Patent ID: 6259552
Filing Date: 2001-07-10
Classification: G02F,H04B

Abstract:
A wavelength converter for transferring information from a first signal of one wavelength to a second signal of a second wavelength, comprising:an optical path formed by a length of optical fiber which contains a Kerr leg;a first optical coupler for receiving a first optical signal and splitting that signal into two components, so that one component travels in a first direction around the optical path and a second component travels in a second direction around the optical path, opposite to the first direction;a second optical coupler for receiving a second optical signal which is intensity modulated with information and supplying that signal to the optical path in one of said first or second direction, so that the second optical signal and the first and second components of the first optical signal interact in the Kerr leg of the optical path;third and fourth optical couplers for coupling the optical signals moving in the optical path to a first and second output optical path, respectively; andan output coupler for combining the two components of the first optical signal and generating an output optical signal which has the wavelength of the first optical signal and is intensity modulated with the information contained in the second optical signal.