Abstract: First to sixth optical switches 17 to 22 are provided: in event of failure on the part of a third input/output port 33, only the first and second optical switches 17 and 18 turn ON; in the event of failure on the part of a second input/output port 32, only the third and fourth optical switches 19 and 20 turn ON; and in the event of failure on the part of a first input/output port 31, only the fifth and sixth optical switches 21 and 22 turn ON.

Abstract: An optical element-mounting substrate that makes it easy to optically couple the optical semiconductor element to the optical fiber or to the lens and that can be highly integrated while suppressing deterioration in the high-frequency signals. The optical element-mounting substrate for optically coupling the optical semiconductor element to the optical fiber through the lens, comprises an insulating film formed on the surface of the optical element-mounting substrate, grooves formed on the substrate for installing the optical fiber and the lens, a thin-film electrode formed on the insulating film, a thin-film capacitor and a thin-film temperature sensor arranged maintaining a distance from the thin-film electrode, and a solder film formed on the insulating film in a region where the optical semiconductor element is mounted so as to be electrically connected to the thin-film electrode.

Abstract: An optical device including dynamic channel equalization is provided. In an exemplary multiplexer or line amplifier configuration the device includes a plurality of separate optical paths, each of which receiving a separate group of optical signals. Each group of optical signals is provided to an associated variable optical attenuator. Separate inputs of an optical combiner are each coupled to an output of an associated one of the variable optical attenuators. The optical combiner has an output providing the separate groups of optical signals in an aggregated form on an aggregate optical signal path. An optical performance monitor is coupled to the aggregate optical signal path, and is configured to detect an optical signal to noise ratio of each of the separate groups. The monitor supplied a feedback signal to corresponding ones of the variable optical attenuators for adjusting a respective attenuation associated with each of the attenuators in dependence of the detected optical signal to noise ratios.

Abstract: A long period chiral fiber grating (“LPCFG”) that has a number of advantageous properties that can be readily utilized in a number of different applications is provided. The inventive LPCFG is a fiber grating having a pitch that exceeds the wavelength of light propagating therethrough. The LPCFG includes a number of dips in its transmission spectrum, but does not reflect any portion of the signal passing therethrough. The LPCFG is sensitive to changes in the refractive index of its external environment (or in the refractive index of a coating covering the LPCFG cladding). In response to changes in the external refractive index, the transmission dips shift proportionally to changes in the index, thus enabling the use of LPCFG as a fiber sensor element. In addition, the LPCFG is polarization sensitive—one circular polarized wave of one handedness is coupled to the cladding mode stronger than the wave of the other polarization handedness.

Abstract: According to the cross phase modulation suppressing device of the present invention, the wavelength multiplexing optical signal from an optical fiber having polarization orthogonality between the adjacent channels is split for every channel and the split optical signals are led to delaying optical waveguides of different lengths by the AWG (Arrayed Waveguide Grating) connected to a second port of an optical circulator, and the split optical signals with each delay added are reflected by the Farraday mirrors in polarization states orthogonal to each other and again led to the delaying optical waveguides. The reflected lights are combined by the AWG and supplied to a third port of the optical circulator as the wavelength multiplexing optical signal with orthogonality of polarization states kept between the adjacent channels.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention relates to optical fibers and systems that include such fibers. In another aspect, the invention provides an optical fiber that includes a core, a cladding surrounding the core, a layer surrounding the cladding, and a region between the layer and the cladding. The region can comprise an index of refraction that is different than an index of refraction comprised by the cladding. In one embodiment, the region can include a void containing air or a liquid. The void can be evacuated. The region can include a solid, such as, for example, a polymer. The layer can contact the cladding. The fiber can comprise rare earth ions.

Abstract: An optical monitoring arrangement utilizes the properties of a blazed Bragg grating to redirect a portion of an optical signal out of the axial path and into a detecting device. A plurality of blazed Bragg gratings are utilized, each having unique properties, to increase the robustness of the monitor. In particular, by utilizing a plurality of N gratings, the bandwidth of the monitor may be increased N-fold (assuming no overlap in wavelength between gratings). Alternatively, an improvement in resolution can be obtained by utilizing a narrower bandwidth and measuring N times the number of raw data points within that bandwidth. A combination of increase in bandwidth and resolution may be obtained by a comprise between these two extremes. Chirped blazed gratings may also be employed.

