Detecting light reflected from DBRs using TDM and WDM

• Main Authors: VINCENT JOHANNES DOCTER, MATHEUS MARIA VAN LEEST, MICHAEL BENJAMIN HAVERDINGS, PIETER LUCAS KAT, MOXI CUI
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 16.08.2024
• Subjects: ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVEREDIN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; MEASURING; MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PHYSICS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; TESTING

A measurement system for detecting a wavelength range of light reflected from at least one of a plurality of Distributed Bragg Reflectors, DBRs, arranged at known initial locations in an optical waveguide. A light emitter is configured for emitting light into the optical waveguide at a selectable wavelength range, wherein the wavelength range of the emitted light is selected such that the emitted light is reflected from a specific responsive DBR of the plurality of DBRs. A detector unit comprises a modulator, a mapper and a detector. The modulator is configured for to either pass the reflected light from the specific DBR or to stop the reflected light. The mapper is configured for mapping the selected wavelength range onto a specific wavelength subrange spanning at most a part of the total wavelength range of the light emitter. The detector is configured for detecting the specific wavelength subrange. A controller is coupled to the light emitter to determine a point in time when the light emitter has begun emitting the light and is configured for synchronizing a time of activation of the detector based on the point in time and on an estimated time of flight of the emitted light, taking into account a specific known initial location of the specific DBR.