Method and system for characterizing an optical device

1. Method for characterizing an optical device ( 10 ), which comprises:

a 90° optical hybrid unit having a first and a second optical input and at least two optical outputs wherein optical output signals leaving the optical outputs have optical phase differences between each other of 90° or multiple thereof;

a first photodetector connected to a first optical output and a second photodetector connected to a second optical output, wherein the first optical output emits a first optical output signal and the second optical output emits a second optical output signal, said second optical output signal having an optical phase difference of 180° relative to the first optical output signal; and

a first transimpedance amplifier connected to the first and second optical outputs of the 90° optical hybrid unit;

characterized in that

a first intensity-modulated optical input signal and a second intensity-modulated optical input signal are generated;

the first intensity-modulated optical input signal is inputted into the first optical input and the second intensity-modulated optical input signal is inputted into the second optical input;

the optical phase of the second intensity-modulated optical input signal is phase-shifted relative to the first intensity-modulated optical input signal; and

characterizing the optical device using the electrical output signal of the first transimpedance amplifier,

wherein the optical device comprises a third photodetector connected to a third optical output of the 90° optical hybrid unit, and a fourth photodetector connected to a fourth optical output of the 90° optical hybrid unit, the third optical output emitting a third optical output signal and the fourth optical output emitting a fourth optical output signal, said fourth optical output signal having an optical phase difference of 180° relative to the third optical output signal;

wherein the electrical output signals of the third and fourth photodetector are low-pass filtered and the low-pass filtered signals are inputted into an operational amplifier, and

the output signal of the operational amplifier is used to control an optical phase shifter which controls the optical phase-difference between the first and second intensity-modulated optical input signals in order to provide that the low-pass filtered signals have the same amplitude.

2. Method for characterizing an optical device, which comprises:

a 90° optical hybrid unit having a first and a second optical input and at least two optical outputs wherein optical output signals leaving the optical outputs have optical phase differences between each other of 90° or multiple thereof;

a first photodetector connected to a first optical output and a second photodetector connected to a second optical output, wherein the first optical output emits a first optical output signal and the second optical output emits a second optical output signal, said second optical output signal having an optical phase difference of 180° relative to the first optical output signal; and

a first transimpedance amplifier connected to the first and second optical outputs of the 90° optical hybrid unit;

wherein

a first intensity-modulated optical input signal and a second intensity-modulated optical input signal are generated;

the first intensity-modulated optical input signal is inputted into the first optical input and the second intensity-modulated optical input signal is inputted into the second optical input;

the optical phase of the second intensity-modulated optical input signal is phase-shifted relative to the first intensity-modulated optical input signal; and

characterizing the optical device using the electrical output signal of the first transimpedance amplifier;

wherein an optical reference signal (Iref) is intensity-modulated at an intensity-modulation frequency; and

the intensity-modulated optical reference signal (Iref′) is inputted into a 3 dB-splitter which emits the first and second intensity-modulated optical input signals for the 90° optical hybrid unit,

wherein the intensity-modulation frequency is higher than a bandwidth of the low-pass filtered signals and lower than an optical frequency of the optical reference signal.

3. Method for characterizing an optical device, which comprises:

a 90° optical hybrid unit having a first and a second optical input and at least two optical outputs wherein optical output signals leaving the optical outputs have optical phase differences between each other of 90° or multiple thereof;

a first photodetector connected to a first optical output and a second photodetector connected to a second optical output, wherein the first optical output emits a first optical output signal and the second optical output emits a second optical output signal, said second optical output signal having an optical phase difference of 180° relative to the first optical output signal; and

a first transimpedance amplifier connected to the first and second optical outputs of the 90° optical hybrid unit;

wherein

a first intensity-modulated optical input signal and a second intensity-modulated optical input signal are generated;

the first intensity-modulated optical input signal is inputted into the first optical input and the second intensity-modulated optical input signal is inputted into the second optical input;

the optical phase of the second intensity-modulated optical input signal is phase-shifted relative to the first intensity-modulated optical input signal;

characterizing the optical device using the electrical output signal of the first transimpedance amplifier;

wherein an optical reference signal (Iref) is intensity-modulated at an intensity-modulation frequency; and

the intensity-modulated optical reference signal (Iref) is inputted into a 3 dB-splitter which emits the first and second intensity-modulated optical input signals for the 90° optical hybrid unit,

