OPTICAL WAVELENGTH COMPOUNDING/DIVIDING DEVICE

Abstract: An optical device for dividing light depending on an optical wavelength thereof, comprises: a single input optical fiber (11) and an output fiber array consisting of a plurality of optical fibers (15), and spectroscopic (12, 14) grating and a tetrahedral dispersion-dividing prism (13) disposed on an optical path therein. The prism has a face defining a dispersion-dividing part consisting of a plurality of step-like V-shaped grooves each having an apex of 60° and two inclined surfaces, so that a light beam, the position of which is shifted depending on the wavelength thereof, moves from groove to groove, and within the region of one groove, the light beam is reflected first at one of the inclined surfaces and then reflected at the other surface so as to change the direction of the light beam.

Description: This invention relates to an optical communication system, and more particularly, to a device (multiplexer/demultiplexer) for compounding/dividing light depending on an optical wavelength. In an optical wavelength multiplex communication, a plurality of light beams having different wavelengths (respective wavelength channels) which communicate a plurality of different information are compounded in a single mode fiber, and this information is communicated therethrough. Therefore, it is necessary to divide the composite lights into respective light beams depending on the wavelength channels thereof at the receiving station, to obtain the information loaded on the respective wavelength light beams. In such a system, an optical wavelength compounding/dividing device is used for compounding the light beams having a plurality of wavelengths in a single mode fiber and for dividing the composite lights depending on the respective wavelengths. Figure. 8 is a side cross-sectional view of a conventional optical system for compounding/dividing light depending on an optical wavelength. Here, it is presumed that this system is used as a demultiplexer for dividing light beams. This optical system is provided with an input optical fiber 21 a spectroscopic grating 22, an output fiber array 23, and a collimator lens 24. The light beam input from the optical fiber 21 is changed to parallel light by the lens 24 and reflected by the grating 22. The light beams diffracted on different wavelengths by the grating 22 are focused on the respective optical fibers of the output fiber array 23 arranged according to the respective wavelength channels and transmitted therethrough. However, in a conventional optical system as mentioned above, there is an serious drawback in that the open regions of the output optical fiber core available for the respective wavelengths are relatively narrow, compared to the pitch between adjacent fibers of the output fiber array. Therefore, light beams in the narrow wavelength region within a same wavelength band can be picked up only by the output fibers. Figures. 9, 10, and 11 show another conventional optical system known in the prior art and disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 60-107004 and "ELECTRONICS LETTERS", Vol. 21, No. 10, page 423, 1985, by I. Nishi et al. This optical system is provided with an input optical fiber 31, a self-focusing lens 32, a spectroscopic grating 33, upper and lower rectangular prisms 34a and 34b, first and second output fibers 35a and 35b, and a glass block 36. Figure. 10 shows the relationship between the shift of the incident light position in accordance with the wavelength and the light beams emitted from the upper and lower rectangular prisms 34a and 34b. Figure. 11 schematically shows the change of light beam position due to the wavelength thereof. The light input from the optical fiber 31 is changed to parallel light (Fig. 11a) by the self-focusing lens 32 and input via the glass block 36 to the grating 33 inclined by a predetermined angle. The light is diffracted by the grating 33 depending on the wavelength thereof (Fig. 11b). Diffracted light in a certain wavelength region, such as λ₁ to λ₂ , is focused on the upper rectangular prism 34a and emitted in the opposite direction through the self-focusing lens 32. Next, the light is introduced to the grating 33 to be diffracted again and is then focused on the first output fiber 35a through the self-focusing lens 32. Similarly, light in another wavelength region, such as λ₃ to λ₄ , is focused on the lower rectangular prism 34b and focused on the second output fiber 35b. Therefore, the positions of light beams emitted from upper and lower rectangular prisms 34a and 34b are as seen in Fig. 11c. Also, the positions of light beams focused on the first and second output fibers 35a and 35b are as seen in Fig. 11d. This optical system makes it possible to broaden the bandwidth in respective wavelength channels, when compared with an optical device such as shown in Fig. 8. However, it would be difficult to increase the number of wavelength channels to realize a multi-channel optical device. