1. A system comprising:
a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) adddrop multiplexer having an input terminal configured to receive WDM signals from an optical fiber, an output terminal configured to transmit WDM signals to said optical fiber, at least one drop terminal for selected drop channels of WDM signals from said optical fiber, at least one add terminal for selected add channels of WDM signals channels to said optical fiber, and at least one opto-electric device in a path of at least one through channel of WDM signals from said input terminal to said output terminal such that a loss of power to said opto-electric device adversely affects said at least one through channel of WDM signals; and
an optical switch unit configured to be connected to said optical fiber in parallel with said adddrop multiplexer, said optical switch unit being configured to bypass said input and output terminals of said adddrop multiplexer when power to said at least one opto-electric device is lost and to reconnect said input and output terminals of said WDM adddrop multiplexer to said optical fiber a period of time after return of power to said at least one opto-electric device by which time said WDM adddrop multiplexer is fully operational; and
wherein said WDM adddrop multiplexer is configured to perform a rebooting procedure after a power loss and to output a control signal to said optical switch unit after said rebooting procedure is complete corresponding to said period of time after return of power, and wherein the optical switch unit is configured to be responsive to said control signal to reconnect said input and output terminals of said WDM adddrop multiplexer to said optical fiber.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein said WDM adddrop multiplexer generates the control signal in responsive to determining a loss of optical signal indicating completion of said rebooting procedure.
3. A method comprising:
receiving wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signals from an optical fiber at an input terminal of an adddrop multiplexer system;
transmitting WDM signals to said optical fiber at an input terminal of said adddrop multiplexer system;
dropping at least one selected channel of WDM signals from said optical fiber;
adding at least one selected channel of WDM signals to said optical fiber;
bypassing said input terminal and said output terminal of said adddrop multiplexer when power to said at least one opto-electric device is lost so that said at least one through channel of WDM signals is maintained through said adddrop node despite power loss;
continuing bypassing for a period of time after return of power to the at least one opto-electric device;
generating a first signal when said WDM adddrop multiplexer is fully operational corresponding to the period of time after return of power; and
reconnecting said input and output terminals of said WDM adddrop multiplexer to said optical fiber in response to said first signal.
4. The method of claim 3, and further comprising rebooting said WDM adddrop multiplexer after a power loss, and wherein generating comprises generating said first signal upon completing rebooting of the WDM adddrop multiplexer.
5. The method of claim 4, and further comprising determining a loss of optical signal at said WDM adddrop multiplexer indicating completion of said rebooting procedure.
6. A system comprising:
means for receiving WDM signals from an optical fiber at an input terminal of an adddrop multiplexer system;
means for transmitting WDM signals to said optical fiber at an input terminal of said adddrop multiplexer system;
means for dropping at least one selected channel of WDM signals from said optical fiber;
means for adding at least one selected channel of WDM signals to said optical fiber;
means for bypassing said input terminal and said output terminal of said adddrop multiplexer when power to said at least one opto-electric device is lost so that said at least one through channel of WDM signals is maintained through said adddrop node despite power loss, wherein said means for bypassing is configured to continuing to bypass said input terminal and output terminal of said adddrop multiplexer for a period of time after return of power to the at least one opto-electric device;
means for generating a first signal when said WDM adddrop multiplexer is fully operational corresponding to the period of time after return of power; and
means for reconnecting said input and output terminals of said WDM adddrop multiplexer to said optical fiber responsive to said first signal.
7. The system of claim 6, and further comprising means for rebooting said WDM adddrop multiplexer after a power loss, and wherein said means for generating generates said first signal after said means for rebooting completes rebooting of said WDM adddrop multiplexer.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein said means for rebooting determines a loss of optical signal at the completion of rebooting of said WDM adddrop multiplexer.
