Method of operating a laser in an optical component, optical component, and optical communication system
View Patent ↗A method and a device for operating a laser in an optical component are provided, wherein the laser is a local oscillator of the optical component; and wherein a linewidth of the laser is broadened. Furthermore, an optical communication system is suggested comprising said optical component.
1. A method of operating a laser in an optical component, which method comprises the following steps:
providing the laser as a local oscillator of a coherent receiver of the optical component; broadening a linewidth of the laser, and
scanning for an incoming signal utilizing the broadened linewidth of the laser.
2. The method according to claim 1 , which comprises, in case the incoming signal is detected:
decreasing the linewidth of the laser; and
locking the laser onto the incoming signal.
3. The method according to claim 2 , which comprises reducing a scanning speed prior to locking the laser onto the incoming signal.
4. The method according to claim 2 , which comprises fine-tuning a wavelength of the laser prior to locking the laser onto the incoming signal.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of broadening the linewidth of the laser comprises swiftly modulating a bias current of the laser.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of broadening the linewidth of the laser comprises a mechanical modulation of a component of the laser.
7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the component of the laser is a mirror of the laser, and wherein the mirror can be modulated via a piezoelectric actuator or a micro electromechanical system.
8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the component of the laser is a mechanical tuning element.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the component of the laser is a dielectric filter of the laser.
10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of broadening the linewidth of the laser comprises increasing a laser current such that the laser enters a multimode.
11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of broadening the linewidth of the laser comprises not compensating vibrations.
12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of broadening the linewidth of the laser comprises setting a laser current below a determined threshold such that the laser serves as broadband light source and modifying a tunable external cavity of the laser.
13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the tunable external cavity of the laser is modified by a dielectric filter.
14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the optical component is an optical network unit or an optical line terminal.
15. An optical element, comprising:
a local oscillator laser of a coherent receiver; and
a processing unit configured for broadening a line width of said local oscillator laser during a scanning process for an incoming signal.
16. An optical communication system, comprising at least one optical element according to claim 15 .