Abstract: An arrangement is provided for a configurable optical add/drop multiplexer (OADM) mechanism. The configurable OADM mechanism comprises at least one configurable optical add/drop multiplexer (C-OADM) module and at least one switch associated with the C-OADM modules (the minimum configuration is only one C-OADM with bypass (expansion) switches). The switches can be configured so that some of the C-OADM modules can be selected to form a processing pipeline. Each of the selected C-OADM moduels may be further configured to perform wavelength manipulations such as adding a wavelength, dropping a wavelength, tapping an input optical signal, and a combination thereof.

Abstract: An arrangement is provided for a configurable optical add/drop multiplexer (OADM) assembly. The configurable OADM assembly comprises at least one configurable optical add/drop multiplexer (C-OADM) device and at least one optical switch associated with the C-OADM devices (the minimum configuration is only one C-OADM with bypass (expansion) switches). The switches can be configured so that some of the C-OADM devices can be selected to carry out wavelength operations. Each of the selected C-OADM devices may be further configured to perform wavelength manipulations such as dropping a wavelength channel, tapping a wavelength channel, adding a wavelength channel with full power level, and a combination thereof.

Abstract: A fiberoptic sensing apparatus comprises a fiberoptic coupler in which a plurality of optical fibers are joined through a fused coupling region, the optical fibers including at least one input optical fiber and a plurality of output optical fibers, the fiberoptic coupler distributing light incident to the input optical fiber among the plurality of output optical fibers. The coupler is mounted to a support member and configured such that at least a portion of the coupling region can be deflected to change the light distribution among the output fibers without putting the coupling region under tension. A fluid column is cooperative with a deflection member disposed to deflect the portion of the coupling region.

Abstract: A transceiver module is used in an optical fiber communications system. The optical fiber communications system includes a housing, a connector for connecting with the housing, an optical sub assembly (OSA) installed within the connector for receiving or emitting optical signals, a printed circuit board (PCB) installed within the housing for processing photoelectric signals, and a clipping device disposed within the housing for fixing the OSA so that the OSA is electrically connected with the PCB.

Abstract: An optical device including dynamic channel equalization is provided. In an exemplary multiplexer or line amplifier configuration the device includes a plurality of separate optical paths, each of which receiving a separate group of optical signals. Each group of optical signals is provided to an associated variable optical attenuator. Separate inputs of an optical combiner are each coupled to an output of an associated one of the variable optical attenuators. The optical combiner has an output providing the separate groups of optical signals in an aggregated form on an aggregate optical signal path. An optical performance monitor is coupled to the aggregate optical signal path, and is configured to detect an optical signal power of each of the separate groups. The monitor supplies a feedback signal to corresponding ones of the variable optical attenuators for adjusting a respective attenuation associated with each of the attenuators in dependence of the detected optical signal powers.

Abstract: A micromachine and a manufacturing method are provided for a micromachine that has a dynamic first microstructured portion serving as a drive portion, and a static second microstructured portion adapted to perform a switching function and which functions as an optical element. The second microstructured portion can be manufactured at least without complex steps, such as a silicon process, by forming a static second microstructure on the dynamic first microstructured portion, or in such a way as to be overlaid thereon by mold transfer. Thus, the microstructured portion of a complex shape can be easily formed with good reproducibility. When a plurality of elements are arranged in an array, similarly as in the case of a spatial light modulator, the stable reproduction thereof is achieved by the mold transfer. Thus, as compared with the case of manufacturing all elements in a silicon process, the probability of an occurrence of a defect is very low.

