarization comprises a first fiber, a second fiber, a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), and a polarization dependent loss (PDL) unit. The first fiber provides for optical input to the SOA. The SOA amplifies the optical signal received and outputs the amplified signal. The output of the SOA is optically coupled to the unit. The PDL unit provides polarization dependent loss and the loss is preferably selected to match the polarization dependent gain of the SOA such that when two are coupled there is no overall polarization dependence. The output of the PDL is optically coupled to the fiber for transmission output.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2000Date of Patent: October 30, 2001Assignee: Genoa CorporationInventors: Jeffrey D. Walker, Sol P. Dijaili, Richard P. Ratowsky