What is claimed is:
1. A polarization-insensitive integrated wavelength converter comprising:
a wavelength converter having first and second inputoutput ports;
a polarization separator having a first port for receiving an input optical signal, a second port providing a first component of the input optical signal in a first polarization mode, and a third port providing a second component of the input optical signal in a second polarization mode, with the second port of the polarization separator optically coupled to the first inputoutput port of the wavelength converter; and
a polarization rotator coupling the third port of the polarization separator to the second inputoutput port of the wavelength converter that rotates the polarization mode of an optical signal propagating through the polarization rotator.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said polarization rotator comprises an electro-optic half-wave retarder;
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said polarization rotator comprises a half-wave plate;
4. The apparatus of claim 2 further including a bent waveguide;
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said polarization rotator comprises an electro-optic quarter-wave retarder.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said polarization rotator comprises a quarter-wave plate.
7. The apparatus of claim 4 further including a mirror.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said polarization rotator comprises an optical fiber having a 90 twist to change the polarization mode.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said polarization rotator comprises:
a plurality of light signal propagating paths;
wherein said wavelength converter comprises:
a plurality of processing channels, each having a second inputoutput port coupled to a respective light signal propagating path; and
wherein said polarizing beam splitter comprises:
a plurality of channels coupling the processing channels and light signal propagating paths.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said wavelength converter comprises a quasi-phasematched structure.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein at least a portion of said quasi-phasematched structure is incorporated in lithium niobate.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein at least a portion of said quasi-phasematched structure is incorporated in magnesium-oxide-doped lithium niobate.
13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein at least a portion of said quasi-phasematched structure is incorporated in lithium tantalate.
14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein at least a portion of said quasi-phasematched structure is incorporated in magnesium-oxide-doped lithium tantalate.
15. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a waveguide structure.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 further wherein said waveguide structure includes a proton-exchanged waveguide.
17. The apparatus of claim 15 further wherein said waveguide structure includes an annealed-proton-exchanged waveguide.
18. The apparatus of claim 15 further wherein said waveguide structure includes a zinc-diffused waveguide.
19. The apparatus of claim 15 further wherein said waveguide structure includes a metal-diffused waveguide.
20. The apparatus of claim 15 further wherein said waveguide structure includes a titanium-diffused waveguide.
21. The apparatus of claim 15 further wherein said waveguide structure includes a buried waveguide.
22. The apparatus of claim 15 further wherein said waveguide structure includes a reverse-proton-exchange waveguide.
23. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an optical circulator having a port coupled to the first port of the polarizing beam splitter.
24. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an electro-optic phase modulator for modifying the phase of at least one of the components of the optical signal.
25. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an electro-optic phase modulator for modifying the phase of at least one of the components of the optical signal.
26. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein input optical signal comprises a plurality of optical signals.
27. A polarization-insensitive integrated wavelength converter comprising:
a wavelength converter substrate;
a polarization separator serving to separate an input optical signal into first and second signal components having orthogonal polarization modes.
a polarization rotator serving to rotate the polarization mode of at least one of said first and second signal components,
a wavelength converter structure for receiving said signal components and generating converted signal components
28. The apparatus of claim 27 in which said converted signal components comprise a frequency-converted input signal.
29. The apparatus of claim 27 in which said converted signal components comprise an amplified input signal.
30. The apparatus of claim 27 in which said input signal includes a pump signal.
31. The apparatus of claim 27 in which said converted signal components include a frequency-doubled pump signal.
32. The apparatus of claim 27 further comprising
an optical circulator structure for providing isolation between the converted signal and an input signal source.
33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said circulator further comprises
a first port coupled to said input signal source for receiving said input optical signal, a second port coupled to said polarization separator, and a third port for providing converted signal.
33b. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said circulator is integrated into said wavelength converter substrate.
34. The apparatus of claim 27 further comprising an input port for receiving and transmitting one or more input optical signals.
35. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said polarization separator includes a first port for receiving said input optical signal, a second port for transmitting a first component of said input optical signal in a first polarization mode, and a third port for transmitting a second component of said input optical signal in a second polarization mode.
36. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said polarization rotator includes a coupler for providing coupling between said polarization separator and said wavelength converter structure.
