Adjustable grid tracking transmitters and receivers

Abstract

Optical telecommunication receivers and transmitters are described comprising dispersive elements and adjustable beam steering elements that are combined to provide optical grid tracking to adjust with very low power consumption to variations in the optical grid due to various changes, such as temperature fluctuations, age or other environmental or design changes. Thus, high bandwidth transmitters or receivers can be provides with low power consumption and/or low cost designs.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An adjustable optical telecommunication receiver comprising:
 an input line for coupling to a received optical signal;   a dispersive element comprising a dispersive structure, a spatially-extended input interface for receiving undispersed optical signals at selectable locations along such interface with the optical signals propagating to the dispersive structure and an optical output interface for coupling dispersed optical signals from the dispersive structure to other optical elements, wherein the dispersive structure comprises a planar echelle grating;   a beam steering element, wherein the beam steering element guides either the direction of a received optical signal from the input line to a specific location on the input interface of the planar dispersive element or the direction of dispersed optical signals from the output interface to the plurality of light receiving elements; and   a plurality of light receiving elements positioned to receive the dispersed optical signals from the output interface of the dispersive element, to generate electrical signals in response to the dispersed optical signals.   
     
     
         2 . The adjustable optical telecommunication transmitter of  claim 1  wherein the beam steering element comprises an actuator and a controller programmed to dynamically adjust the beam steering element based on the spectral content of the received optical signal or other topical parameters. 
     
     
         3 . The adjustable optical telecommunication transmitter of  claim 1  wherein the dispersive structure is planar and wherein the beam steering device comprises a planar cantilever structure integrated into a planar structure comprising the dispersive element. 
     
     
         4 . The optical telecommunication transmitter of  claim 3  wherein the planar cantilever structure includes a waveguide to guide an optical signal. 
     
     
         5 . The optical telecommunication transmitter of  claim 3  wherein the planar cantilever structure is moved through electrostatic actuation. 
     
     
         6 . The adjustable optical telecommunication receiver of  claim 1  wherein spatially-extended input interface comprises a slab waveguide. 
     
     
         7 . The adjustable telecommunications receiver of  claim 6  wherein the beam steering element is located between an input transmission waveguide configured for carrying a chromatically combined optical signal and the input interface. 
     
     
         8 . The adjustable optical telecommunication receiver of  claim 1  wherein the beam steering element comprises a mirror and a MEMs device configured to adjust the angle of the mirror. 
     
     
         9 . The adjustable optical telecommunication receiver of  claim 1  wherein the controller is programmed to adjust the beam steering element to optimize received signal power at one or more light receiving elements. 
     
     
         10 . The adjustable optical telecommunication receiver of  claim 1  wherein the controller is programmed to adjust the beam steering element based on an input parameter. 
     
     
         11 . The adjustable optical telecommunication receiver of  claim 10  wherein the input parameter relates to a wavelength range. 
     
     
         12 . The adjustable optical telecommunication receiver of  claim 2  wherein the topical parameters are correlated with temperature. 
     
     
         13 . The adjustable optical telecommunication receiver of  claim 1  wherein the beam steering elements guides the direction of dispersed optical signals from the output interface to the plurality of light receiving elements.