Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US6690693B1/en
Timestamp: 2019-02-17 14:36:03
Document Index: 112557554

Matched Legal Cases: ['§119', '§119', '§119', '§119', '§119', '§119']

US6690693B1 - Power and wavelength control of sampled grating distributed Bragg reflector lasers - Google Patents
Power and wavelength control of sampled grating distributed Bragg reflector lasers Download PDF
US6690693B1
US6690693B1 US09/895,598 US89559801A US6690693B1 US 6690693 B1 US6690693 B1 US 6690693B1 US 89559801 A US89559801 A US 89559801A US 6690693 B1 US6690693 B1 US 6690693B1
US09/895,598
2000-05-04 Priority to US20305200P priority Critical
2000-06-02 Priority to US20906800P priority
2000-06-09 Priority to US21061200P priority
2000-06-29 Priority to US21517000P priority
2000-06-29 Priority to US21574200P priority
2000-06-29 Priority to US21573900P priority
2001-05-04 Priority to US09/848,791 priority patent/US6590924B2/en
2001-06-01 Priority to US09/872,438 priority patent/US6909734B2/en
2001-06-11 Priority to US09/879,821 priority patent/US6937638B2/en
2001-06-29 Priority to US09/895,598 priority patent/US6690693B1/en
2001-06-29 Priority claimed from US09/895,848 external-priority patent/US6788719B2/en
2001-06-29 Priority to US09/895,303 priority patent/US20020181521A1/en
2001-06-29 Priority to US09/895,848 priority patent/US6788719B2/en
2001-06-29 Application filed by Agility Communications Inc filed Critical Agility Communications Inc
2002-02-14 Assigned to AGILITY COMMUNICATIONS, INC. reassignment AGILITY COMMUNICATIONS, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: CROWDER, PAUL F.
2004-02-10 Publication of US6690693B1 publication Critical patent/US6690693B1/en
The invention discloses an optical output power and output wavelength control system for use with a sampled grating distributed Bragg reflector (SGDBR) laser. The optical output power and output wavelength control system for use with a sampled grating distributed Bragg reflector (SGDBR) laser comprises a controller for providing current inputs to the laser controlling the optical output power and output wavelength and an external reference receiving an optical output from the laser and providing a reference output to the control, wherein the controller compares the optical output power and output wavelength of the laser to the reference output and locks the optical output power and output wavelength of the laser to the external reference.
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of the following co-pending and commonly-assigned U.S. patent applications:
Provisional Application Serial No. 60/215,739, filed Jun. 29, 2000, by Gregory A. Fish and Larry A. Coldren, entitled “OPEN LOOP CONTROL OF SGDBR LASERS;”
Provisional Application Serial No. 60/215,170, filed Jun. 29, 2000, by Paul F. Crowder, entitled “POWER AND WAVELENGTH CONTROL OF SGDBR LASERS,”; and
Provisional Application Serial No. 60/215,742, filed in Jun. 29, 2000, by Paul F. Crowder and Larry A. Coldren, entitled “GAIN VOLTAGE CONTROL OF SGDBR LASERS;”
Utility Application Ser. No. 09/848,791, filed May 4, 2001, by Gregory A. Fish and Larry A. Coldren, entitled “IMPROVED MIRROR AND CAVITY DESIGNS FOR SAMPLED GRATING DISTRIBUTED BRAGG REFLECTOR LASERS,” which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/203,052, filed May 4, 2000, by Gregory A. Fish and Larry A. Coldren, entitled “IMPROVED MIRROR AND CAVITY DESIGNS FOR SGDBR LASERS;”
Utility Application Ser. No. 09/872,438, filed Jun. 1, 2001, by Larry A. Coldren, Gregory A. Fish, and Michael C. Larson, entitled “HIGH-POWER, MANUFACTURABLE SAMPLED GRATING DISTRIBUTED BRAGG REFLECTOR LASERS,” which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of Provisional Application Serial No. 60/209,068, filed Jun. 2, 2000, by Larry A. Coldren Gregory A. Fish, and Michael C. Larson, and entitled “HIGH-POWER, MANUFACTURABLE SAMPLED-GRATING DBR LASERS;”
Utility Application Ser. No. 09/879,821, filed Jun. 11, 2001, by Gregory A. Fish and Larry A. Coldren, entitled “IMPROVED, MANUFACTURABLE SAMPLED GRATING MIRRORS,” which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of Provisional Application Serial No. 60/210,612, filed Jun. 9, 2000, by Gregory A. Fish and Larry A. Coldren, entitled “IMPROVED, MANUFACTURABLE SAMPLED GRATING MIRRORS;”
Utility Application Ser. No. 09/895,848, filed on Jun. 29, 2001, by Paul E. Crowder, entitled “OPEN LOOP CONTROL OF SGDBR LASERS,” which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/215,739, filed Jun. 29, 2000, by Paul F. Crowder, entitled “OPEN LOOP CONTROL OF SGDBR LASERS;”