37. A polarization-insensitive integrated wavelength converter comprising:
a wavelength converter substrate;
a first waveguide, formed in said substrate, capable of supporting both TM and TE polarization modes and having first and second inputoutput ports;
a second waveguide, formed in said substrate, capable of supporting at least one of TM and TE polarization modes and having first and second coupling sections disposed near said first waveguide to evanescently couple light signals between said first waveguide and said second waveguide;
a reflector coupled to the second inputoutput port of said second waveguide;
a polarization rotator region disposed between the first and second coupling sections;
a wavelength converter region formed in at least one of the first waveguide and second waveguide; and
a coupler serving to couple said wavelength converter region to said polarization rotator region.
38. A polarization-insensitive integrated wavelength converter comprising:
a converter substrate;
a first waveguide, formed in the substrate, having first and second inputoutput;
a second waveguide, formed in the substrate, having first and second coupling sections to evanescently couple light signals between the first waveguide and the second waveguide (supporting only TE polarization modes);
a polarization rotator region disposed on the first waveguide (between the second coupling section and the second inputoutput port of first waveguide);
a reflector coupled to the second inputoutput port of the first waveguide; and
a wavelength converting structure formed in at least one of the first waveguide and second waveguide.
39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said first waveguide is capable of supporting optical signals having both TE and TM polarization modes.
40. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said first waveguide includes a metal waveguide.
41. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said first waveguide includes a buried waveguide.
42. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said first waveguide includes a diffused waveguide.
43. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said first waveguide includes a Zinc waveguide.
44. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said first waveguide includes a Titanium waveguide.
45. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said second waveguide includes a proton-exchanged waveguide.
46. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said second waveguide includes an annealed- proton-exchanged waveguide.
47. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said second waveguide includes a buried waveguide.
48. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said polarization rotator includes a wave plate.
49. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said polarization rotator includes a quarter-wave plate.
50. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said polarization rotator includes a half-wave plate.
51. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said polarization rotator includes an electro-optic wave plate.
52. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said polarization rotator is positioned near said first waveguide.
53. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said polarization rotator is positioned near first waveguide between said first coupling section and said second coupling section.
54. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said polarization rotator is positioned near first waveguide between said second coupling section and said reflector.
55. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said polarization rotator includes a waveplate inserted into a saw cut in said converter substrate.
56. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said polarization rotator includes a waveplate fastened to the end of said converter substrate.
57. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said polarization rotator includes a waveplate fastened between the end of said converter substrate and said reflector.
58. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said reflector serves to reflect said input signals.
59. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said reflector serves to reflect said converted signals.
60. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said reflector serves to reflect pump signals.
61. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said reflector serves to transmit frequency-doubled pump signals.
62. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said reflector serves to reflect frequency-doubled pump signals.
63. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said reflector serves to transmit said input signals.
64. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said reflector serves to transmit said converted signals.
65. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said reflector serves to transmit pump signals.
66. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said wavelength converting structure includes a ferroelectric crystal.
67. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said wavelength converting structure includes a periodically-poled ferroelectric crystal capable of performing quasi-phasematching.
68. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said wavelength converting structure includes lithium niobate.
69. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said wavelength converting structure includes magnesium-doped lithium niobate.
70. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said wavelength converting structure includes congruent lithium niobate.
71. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said wavelength converting structure includes stoichiometric lithium niobate.
72. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said wavelength converting structure includes lithium tantalate.
73. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said wavelength converting structure includes magnesium-doped lithium tantalate.
74. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said wavelength converting structure includes congruent lithium tantalate.
75. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said wavelength converting structure includes stoichiometric lithium tantalate.
76. The apparatus of claim 38 further including an electro-optic index modulator positioned near at least one of first waveguide and second waveguide, said modulator serving to control the optical path length of waveguides near said modulator.
77. A polarization-insensitive integrated wavelength converter comprising:
a wavelength converter, having a gain level, for receiving said component input signals and generating component converted signals,
a polarization separator for separating an input signal into component input signals having orthogonal polarization modes,
a polarization rotator for rotating the polarization modes of said component input signal and optical signal propagating through the polarization rotator, and
an interchannel crosstalk modulator, comprising a detector and modulator structure, serving to detect levels of interchannel crosstalk between wavelength-converted optical signals whereby one or more of the amplitude of input optical signals and converter gain level are modified accordingly to reduce interchannel crosstalk.
78. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein said wavelength converter includes controls for modifying the gain level of at least of said converted signal, said input signal and a pump signal.
79. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein said controls include an optical parametric amplifier for providing said gain level.
80. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein said controls include an EDFA for providing said gain level.
81. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein said controls include a pump diode for providing said gain level.
82. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein said controls include a semiconductor optical amplifier for providing said gain level.
83. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein said controls include an optical attenuator.
84. The apparatus of claim 77 further including an optical filter structure for discriminating between said input signals, said converted signals, pump signals and non-converted signals.
85. The apparatus of claim 84 wherein said optical filter structure includes at least one optical interleaver.
86. The apparatus of claim 84 wherein said optical filter structure includes at least one arrayed waveguide.
87. A polarization-insensitive integrated wavelength converter comprising:
a wavelength converter having an inputoutput port;
a polarization separator having
a first port for receiving an input optical signal, optically coupled to the inputoutput port of the wavelength converter,
a second port providing a first component of the input optical signal in a first polarization mode, and
a third port providing a second component of the input optical signal in a second polarization mode,
a wavelength converting structure having a first port and a second port, said first port being coupled to the second port of the polarization separator, serving to provide wavelength conversion on said input optical signal,
a polarization rotator coupling the second port of the wavelength converting structure to the third port of the polarization separator, serving to rotate the polarization of the said input signal.
88. A polarization-insensitive integrated wavelength converter comprising:
a polarization separator having two or more waveguides that support orthogonal polarization modes of an input signal,
a wavelength converting structure, serving to provide wavelength conversion on said input optical signal, a polarization rotator, serving to rotate the polarization of the said input signal, and a coupler serving to optically couple said waveguides.
89. A polarization-insensitive integrated wavelength converter comprising:
a waveguide that supports an input signal having a plurality polarizations,
a wavelength converting structure, serving to provide wavelength conversion on at least one polarization mode of said input optical signal, a polarization rotator, serving to rotate the said plurality of polarizations of the said input signal, and a reflector serving to reflect said input signal back through said wavelength converting structure.
90. A polarization-insensitive integrated wavelength converter comprising:
at least one polarization splitter comprising a first waveguide that supports an input signal having a plurality polarizations, and a second waveguide that supports at least one polarization mode of said input signal, a wavelength converting structure serving to provide wavelength conversion on at least one polarization mode of said input optical signal, and a polarization rotator, serving to rotate the polarizations of said input signal in at least one of first or second waveguides.
91. A polarization-insensitive integrated wavelength converter comprising:
at least one polarization splitter comprising a first waveguide that supports an input signal having a plurality polarizations, and a second waveguide that supports one polarization mode of said input signal, a wavelength converting structure, serving to provide wavelength conversion on at least one polarization mode of said input optical signal, and a lens, wave plate and reflector assembly serving to optically couple said first and second waveguides.
92. The apparatus of claim 91 wherein said wavelength conversion structure further comprises an optical frequency synthesizer, serving to provide frequency translation on said input signals.
93. A polarization-insensitive integrated wavelength converter comprising:
an optical circulator;
a substrate;
a waveguide, formed in said substrate, capable of supporting both TM and TE polarization modes and having first and second inputoutput ports;
a polarization rotator region disposed at the second inputoutput port;
a reflector coupled to said polarization rotator region; and a wavelength converter region formed in the waveguide.
94. A polarization-insensitive integrated wavelength converter comprising:
a substrate;
a waveguide, formed in said substrate, capable of supporting both TM and TE polarization modes and having first and second inputoutput ports;
a polarization rotator region disposed at the second inputoutput port;
a reflector coupled to said polarization rotator region; and a wavelength converter region formed in the waveguide.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of selling information on at least one subject to a purchaser, the method comprising in the following order at least the steps of:
obtaining a plurality of substantially identical articles of manufacture, each article comprising:
a cover having at least a front and a back, each cover having dimensions including at least a height and a width,
a plurality of pages containing written text on the subject and located between the front and the back, wherein the pages are attached to the cover, and
at least one machine-readable digital storage medium containing information on the subject and located within a case between the front and the back, wherein the case is attached to the cover;
displaying the articles for sale in a retail establishment wherein the cover and pages are browsable before purchase when in the retail establishment and the case containing the storage medium is sealed in the retail establishment and the seal is configured to be broken by the purchaser after purchase of the article; and
selling at least a plurality of the articles at the retail establishment.