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an optical device for compounding/dividing light depending on the wavelength thereof, capable of overcoming the above-mentioned drawbacks. Another object of the present invention is to provide an optical system capable of solving a problem such wherein the wavelength band is narrowed due to wavelength dispersion in a spectroscopic grating, and to broaden the bandwidth in respective wavelength channels. A further object of the present invention is to provide an optical system capable of increasing the number of wavelength channels to realize a multi-channel optical device. The present invention is defined in claims 1 and 4. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an optical system according to this invention; Fig. 2 shows the change of light beam position due to a wavelength thereof; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a tetrahedral dispersion-dividing prism used in this invention; Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a dispersion-dividing part of the prism shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a dispersion-dividing part of the prism having an apex of 60° and two inclined surfaces; Fig. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of another embodiment of an optical system of this invention; Fig. 7 shows light transmission loss characteristics, when comparing the optical system of this invention with a conventional system. Fig. 8 is a side cross-sectional view of a typical conventional optical system; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of another known optical system using right-angled prisms; Fig. 10 is a schematic perspective view for illustrating the functions of the right-angled prisms used in the system shown in Fig. 9; and, Fig. 11 shows the change of light beam position due to the wavelength in thereof the known optical system shown in Fig. 9. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an optical system, i.e., a multiplexer or demultiplexer, according to this invention, containing a diffraction grating and a "dispersion-dividing prism". In Fig. 1, this optical system is provided with light input and output fibers 1, a spectroscopic grating 2, a dispersion-dividing prism 3, and a collimator lens 4. According to this invention, arranged on an optical path from the input optical fiber(s) to the output optical fiber(s), is a dispersion-dividing prism 3 having a tetrahedral body: one face thereof including a dispersion-dividing part 3G described hereinafter in detail. This prism 3 and the input and output fibers 1 are arranged in the vicinity of one of the focal planes of the lens 4, and the spectroscopic grating 2 is arranged in the vicinity of the other focal plane of the lens 4. Briefly, in this invention, it is presumed that this optical system is used as a demultiplexer for dividing composite light into respective wavelengths. But, this system also can be used as a multiplexer for compounding the divided light and to transmit the compounded light through a single fiber. In this demultiplexer, the path of the light beam from the input optical fiber is as follows: collimater lens 4 spectroscopic grating 2 lens 4, the dispersion-dividing prism 3, the lens 4, the grating 2 lens 4. The light then passes to the output optical fibers. Figure. 2 shows the change of light beam position due to the wavelength thereof at the left-hand focal plane of the lens 4, along which the light beam is focused. A light beam from the input optical fiber (Fig. 2a) is collimated and made parallel by the lens 4 and then diffracted according to the wavelength thereof by the spectroscopic grating 2. The light beam is then focused along a line (arrow in Fig. 2b) by the lens 4. The point of focusing along this line depends on the wavelength of the light beam. This line is in the dispersion-dividing prism 3, and is divided and rearranged into several transversely arrayed segments (Fig. 2c) by the dispersion-dividing prism 3, as shown in Fig. 3. This is the most important function of the dispersion-dividing prism 3, as described hereinafter in detail. The light is then collimated and made parallel light by the lens 4 and again diffracted by the grating 2. In these processes, the two diffractions cancel each other out in the same segment. Therefore, the light passing through each segment is focused on a separate point (Fig. 2d) because the transverse shift produced by the dispersion-dividing prism 3 is maintained by the diffraction of the grating 2. As a result, the light is picked up by each output fiber. Figure. 