Utility Application Ser. No. 09/895,303, filed on Jun. 29, 2001, by Paul F. Crowder and Larry A. Coldren, entitled “GAIN VOLTAGE CONTROL OF SAMPLED GRATING DISTRIBUTED BRAGG REFLECTOR LASERS,” which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of Provisional Application Serial No. 60/215,742, filed Jun. 29, 2000, by Paul F. Crowder and Larry A. Coldren, entitled “GAIN VOLTAGE CONTROL OF SGDBR LASERS;”
In addition, widely tunable semiconductor lasers, such as the sampled-grating distributed-Bragg-reflector (SGDBR) laser, the grating-coupled sampled-reflector (GCSR) laser, and vertical-cavity spontaneous emission lasers which micro-electro-mechanical moveable mirrors (VCSEL-MEMs) generally must compromise their output power in order to achieve a large tuning range. The basic function and structure of SGDBR lasers is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,325, issued Jan. 23, 1990, to Larry A. Coldren, and entitled “MULTI-SECTION TUNABLE LASER WITH DIFFERING MULTI-ELEMENT MIRRORS”, which patent is incorporated by reference herein. Designs that can provide over 40 nm of tuning range have not been able to provide much more than a couple of milliwatts of power out at the extrema of their tuning spectrum. However, current and future optical fiber communication systems as well as spectroscopic applications require output powers in excess of 10 mW over the full tuning band. Current International Telecommunication Union (ITU) bands are about 40 nm wide near 1.55 μm, and it is desired to have a single component that can cover at least this optical bandwidth. Systems that are to operate at higher bit rates will require more than 20 mW over the full ITU bands. Such powers are available from distributed feedback (DFB) lasers, but these can only be tuned by a couple to nanometers by adjusting their temperature. Thus, it is very desirable to have a source with both wide tuning range (>40 nm) and higher power (>20 mW) without a significant increase in fabrication complexity over existing widely tunable designs. Furthermore, in addition to control of the output wavelength, control of the optical power output for a tunable laser is an equally important endeavor as optical power determines the potential range for the laser.
The present invention discloses devices and methods for controlling the power and wavelength of semiconductor lasers. A typical optical output power and output wavelength control systems of the invention for use with a sampled grating distributed Bragg reflector (SGDBR) laser comprises a controller for providing current or voltage inputs to the laser and current or voltage inputs to the thermal electric cooler controlling the optical output power and output wavelength and an external reference receiving an optical output from the laser and providing a reference output to the controller, wherein the controller compares the optical output power and output wavelength of the laser to the reference output and locks the optical output power and output wavelength of the laser to the external reference.
In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof, and which is shown, by way of illustration, an embodiment of the present invention. It is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Optional back-side monitor 122 and front-side semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) and/or optical modulator 124 sections are also indicated. Currents are applied to the various electrodes 114 of the aforementioned sections to provide a desired output optical power and wavelength as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,325, issued Jan. 23, 1990, to Larry A. Coldren, and entitled “MULTI-SECTION TUNABLE LASER WITH DIFFERING MULTI-ELEMENT MIRRORS”, which patent is incorporated by reference herein. As described therein, a current to the gain section 102 creates light and provides gain to overcomes losses in the laser cavity; currents to the two differing SGDBR wavelength-selective mirrors 106, 108 are used to tune a net low-loss window across a wide wavelength range to select a given mode; and a current to the phase section 104 provides for a fine tuning of the mode wavelength. It should also be understood that the sections are somewhat interactive, so that currents to one section will have some effect on the parameters primarily controlled by the others.