2. The method of claim 1, the cover further comprising a rectangular spine having a front edge and a back edge wherein the front of the cover is hingedly attached to the front edge and the back of the cover is hingedly attached to the back edge, and wherein the spine is substantially perpendicular to the front of the cover and to the back of the cover when the cover is closed, and wherein the spine includes indicia identifying the subject wherein the indicia are visible when the cover is closed and placed on a book shelf like a book.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps are repeated for a plurality of similar articles of manufacturer having different subjects, the similar articles at least having covers with substantially the same dimensions.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the case includes a tray and a lid, wherein the lid is hingedly attached to the tray.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one digital storage medium includes audio, video, and digitally encoded text, each of the audio, video, and text comprising information on the subject.
6. The method of claim 1, the at least one digital storage medium comprising a CD and a DVD, the CD comprising text on the subject displayable and printable with a multi-purpose computer system, and the DVD comprising audiovisual information on the subject.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the subject consists essentially of how to make at least one of an art and a craft.
8. An article of manufacture configured for conveying information on at least one subject, the article comprising:
a cover having at least a front and a back;
a plurality of pages containing written text on the subject and located between the front and the back;
a CD containing information on the subject that is displayable on a multipurpose computer;
a DVD containing audiovisual information on the subject and configured to be played on a standard DVD player; and
a case located between the front and the back, wherein the case is attached to the cover, comprises a hinged lid, and a spindle, and wherein the case is configured to hold both the CD and the DVD on the spindle.
9. The article of manufacture of claim 8, the cover further comprising a rectangular spine having a front edge and a back edge wherein the front of the cover is hingedly attached to the front edge and the back of the cover is hingedly attached to the back edge, and wherein the spine is substantially perpendicular to the front of the cover and to the back of the cover when the cover is closed, and wherein the spine includes indicia identifying the subject wherein the indicia are visible when the cover is closed and placed on a book shelf like a book.
10. The article of manufacture of claim 8 wherein the subject consists essentially of how to make at least one of an art and a craft.
11. The article of manufacture of claim 10 wherein the CD contains printable information comprising at least one of a parts list and a pattern.
12. The article of manufacture of claim 8 wherein the pages are attached to the cover.
13. The article of manufacture of claim 8 wherein the case includes a seal configured to prevent the case from being opened before the article is purchased, and wherein the pages are browsable before purchase.
14. A multimedia system for teaching people to make artwork or craftwork, the system comprising:
a cover having at least a front and a back wherein the cover is configured to contain the system;
a plurality of pages containing written text located between the front and the back, wherein the pages are attached to the cover; and
at least one machine-readable storage medium containing information on how to make the artwork or craftwork, wherein the storage medium is located within a case located between the front and the back, wherein the case is attached to the cover; and
wherein the storage medium includes audiovisual information on how to make the artwork or craftwork and the storage medium includes static information that is displayable on a multipurpose computer.
15. The system of claim 14 wherein at least one of the pages and the static information includes at least one pattern for making the artwork or craftwork.
16. The system of claim 14 wherein at least one of the pages and the static information includes at least one parts list for materials for making the artwork or craftwork.
17. The system of claim 14 wherein the cover and pages are configured to be browsable before purchase when being offered for sale in a retail establishment and the case containing the storage medium is sealed until after purchase by a customer.
18. The system of claim 14, the cover further comprising a rectangular spine having a front edge and a back edge wherein the front of the cover is hingedly attached to the front edge and the back of the cover is hingedly attached to the back edge, and wherein the spine is substantially perpendicular to the front of the cover and to the back of the cover when the cover is closed, and wherein the spine includes indicia identifying the subject wherein the indicia are visible when the cover is closed and placed on a book shelf like a book.
19. The system of claim 14 wherein the case includes a tray and a lid, wherein the lid is hingedly attached to the tray.
20. The system of claim 19 wherein the case is attached to the cover.
21. The system of claim 14, the storage medium comprising a CD and a DVD.
22. The system of claim 14 wherein the storage medium includes audio, video, and digitally encoded text, each of the audio, video, and text comprising information on the artwork or craftwork.