BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to optical devices including systems and methods for optical fiber alignment and testing for an optical device using a tunable light source.

Photonic devices which leverage optical fibers may be used for data transmission in various applications, such as telecommunication devices, modulators, and so forth. For such devices to work properly, optical fibers of the device should be aligned in close proximity (e.g., in the micrometer order).

Some systems may use cameras or proximity sensors for optical fiber alignment. However, such systems may suffer from various drawbacks. For example, a camera may not be precise enough for initially aligning the optical fibers. Furthermore, the camera and other components of the system may have fixtures which occlude line of sight for the camera. Additionally, a contact or proximity sensor may require pre-adjustment of the relative positions of the optical fibers, which may be labor intensive.

SUMMARY

The present technology provides improved alignment systems for photonic devices.

In one implementation of the present technology, a system for fiber optic alignment is disclosed. The system may include a light source configured to project a beam. The system may include an interferometer communicably coupled to the light source. The interferometer may be arranged intermediate the light source and a first optical fiber to be aligned with a second optical fiber. The system may include a detector communicably coupled to an output of the interferometer. The system may include a computing system including an optical analysis processing circuit. The optical analysis processing circuit may include a processor and memory. The memory may be structured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to generate a control signal for the light source to project a beam through the interferometer to produce a measurement beam directed through the first optical fiber towards the second optical fiber and a reference beam. The instructions may further cause the processor to detect, via the detector, an interference beam from the second optical fiber based on the measurement beam. The instructions may further cause the processor to move a position of the first optical fiber relative to the second optical fiber based on the interference beam and the reference beam.

In another implementation of the present technology, a system for photonic device testing is disclosed. The system may include a light source configured to be tuned across a plurality of wavelengths. The system may include an interferometer communicably coupled to the light source. The interferometer may be communicably coupled to a first optical fiber corresponding to an input of a device under testing (DUT) and a second optical fiber corresponding to an output of the DUT. The system may include a detector communicably coupled to an output of the interferometer. The system may include a computing system including an optical analysis processing circuit. The optical analysis processing circuit may include a processor and memory. The memory may be structured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to generate a control signal for the light source to project a beam through the interferometer to produce a measurement beam directed through the first optical fiber and a reference beam. The instructions may cause the processor to sweep the beam from the light source across a plurality of wavelengths. The instructions may cause the processor to receive, from the detector, a beat signal corresponding to the reference beam and an interference beam from the second optical fiber of the DUT. The instructions may cause the processor to perform a fast Fourier transform (FFT) within segmented windows of the beat signal to generate an output signal for determining one or more characteristics of the DUT.

In yet another implementation of the present technology, a method is disclosed. The method may include generating a control signal for a light source to project a beam through an interferometer to produce a measurement beam directed through a first optical fiber corresponding to an input of a device under testing (DUT) and a reference beam. The method may include sweeping the beam from the light source across a plurality of wavelengths. The method may include receiving, from a detector communicably coupled to the interferometer, a beat signal corresponding to the reference beam and an interference beam from a second optical fiber corresponding to an output of the DUT. The method may include performing a fast Fourier transform (FFT) within segmented windows of the beat signal to generate an output signal for determining one or more characteristics of the DUT.

The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the following drawings and the detailed description.