Currents and voltages are applied and/or monitored at the optical sections to monitor power or wavelength, or provide amplification or modulation as specified in commonly-assigned and co-pending applications, namely application Ser. No. 09/614,378, filed on Jul. 12, 2000, by Gregory Fish et al., and entitled “OPTOELECTRONIC LASER WITH INTEGRATED MODULATOR,”; application Ser. No. 09/614,377, filed on Jul. 12, 2000, by Larry Coldren, and entitled “INTEGRATED OPTOELECTRONIC WAVELENGTH CONVERTER,”; and application Ser. No. 09/614,375, filed on Jul. 12, 2000, by Beck Mason et al., and entitled “TUNABLE LASER SOURCE WITH INTEGRATED OPTICAL AMPLIFIER,” each of which claims priority to Provisional Applications Serial No. 60/152,072, 60/152,049 and 60/152,072, all filed on Sep. 2, 1999; all of which applications are incorporated by reference herein. The current invention operates under the same general principles and techniques as these background inventions.
This is done for each section current. This insures that desired operating channels can always be accessed over the device's lifetime.
The LMS estimator can then be achieved using either of two classic adaptive filter update algorithms, a standard gradient descent adaptation (LMS or block LMS algorithm) or a (faster) recursive least squares adaptation (RLS algorithm—based on Newton's Method).
1. An optical output power and output wavelength control system for use with a sampled grating distributed Bragg reflector (SGDBR) laser, comprising:
a controller providing current inputs to a front mirror section, a gain section, a phase section and a back mirror section of the SGDBR laser for controlling output power and output wavelength of an optical output of the SGDBR laser; and
an external reference receiving the optical output from the SGDBR laser and providing a reference output to the controller based on the optical output;
wherein the controller compares the output power and output wavelength of the SGDBR laser to the reference output and locks the output power and output wavelength of the SGDBR laser to the external reference.
2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises current sources providing each current input for the separate sections of the SGDBR laser.
providing current inputs to a front mirror section, a gain section, a phase section and a back mirror section of the SGDBR laser controlling output power and output wavelength of an optical output of the SGDBR laser; and
receiving the optical output from the laser at an external reference and providing a reference output to control the laser based on the optical output;
comparing the output power and output wavelength of the SGDBR laser to the reference output; and
locking the output power and output wavelength of the SGDBR laser to the external reference.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein current sources provide each current input for the separate sections of the SGDBR laser.
58. The article of claim 57, wherein current sources provide each current input for the separate sections of the SGDBR laser.
US09/895,598 1999-09-02 2001-06-29 Power and wavelength control of sampled grating distributed Bragg reflector lasers Active 2021-07-20 US6690693B1 (en)
US20305200P true 2000-05-04 2000-05-04
US20906800P true 2000-06-02 2000-06-02
US21061200P true 2000-06-09 2000-06-09
US21573900P true 2000-06-29 2000-06-29
US21517000P true 2000-06-29 2000-06-29
US21574200P true 2000-06-29 2000-06-29
US09/848,791 US6590924B2 (en) 2000-05-04 2001-05-04 Mirror and cavity designs for sampled grating distributed bragg reflector lasers
US09/879,821 US6937638B2 (en) 2000-06-09 2001-06-11 Manufacturable sampled grating mirrors
US09/895,303 US20020181521A1 (en) 2000-05-04 2001-06-29 Gain voltage control of sampled grating distributed bragg reflector lasers
US09/895,848 US6788719B2 (en) 2000-05-04 2001-06-29 Open loop control of SGDBR lasers
US09/895,598 US6690693B1 (en) 2000-05-04 2001-06-29 Power and wavelength control of sampled grating distributed Bragg reflector lasers
US09/895,303 Continuation-In-Part US20020181521A1 (en) 1999-09-02 2001-06-29 Gain voltage control of sampled grating distributed bragg reflector lasers
US09/895,848 Continuation-In-Part US6788719B2 (en) 1999-09-02 2001-06-29 Open loop control of SGDBR lasers
US6690693B1 true US6690693B1 (en) 2004-02-10
ID=30773828
US09/895,598 Active 2021-07-20 US6690693B1 (en) 1999-09-02 2001-06-29 Power and wavelength control of sampled grating distributed Bragg reflector lasers
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Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:CROWDER, PAUL F.;REEL/FRAME:012613/0603