CN103885265A - Low-cost optical switch or light-variable optical attenuator - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention discloses a low-cost optical switch or light-variable optical attenuator which comprises a incidence collimator and a receiving collimator. An optical element is disposed between the incidence collimator and the receiving collimator. The light refraction directions of the optical element change along with temperature change. The optical element is provided with a TEC semiconductor freezer or a heating resistor and a temperature controller. By the arrangement, the light-variable refraction feature that the light refraction directions change along with temperature change of the optical element is utilized, temperature change control of the optical element is achieved by the TEC semiconductor freezer or the heating resistor and the temperature controller, and accordingly emergent light directions are changed, and a light path switching or light intensity attenuation function is achieved. The low-cost optical switch or light-variable optical attenuator is simple in structure, convenient to control and high in work reliability, the optical element uses silicon wafer temperature control to adjust light paths, and product manufacturing cost is lowered greatly.

Description

Low cost optical switch or light variable light attenuator

Technical field

The present invention relates to optical-fibre communications field, relate in particular to low cost optical switch or light variable light attenuator, comprise that realizing light path by the temperature change refractive index of tuning silicon changes, and finally realizes 1X1 photoswitch, 1X2 photoswitch, 1XN photoswitch and light variable light attenuator.

Background technology

Photoswitch or light variable light attenuator are mainly used in the exchange of the light signal in optical communication system, optical fiber network system, optical measuring system or instrument and optical fiber sensing system and the adjustment of light signal strength.

In optical fiber network system, the transmission of information is that the transmission in optical fiber realizes by light signal.For information better being distributed/linking, we need light signal to be in the future transferred to respectively different circuits or the light of different circuits to be switched in the circuit of appointment.Conventional system for delivering is to realize by the bi-directional conversion of photoelectricity/electric light.But in the process of transmitting at high-speed optical signal, the conversion of photoelectricity/electric light often becomes speed bottle-neck.For multichannel optical information transmission, the conversion of photoelectricity/electric light is very difficult, needs a lot of pre-service work.Therefore, although can realize easily connection when electric signal transmits in plain conductor, and light signal will enter output optical fibre from input optical fibre and must have point-device lotus root to close, otherwise the loss of light intensity will be very serious, preferably realize the direct switching transmission of light signal.In some signals are processed, need to adjust the intensity of signal to applicable scope, can make final signal meet demand by the amplifier adjustment in electric territory, but if desired compensate the nonlinearity erron existing in opto-electronic conversion, need very fast electric treatment ability, this is very harsh to electric requirement, therefore needs Variable Optical Attenuator directly to carry out light intensity adjustment.

According to principle of work and material therefor, photoswitch or light variable light attenuator can be divided into mechanical type and the large class of on-mechanical formula two.The realization of non-mechanical optical switch or light variable light attenuator is mainly to adopt the modes such as electrooptical effect to realize the switching of light signal and the decay of light intensity, but, electrooptical effect is often with factor analysis such as wavelength, polarization, temperature, this makes final device may have larger WDL(Wavelength Dependent Loss), PDL(Polarization Dependent Loss), the loss of TDL(temperature correlation) etc., be unfavorable for actual use.And thering is the light variable light attenuator of physical construction, the vibration interference of Antagonistic Environment is bad, is not suitable for applying under the field environment with vibration.

Summary of the invention

The invention provides one simple in structure, the photoswitch of reliable operation or light variable light attenuator.

The present invention is by the following technical solutions: photoswitch or light variable light attenuator comprise incident collimating apparatus, receive collimating apparatus, between wherein incident collimating apparatus and reception collimating apparatus, be provided with the optical element that changes anaclasis direction with temperature change, described optical element is provided with TEC semiconductor cooler or heating resistor and temperature controller.

When described incident collimating apparatus and reception collimating apparatus are same collimating apparatus, the light output end of the described optical element with temperature change variation anaclasis direction is provided with catoptron.

The light input end of the described optical element with temperature change variation anaclasis direction is provided with walk_off crystal or birefringece crystal.

It is angle of wedge shape that the light of the described optical element with temperature change variation anaclasis direction is worn the cross sectional shape of penetrating.

The described optical element with temperature change variation anaclasis direction is the controlled silicon chip of temperature.

Described incident collimating apparatus or reception collimating apparatus are provided with more than one optical fiber.

The present invention adopts above technical scheme, utilize the variable refracting characteristic of light that changes the optical element of anaclasis direction with temperature change, adopt TEC semiconductor cooler or heating resistor and temperature controller to realize the control of its temperature variation, thereby change outgoing direction of light, realize the function of light path switching or light intensity attenuation.This is simple in structure, and it is convenient to control, and functional reliability is strong, and adopts silicon chip temperature control to carry out light path adjustment with the optical element of temperature change variation anaclasis direction, and the manufacturing cost of product declines to a great extent.

