Chapter 3 - Characterization of optical devices

Abstract

This chapter presents techniques to characterize important parameters of basic optical components and building blocks of fiber-optic systems. Sections 3.2 and 3.3 discuss ways to characterize semiconductor laser properties, including relative intensity noise, phase noise, and modulation responses, as well as the frequency chirp. Semiconductor laser-based optical frequency combs are used as examples to demonstrate a multi-heterodyne detection technique. Section 3.4 presents techniques of testing wideband optical receivers in both frequency domain and time domain. Section 3.5 discusses the characterization of optical amplifiers including wavelength-dependent gain, noise, gain saturation, noise figure, and dynamic properties. Distributed Raman amplification is also included with different pumping schemes. Section 3.6 discusses the configurations and working principles of a few passive optical devices, including optical fiber couplers, Bragg grating filters, WDM multiplexers and demultiplexers, optical isolators, and circulators.