3 is a perspective view of the tetrahedral dispersion-dividing prism 3 used in the optical system of this invention. The tetrahedral body ABCD is constituted as follows. The incident/emission face ABC is a right-angled isosceles triangle having a right-angle BAC and perpendicular to the light incident upon and emitted from the prism 3. The angle between the face ABC and the face BCD is 90°, and the angles between the faces ABD and ACD and the face ABC are both 45°. Therefore, the angles between the faces ABD and ACD and the face BCD are both 60°. Also, the angle between the face ABD and the face ACD is 120°. The face BCD of the prism 3 is formed as a dispersion-dividing part 3G, which performs the most important function according to the present invention, as described hereinafter in detail. The incident light passes through the face ABC of the prism 3 and is totally reflected at the face ACD, thus changing the orientation thereof. The light incident and emitted angles at the face ACD are both 45°. The light is then, totally reflected at the macroscopic face BCD (dispersion-dividing part 3G). The light incident and emitted angles at the macroscopic face BCD are both 45°. However, at this dispersion dividing part 3G, the light is totally reflected twice . In this operation, a continuous change of the position of the incident light, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, is converted into a divided change of the position of the output light, as described hereinafter in detail. The light is then, totally reflected at the face ABD. The incident and emitted angles at the face ABD are also both 45°. Thus, the light is emitted through the face ABC in the direction parallel but opposite to that of the incident light. In the prism 3, P-polarization and S-polarization total reflection is performed twice, i.e., total-reflection is performed four times . Therefore, compensation of the phase difference of reflection due to the polarization is carried out and the condition of polarization at the time of input and output maintained as is. The dispersion-dividing part 3G formed on the face BCD of the prism 3 consists of a plurality of step-like V-shaped grooves, each having an apex of 60°, and inclined surfaces A and B, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The V-grooves are in parallel to the side CD of the prism 3, i.e., at an angle of about 35.3° with respect to the side BC. Here, it is presummed that, in the rectangular coordinates of x, y, and z (Fig. 4), face x-z is in parallel to the macroscopic face BCD and line x is in parallel to the side BD of the prism 3. Therefore, the above relationship can be expressed by showing that the V-grooves are in the macroscopic face x-z (face-y) and extend at an angle of about 35.3° to line x. The orientations of the light incident upon and emitted from the face ABC of the prism 3 can be defined as follows. Incident light: -z direction Emitted light: z direction The light (direction x') incident upon the dispersion-dividing part 3G is parallel to the inclined surface B of the V-groove and input to the inclined surface A, as shown in Fig. 5. The light is reflected twice, i.e., first at the inclined surface A and then at the inclined surface B, and then output (direction y') in parallel to the inclined surface A of the V-groove. The orientations of x' and y' are defined as follows. Orientation of x′: (2 -1/2 , 2 -1/2 , 0) Orientation of y′: (-2 -1/2 , 2 -1/2 , 0) Assuming that the incident light is K I , the intermediate light between the two reflections is K M , the emitted light is K O , and the angle between the axis x and the direction of the V-groove is ϑ, the dispersion-dividing part 3G must satisfy the following conditions. (1) The macroscopic face on which the dispersion-dividing part is formed is y. (2) Each V-groove has an apex of 60°. (3) ϑ = Tan⁻¹ (2 -1/2 ) = 35.3° (4) Orientation of K I : (2 -1/2 , -2 -1/2 , 0) (5) Orientation of K M : (0, 0, 1) (6) Orientation of K O : (2 -1/2 , 2 -1/2 , 0) The above conditions (2) and (3) also can be represented as follows. (2)' and (3)' The orientations of the inclined surfaces A and B of the T-grooves are defined as follows. Inclined surface A: (-2⁻¹, 2⁻¹, 2 -1/2 ) Inclined surface B: (2⁻¹, 2⁻¹, -2 -1/2 ) Therefore, the orientation of each part is summarized as follows. K I : (2 -1/2 , -2 -1/2 , 0) K M : (0, 0, 1) K O : (2 -1/2 , 2 -1/2 , 0) A: (-2⁻¹, 2⁻¹, 2 -1/2 ) B: (2⁻¹, 2⁻¹, -2 -1/2 ) In addition to satisfying the above conditions (1) through (6), this optical system