9. A system comprising:
a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) adddrop multiplexer having an input terminal configured to receive WDM signals from an optical fiber, an output terminal configured to transmit WDM signals to said optical fiber, at least one drop terminal for selected drop channels of WDM signals from said optical fiber, at least one add terminal for selected add channels of WDM signals channels to said optical fiber, and at least one opto-electric device in a path of at least one through channel of WDM signals from said input terminal to said output terminal such that a loss of power to said opto-electric device adversely affects said at least one through channel of WDM signals; and
an optical switch unit configured to be connected to said optical fiber in parallel with said adddrop multiplexer such that said optical switch unit is configured to bypass said input and output terminals of said adddrop multiplexer when power to said at least one opto-electric device is lost and is configured to reconnect said input and output terminals of said WDM adddrop multiplexer to said optical fiber a period of time after return of power to said at least one opto-electric device by which time said WDM adddrop multiplexer is fully operational;
wherein the optical switch unit comprises a power detector configured to be coupled to power lines for the WDM adddrop multiplexer to detect when power to the WDM adddrop multiplexer is lost and to generate a command signal according to presence or loss of power, a first optical switch coupled to the input terminal and a second optical switch coupled to the output terminal, wherein during a normal mode when power is present, the first optical switch is responsive to the command signal to pass incoming signals on the optical fiber to the input terminal of the WDM adddrop multiplexer and the second optical switch is responsive to the command signal to pass outgoing signals from the output terminal of the WDM adddrop multiplexer to the optical fiber and during a bypass mode when power to the at least one opto-electric device is lost, the first optical switch is responsive to the command signal to pass incoming signals on the optical fiber to the second optical switch which is responsive to the command signal to pass the incoming signals back onto the optical fiber, thereby bypassing the WDM adddrop multiplexer.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the optical switch unit further comprises a contact switch that is normally closed and is configured to receive the command signal from the power detector, the contact switch being responsive to a control signal output by the WDM adddrop multiplexer that is indicative of an operational state of the WDM adddrop multiplexer, and wherein the contact switch is configured to control the first and second optical switches such that when the contact switch is closed, the first and second optical switches are responsive to the command signal from the power detector.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein during a normal state when power is present, the WDM adddrop multiplexer is configured to generate a first state for the control signal causing the contact switch to remain closed, and wherein the power detector is configured to output a high impedance state for the command signal that causes the first and second optical switches to operate in normal mode, and when the power detector detects power loss, the power detector is configured to generate a ground state of the command signal that causes the first and second optical switches to operate in bypass mode, and wherein when the power detector detects that power has been restored, the WDM adddrop multiplexer is configured to continue to output the control signal in the first state for the period of time after power is restored so that the contact switch remains closed and the command signal from the power detector remains in the ground state such the first and second optical switches remain in the bypass mode until the control signal switches to a second state that causes the contact switch to open and the command signal returns to the high impedance state causing the first and second switches to operate in normal mode.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the WDM adddrop multiplexer is configured to generate the second state for the control signal after completing a rebooting procedure corresponding to said period of time after return of power.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A tunable waveguide laser comprising:
a waveguide core comprised of polymer material and at least one dopant;
a waveguide cladding surrounding the waveguide core;
a first reflector formed near a first end of the waveguide core;
a second reflector formed near a second end of the waveguide core, wherein at least the second reflector is an optical grating; and
at least one temperature control element capable of changing a temperature of at least the second reflector.
2. The tunable waveguide laser of claim 1, wherein the polymer material of the waveguide core comprises a halogenated polymer.
3. The tunable waveguide laser of claim 2, wherein the halogenated polymer is a fluoropolymer.
4. The tunable waveguide laser of claim 1, wherein the waveguide cladding is comprised of polymer material.
5. The tunable waveguide laser of claim 4, wherein the polymer material of the waveguide cladding comprises a halogenated polymer.
6. The tunable waveguide laser of claim 5, wherein the halogenated polymer is a fluoropolymer.
7. The tunable waveguide laser of claim 1, wherein the polymer material of the waveguide core comprises a perfluoro polymer.
8. The tunable waveguide laser of claim 4, wherein the polymer material of the waveguide cladding comprises a perfluoro polymer.
9. The tunable waveguide laser of claim 1, wherein the at least one dopant is an element selected from the lanthanide series.
10. The tunable waveguide laser of claim 1, wherein the first reflector is an optical grating.
11. The tunable waveguide laser of claim 1, wherein the first reflector is a wavelength selective mirror that is reflective to light within the waveguide core.
12. The tunable waveguide laser of claim 1, wherein the at least one temperature control element is disposed within the waveguide cladding.
13. The tunable waveguide laser of claim 1, further comprising a system for controlling the temperature of the at least one temperature control element.
14. The tunable waveguide laser of claim 13, wherein the system is capable of analyzing an output wavelength and adjusting the temperature of the at least one temperature control element to maintain a specified output wavelength.