Brief description of the drawings

Now by reference to the accompanying drawings the present invention is further described:

Fig. 1 is one of photoswitch of the present invention or light variable light attenuator embodiment structural representation;

Fig. 2 is two structural representations of photoswitch of the present invention or light variable light attenuator embodiment;

Fig. 3 is three structural representations of photoswitch of the present invention or light variable light attenuator embodiment;

Fig. 4 is four structural representations of photoswitch of the present invention or light variable light attenuator embodiment;

Fig. 5 is photoswitch or the light variable light attenuator structural representation of 1XN of the present invention.

Embodiment

Refer to shown in one of Fig. 1-5, the present invention includesincident collimating apparatus 1, receivecollimating apparatus 2, between whereinincident collimating apparatus 1 andreception collimating apparatus 2, be provided with theoptical element 3 that changes anaclasis direction with temperature change, describedoptical element 3 is provided with TEC semiconductor cooler orheating resistor 4 andtemperature controller 5.

As shown in Fig. 2 or 3, when described incident collimatingapparatus 1 andreception collimating apparatus 2 are same collimating apparatus, the light output end of the describedoptical element 3 with temperature change variation anaclasis direction is provided with catoptron 6.As shown in Figure 2, collimating apparatus output light reflects throughoptical element 3, by regulating the temperature ofoptical element 3, the reflected light ofcatoptron 6 is exported from collimating apparatus, forms the photoswitch of a 1X1 with block function.By as shown in Figure 3, collimating apparatus output light reflects throughoptical element 3, make the reflected light of rear terminal reflector from many optional optical fiber of collimating apparatus, export (schematic diagram is two) by the temperature that regulatesoptical element 3, form the photoswitch of a 1X2 with block function.The block function here refers to light in complete off-state, can, from any one port, no matter be not input or input port output.

As shown in Fig. 3 or 4, in order effectively to reduce PDL, the light input end of the describedoptical element 3 with temperature change variation anaclasis direction is provided with walk_off crystal 7 orbirefringece crystal 8.

It is angle of wedge shape that the light of the describedoptical element 3 with temperature change variation anaclasis direction is worn the cross sectional shape of penetrating.

The describedoptical element 3 with temperature change variation anaclasis direction is the controlled silicon chip of temperature.

Describedincident collimating apparatus 1 orreception collimating apparatus 2 are provided with more than one optical fiber 9.

As shown in Figure 5, the photoswitch of 1XN or light variable light attenuator comprise N-1 photoswitch claimed inclaim 1 or light variable light attenuator, N is not less than 2, a N-2 photoswitch or light variable light attenuator is serially connected in N-1 photoswitch or output terminal of light variable light attenuator.

Although specifically show and introduced this patent in conjunction with preferred embodiment; but those skilled in the art should be understood that; not departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention that appended claims limits; can make a variety of changes the present invention in the form and details, be protection scope of the present invention.

Claims (7)

1. photoswitch or light variable light attenuator, comprise incident collimating apparatus, receive collimating apparatus, it is characterized in that: between incident collimating apparatus and reception collimating apparatus, be provided with the optical element that changes anaclasis direction with temperature change, described optical element is provided with TEC semiconductor cooler or heating resistor and temperature controller.

2. photoswitch according to claim 1 or light variable light attenuator, it is characterized in that: when described incident collimating apparatus and reception collimating apparatus are same collimating apparatus, the light output end of the described optical element with temperature change variation anaclasis direction is provided with catoptron.

3. photoswitch according to claim 1 and 2 or light variable light attenuator, is characterized in that: the light input end of the described optical element with temperature change variation anaclasis direction is provided with walk_off crystal or birefringece crystal.

4. photoswitch according to claim 1 and 2 or light variable light attenuator, is characterized in that: it is angle of wedge shape that the light of the described optical element with temperature change variation anaclasis direction is worn the cross sectional shape of penetrating.

5. photoswitch according to claim 1 and 2 or light variable light attenuator, is characterized in that: the described optical element with temperature change variation anaclasis direction is the controlled silicon chip of temperature.

6. photoswitch according to claim 1 or light variable light attenuator, is characterized in that: described incident collimating apparatus or reception collimating apparatus are provided with more than one optical fiber.

The photoswitch of 7.1XN or light variable light attenuator comprise N-1 photoswitch claimed in claim 1 or light variable light attenuator, N is not less than 2, a N-2 photoswitch or light variable light attenuator is serially connected in N-1 photoswitch or output terminal of light variable light attenuator.

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