must further satisfy the following conditions. (7) The direction of the dispersion of the light emitted from the spectroscopic grating 2 (Fig. 1), which light is input to the prism 3 must be z. (8) The incident light must be focused on this dispersion-dividing part 3G. Under the above-mentioned conditions, the dispersion-dividing part 3G according to the present invention operates as follows. (1) The direction of the dispersion of the emitted light is perpendicular to the direction of z, i.e., the direction of y'. (2) The incident angles of the two reflections are both 45°. (3) The polarization of the Z-direction in the incident light is a P-polarization at the inclined surface A and an S-polarization at the inclined surface B, and therefore, becomes a polarization of the y'-direction when output. (4) Similarly, the polarization of the x'-direction in the incident light becomes a polarization of the z-direction when output. (5) If the position of the incident light input to the dispersion dividing part 3G shifts in the direction of -z, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the position of the output light moves in the direction of y' within a range of the same groove. If the position of the incident light further shifts in the direction of -z, to cross the groove boundary and be input to a region of the next V-groove, the position of output light becomes discontinuous, as shown in Fig. 5. As a result, the continuous change in the input position becomes a periodic change in the output position. The focusing point dispersed along a line by the grating 2 is thus rearranged into segments. (6) This dispersion-dividing part 3G can be located at the position of the lens focusing point within the range of the tolerance substantially corresponding to the depth of the V-groove. Figure. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of another embodiment of an optical system according to this invention. This embodiment is provided with a light input optical fiber 11, a first spectroscopic grating 12, a "dispersion-dividing element" 13, a second spectroscopic grating 14, an output fiber array 15, and collimater lenses 16, 17, 18, and 19. Arranged on a light path from the input optical fiber 11 to the output fiber array 15 are two spectroscopic gratings 12 and 14 having the same diffraction characteristics and a dispersion-dividing element 13 disposed between these two gratings 12 and 14. This dispersion-dividing element 13 consists of a plurality of step-like V-shaped grooves each having an apex of 60° and inclined surfaces A and B, in the same manner as the face BCD of the prism 3 (Fig. 3) having a dispersion-dividing part 3G (Figs. 4 and 5), as mentioned above. The light incident upon the dispersion-dividing element 13 is in parallel to the inclined surface B of the V-groove and input to the inclined surface A. The light is reflected twice, i.e., first at the inclined surface A and then at the inclined surface B, and then output in parallel to the inclined surface A of the V-groove. However, since this embodiment has no reflecting faces, such as ACD and ABD of the prism 3 (Fig. 3), the two spectroscopic gratings 12 and 14 are necessary. The collimater lenses 17 and 18 are located in such a manner that the light incident upon and emitted from the dispersion-dividing element 13 is focused thereon, respectively. Also, the collimator lenses 16 and 19 are located in such a manner that the light input from the input optical fiber 11 and output to the output fiber array 15 is focused thereon, respectively. The construction and functions of the dispersion-dividing element 13 are exactly the same as those of the dispersion-dividing part 3G of the prism 3 (Fig. 3). Using an optical system having a dispersion-dividing prism 3, as mentioned above with reference to the first embodiment, the inventors fabricated a nine-channel, single mode fiber multiplexer in the 1.55 µm wavelength region. In this multiplexer, the inventors used a 600 line/mm and 1.55 µm blaze grating and an f = 20 mm lens, and obtained a channel spacing of 10 nm. Figure. 7 shows the measured relative transmission loss of each channel as a function of the wavelength. As will be understood from Fig. 7, bandwidths of 7 nm were obtained. The right-most curve shows the results of a conventional optical system without such a dispersion-dividing prism 3 or dispersion-dividing element 13 (i.e., a conventional structure as mentioned with reference to Fig. 8). It is clear that the bandwidth can be remarkably broadened by the dispersion-dividing prism 3, and compared with the conventional structure, this multiplexer has an excess loss corresponding to one diffraction efficiency which is about 0.5 dB.