Abstract: An optical cross connect switch having a beam generating, beam directing, and beam receiving portions is disclosed. In one embodiment, the beam generating portion receives a number of optical fibers and generates a communication and companion alignment beam for each fiber. The communication and alignment beams may be spatially separated, substantially collimated beams, and are aligned to propagate away from the beam generating portion in substantially parallel paths. The communication and alignment beams then strike a beam directing element where they may be redirected to the beam receiving portion. A beam receiving portion includes a plurality of optical output fibers, each having an associated position sensor. The location where the alignment beam strikes the position sensor provides position information regarding the corresponding communication beam. Using the position information, the beam directing elements may be finely adjusted to direct the focused communication beam onto an optical output fiber.

Abstract: A receptacle type optical module including a lead frame having a plurality of leads, an L-shaped block mounted on the lead frame and having a through hole, a ferrule inserted and fixed in the through hole of the L-shaped block and having an optical fiber, a carrier mounted on the L-shaped block and having a wiring pattern, and an optical element mounted on the carrier. The optical module further includes a GRIN lens fixed to an end face of the ferrule and having a spherical end face adjacent to the optical element, a transparent resin for sealing an optical coupling portion between the optical element and the GRIN lens, and a resin molded package for encapsulating all of the lead frame, the L-shaped block, the ferrule, the carrier, and the optical element except a part of the lead frame and a part of the ferrule.

Abstract: The present invention aims at providing an optical switch control method capable of controlling at a high speed angles of a plurality of tilt mirrors of an optical switch of three-dimensional structure, by a simplified circuit structure. To this end, for an optical switch including a plurality of mirror arrays each arranged with a plurality of tilt mirrors and in which input optical signals are sequentially reflected by the mirror arrays so as to output the optical signals from particular positions, the optical switch control method according to the present invention is constituted to divide the tilt mirrors on one mirror array into a plurality of fixed regions, to divide the tilt mirrors on the other mirror arrays into a plurality of virtual regions, in accordance with connecting states of optical paths, such that the tilt mirrors in each of the virtual regions and the tilt mirrors in each of the fixed regions are related to each other so as to make pairs.

Abstract: A telecommunications cable element having a transmission element disposed in a buffer tube made from thermoplastic polyolefin elastomeric buffer material is disclosed. The polyolefin elastomeric buffer material has a modulus of elasticity below about 500 MPa at room temperature and a modulus of elasticity below about 1500 MPa at −40° C. Preferentially, the thermoplastic polyolefin elastomer material forming the buffer tube has an elongation to break below about 500% and a Melt Flow Index above about 3.

Abstract: Metal filaments such as steel wires which has Young's modulus of 10,000 kg/mm2 are provided longitudinally on a UV curable resin coated optical fiber. A resin covering layer is then formed on a resultant structure by coating ultraviolet curing resin and then curing the resin, whereby resulting in an extremely small optical fiber cord having a finished diameter of about 250 &mgr;m.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a dispersion shifted optical fiber having zero dispersion at a wavelength band of 1.5 &mgr;m, which suppresses an increase of transmission loss and an increase of polarization mode dispersion when carrying out fiber drawing. An optical fiber according the invention is provided with the first core (refractive index n1.), the second core (refractive index n2), the first clad (refractive index n3) and second clad (refractive index n4) in this order from the center to outside, wherein the abovementioned refractive indexes are in a relationship of n1>n4>n2>n3, Ge which is at a ratio of 0.4 to 1.0% for the value of relative refractive index difference with respect to the second clad is doped on the first core, which is at a ratio of 0.1 to 0.5% for the value of relative refractive index difference with respect to the second clad is doped on the second core as in the above, and the second clad is SiO2, which has a thickness from 1 &mgr;m or more to 40 &mgr;m or less.

Abstract: An optical transmission mechanism including a first optical fiber protruding from a chip, and a second optical fiber protruding from a circuit board. The tip ends of the first and second optical fibers are coupled with each other. A guide member contacting the tip end of the second optical fiber may be used to position the tip end of the second optical fiber at a face-to-face coaxial position with the tip end of the first optical fiber. The tip ends of the first and second optical fibers are easily coupled with each other without positioning the chip relative to the circuit board.