wherein a ratio between the amplitude of the electrical output signal of the first transimpedance amplifier and the amplitude of the intensity-modulation of the optical reference signal, or a signal proportional thereto, is determined for the intensity-modulation frequency, said ratio characterizing the amplitude response of the optical device for the intensity-modulation frequency with respect to the first optical output,

wherein after determining said ratio, the optical phase difference between the first and second intensity-modulated optical input signals is changed by 180° and is then further controlled such that the low-pass filtered signals have the same amplitude; and

a second ratio between the amplitude of the electrical output signal of the first transimpedance amplifier and the amplitude of the intensity-modulated optical reference signal, or a signal proportional thereto, is determined for the intensity-modulation frequency, said second ratio characterizing the amplitude response of the optical device for the intensity-modulation frequency with respect to the second optical output.

4. Method for characterizing an optical device, which comprises:

a 90° optical hybrid unit having a first and a second optical input and at least two optical outputs wherein optical output signals leaving the optical outputs have optical phase differences between each other of 90° or multiple thereof;

a first photodetector connected to a first optical output and a second photodetector connected to a second optical output, wherein the first optical output emits a first optical output signal and the second optical output emits a second optical output signal, said second optical output signal having an optical phase difference of 180° relative to the first optical output signal; and

a first transimpedance amplifier connected to the first and second optical outputs of the 90° optical hybrid unit;

wherein

a first intensity-modulated optical input signal and a second intensity-modulated optical input signal are generated;

the first intensity-modulated optical input signal is inputted into the first optical input and the second intensity-modulated optical in is inputted into the second optical input;

the optical phase of the second intensity-modulated optical input signal is phase-shifted relative to the first intensity-modulated optical input signal;

characterizing the optical device using the electrical output signal of the first transimpedance amplifier;

wherein an optical reference signal (Iref) is intensity-modulated at an intensity-modulation frequency; and

the intensity-modulated optical reference signal (Iref) is inputted into a 3 dB-splitter which emits the first and second intensity-modulated optical input signals for the 90° optical hybrid unit,

wherein a phase difference value, which indicates the phase difference between the phase of the electrical output signal of the first transimpedance amplifier and the phase of the intensity-modulation of the optical reference signal, or a signal proportional thereto, is determined for the intensity-modulation frequency, said phase difference value characterizing the phase shift of the optical device for the intensity-modulation frequency with respect to the first optical output,

wherein after determining said phase difference value, the phase shift between the first and second input signal is changed by 180° and is then further controlled such that the low-pass filtered signals have the same amplitude; and

a second phase difference value between the phase of the electrical output signal of the first transimpedance amplifier and the phase of the intensity-modulated optical reference signal, or a signal proportional thereto, is determined for the intensity-modulation frequency, said second phase difference value characterizing the phase shift of the optical device for the intensity-modulation frequency with respect to the second optical output.

5. System comprising an optical device and an evaluation device for characterizing the optical device, said optical device comprising:

a 90° optical hybrid unit having a first and second optical input and at least two optical outputs wherein optical output signals leaving the optical outputs have optical phase differences between each other of 90° or multiple thereof;

a first photodetector connected to a first optical output and a second photodetector connected to a second optical output, wherein the first optical output emits a first optical output signal and the second optical output emits a second optical output signal, said second optical output signal having an optical phase difference of 180° relative to the first optical output signal; and

a first transimpedance amplifier connected to the first and second photodetectors;

wherein the evaluation device is characterized by

a signal source configured to generate a first and second intensity-modulated optical input signal;

an optical phase shifter adapted to phase-shift the optical phase of the second intensity-modulated optical input signal relative to the optical phase of the first intensity-modulated optical input signal;

a measurement unit adapted to measure the electrical output signal of the first transimpedance amplifier; and

a control unit adapted to control the optical phase shifter,

wherein the optical device further comprises a third photodetector connected to a third optical output of the 90° optical hybrid unit, and a fourth photodetector connected to a fourth optical output of the 90° optical hybrid unit, the third optical output emitting a third optical output signal and the fourth output emitting a fourth optical output signal, said fourth optical output signal having an optical phase difference of 180° relative to the third optical output signal; and

wherein the control unit comprises low-pass filters adapted to low-pass filter the electrical output signals of the third and fourth photodetectors and to provide low-pass filtered signals, and

wherein the control unit further comprises an operational amplifier to which said low-pass filtered signals are coupled, said operational amplifier being adapted to control the optical phase of the optical phase shifter in order to provide that said low-pass filtered signals have the same amplitude.