15. The tunable waveguide laser of claim 1, wherein the waveguide core is a planar waveguide core.
16. The tunable waveguide laser of claim 1, wherein the waveguide laser is formed on a substrate.
17. The tunable waveguide laser of claim 16, wherein the substrate is a polymer.
18. The tunable waveguide laser of claim 1, wherein the first end of the waveguide core is coupled to a pump laser source.
19. A method of fabricating a tunable waveguide laser comprising:
forming a first cladding layer comprised of polymer material on a substrate;
forming a channel in the first cladding layer;
forming a waveguide core in the channel, wherein the waveguide core is comprised of polymer material and at least one element from the lanthanide series;
forming a first reflector near a first end of the waveguide core;
forming a second reflector near a second end of the waveguide core, wherein the second reflector is an optical grating;
forming a second cladding layer comprised of polymer material over the waveguide core; and
forming at least one temperature control element capable of changing the temperature of at least the second reflector on the second cladding layer.
20. The method of fabricating a waveguide laser of claim 19, further comprising providing a system for controlling the temperature of the at least one temperature control element.
21. A method of fabricating a tunable waveguide laser comprising:
providing a waveguide core comprised of polymer material and at least one element from the lanthanide series;
providing a waveguide cladding surrounding the waveguide core;
forming a first reflector near a first end of the waveguide core;
forming a second reflector near a second end of the waveguide core, wherein at least the second reflector is an optical grating; and
forming at least one temperature control element capable of changing the temperature of at least the second reflector to produce a desired output wavelength.
22. The method of fabricating a waveguide laser of claim 21, wherein the polymer material of the waveguide core comprises a halogenated polymer.
23. The method of fabricating a waveguide laser of claim 22, wherein the halogenated polymer is a fluoropolymer.
24. The method of fabricating a waveguide laser of claim 21, wherein the waveguide cladding is comprised of polymer material.
25. The method of fabricating a waveguide laser of claim 24, wherein the polymer material of the waveguide cladding comprises a halogenated polymer.
26. The method of fabricating a waveguide laser of claim 25, wherein the halogenated polymer is a fluoropolymer.
27. The method of fabricating a waveguide laser of claim 21, wherein the polymer material of the waveguide core comprises a perfluoro polymer.
28. The method of fabricating a waveguide laser of claim 24, wherein the polymer material of the waveguide cladding comprises a perfluoro polymer.
29. The method of fabricating a waveguide laser of claim 21, wherein the first reflector is an optical grating.
30. The method of fabricating a waveguide laser of claim 21, wherein the first reflector is a wavelength selective mirror that is reflective to light within the waveguide core.
31. The method of fabricating a waveguide laser of claim 21, further comprising providing a system for controlling the temperature of the at least one temperature control element.
32. The method of fabricating a waveguide laser of claim 31, wherein the system is capable of sampling an output wavelength and adjusting the temperature of the one or more temperature control elements to maintain a specified output wavelength.
33. The method of fabricating a waveguide laser of claim 21, wherein the waveguide core is a planar waveguide core.
34. The method of fabricating a waveguide laser of claim 21, wherein the waveguide laser is formed on a substrate.
35. The method of fabricating a waveguide laser of claim 34, wherein the substrate is a polymer substrate.
36. A method of tuning a waveguide laser comprising:
providing a waveguide core comprised of polymer material and at least one element from the lanthanide series;
providing a waveguide cladding surrounding the core;
providing a first reflector near a first end of the waveguide core;
providing a second reflector near a second end of the waveguide core, wherein at least the second reflector is an optical grating; and
changing the temperature of at least the second reflector to produce a desired output wavelength.
37. A method of fabricating a tunable waveguide laser comprising:
forming a first cladding layer comprised of polymer material on a substrate;
forming a layer of waveguide core material on the first cladding layer, wherein the waveguide core material is comprised of polymer material and at least one element from the lanthanide series;
patterning the layer of waveguide core material to form a waveguide core;
forming a first reflector near a first end of the waveguide core;
forming a second reflector near a second end of the waveguide core, wherein the second reflector is an optical grating;
forming a second cladding layer comprised of polymer material over the waveguide core; and
forming at least one temperature control element capable of changing the temperature of at least the second reflector on the second cladding layer.
38. The method of fabricating a waveguide laser of claim 37, further comprising providing a system for controlling the temperature of the at least one temperature control element.