Claims: An optical device for compounding/dividing light depending on the constituent optical wavelengths thereof, comprising: optical input and output means, one of said means including a single optical fiber (11) and the other of said means including an optical fiber array (15) consisting of a plurality of optical fibers, said optical input and output means delimiting an optical path therebetween; first (12) and second (14) spectroscopic gratings disposed in said optical path; characterized in that said device further comprises a dispersion-dividing element (13) disposed in said optical path and between said first and second spectroscopic gratings; means (17,18) for converging the light beam so that said light beam is focused on a face of said dispersion-dividing element said dispersion-dividing element including a plurality of V-shaped grooves forming a step-like configuration, each groove having a predetermined-angled apex formed from two inclined surfaces, whereby each light ray has a focal point whose position depends on the wavelength thereof, that is, said focal point varies from groove to groove, and within the region of one groove in dependence upon the wavelength, said dispersion dividing element being orientated so that each ray is reflected first at one of the inclined surfaces and then reflected at the other surface thereby changing the direction of the light ray. An optical device as set forth in claim 1, wherein an apex of said V-shaped groove is 60°, so that a light beam incident upon said first inclined surface (A) and parallel to the second inclined surface (B) is reflected from said second inclined surface as a beam parallel to said said first inclined surface. An optical device as set forth in claim 2, wherein, in rectangular coordinates of x, y, and z, when the following conditions are satisfied: said face of said dispersion-dividing grating is a face, orthogonal to the y-axis said grooves extend in a direction at an angle ϑ = Tan⁻¹(2 -1/2 ) ≒ 35.3° to an x-axis, and the orientation of the light beam incident upon said dispersion-dividing element is defined as K I = (2 -1/2 , -2 -1/2 , 0) , the light beam is diffracted by one of said spectroscopic gratings in such a manner that a position of the light beam incident upon said dispersion-dividing element is shifted in the direction of an z-axis, depending on the wavelength thereof. An optical device for compounding/dividing light depending on the constituent optical wavelength thereof, comprising: optical input and output means, one of said means including a single optical fiber and the other of said means including an optical fiber array consisting of a plurality of optical fibers, said optical input and output means delimiting an optical path therebetween; a spectroscopic grating (2) disposed on said optical path; characterized in that said device further comprises means (4) for collimating the light beam so that said light beam is directed into and focused on a face of a tetrahedral dispersion-dividing prism (3) disposed in said optical path said face (BCD) (36) consisting of a plurality of V-shaped grooves forming a step-like configuration, each groove having a predetermined-angled apex formed from two inclined surfaces (AB), whereby each light ray has a focal point whose position depends on the wavelength thereof, that is, said focal point varies from groove to groove, and within the region of one groove in dependence upon the wavelength, said dispersion dividing element being orientated so that each ray is reflected first at one of the inclined surfaces and then reflected at the other surface thereby changing the direction of the light ray. said prism being positioned and formed in such a manner that light beams incident upon and emerging from said prism are in parallel to each other, but have opposite directions, whereby a light beam incident upon the prism from said spectroscopic grating is returned from the prism back to said grating. An optical device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the apex of said V-shaped groove is 60°, so that the light beam incident upon said first inclined surface (A) is in parallel to the second inclined surface (B) and the light beam emitted from said second inclined surface (B) is in parallel to said first inclined surface (A). An optical device as set forth in claim 4, wherein, assuming that a tetrahedral body constituting said prism is ABCD, said body satisfies the following conditions: the face ABC, is perpendicular to the light beam incident upon and emitted from said prism, and consists of a right-angled isosceles triangle having a right-angle BAC, said face defining said dispersion-dividing part is BCD, angle between the faces ABC and BCD is 90°, and angles between the faces ABD and ACD, and the face ABC are both 45°, and also, in rectangular coordinates of x, y, and z, in which BCD is orthogonal to the y-axis face and BC is an x-axis, the following conditions are satisfied: said grooves extend in a direction at an angle ϑ = Tan⁻¹ (2 -1/2 ) ≒ 35.3° with respect to the x-axis, and the light beam input to said prism is diffracted by said spectroscopic grating in such a manner that the position of the light beam incident upon said dispersion-dividing part shifts in a direction of the z-axis, depending on the wavelength thereof.

Inventors: SHIRASAKI, MASATAKA
Applicants: FUJITSU LIMITED
Application year: 1987
Main classification: G02B6
IPC codes: G02B27, G02B6, G02B5