An optical parametric oscillator (OPO) for generating an optical frequency comb is described. The OPO is configured to control cavity dispersion such that the OPO is able to generate extended signal and/or idler spectra in response to a continuous-wave pump. Each spectrum includes multiple modes that are substantially equispaced with substantially the same frequency spacing.

A converter includes a combiner configured to polarization-combine a first pump light and a second pump light, a nonlinear medium configured to wavelength-convert first signal light into second signal light to output the second signal light after wavelength conversion from a second port, and to wavelength-convert the second signal light into first signal light to output the first signal light after wavelength conversion from the first port, a first circulator configured to input the first signal light from the first port into the nonlinear medium, and output the first signal light after wavelength conversion in the nonlinear medium from the first port, and a second circulator configured to input the second signal light from the second port into the nonlinear medium, and output the second signal light after wavelength conversion in the nonlinear medium from the second port.

A pluggable electric connector is configured to be insertable into and removable from an optical communication apparatus. An optical output module outputs an optical signal and a local oscillation light. An optical reception module outputs a communication data signal generated by demodulating using the local oscillation light. A pluggable optical receptor is configured in such a manner that optical fibers are insertable thereinto and removable therefrom. A first optical fiber is connected between the optical output module and the pluggable optical receptor. A second optical fiber is connected between the optical output module and the optical reception module. A third optical fiber is connected between the optical reception module and the pluggable optical receptor. Optical fiber housing means winds extra lengths of the first to third optical fibers around a guide.

An optical transmission apparatus includes a wavelength converter that wavelength-converts input signal light using a nonlinear optical medium to output the converted signal light, a memory that holds first information relating to a wavelength conversion characteristic of the wavelength converter, a communication interface that receives second information relating to a second wavelength conversion characteristic of an adjacent optical transmission apparatus, and a control circuit that determines, using the first information and the second information when the second information is received, an excitation light frequency at which a gain deviation of main signal light subjected to a wavelength conversion is minimized to set the determined excitation light frequency in the wavelength converter.

Optical receivers configured to demodulate phase modulated optical signals. In one example, an optical signal receiver includes an optical resonator configured to receive an arriving optical signal and to emit an output optical signal in response to receiving the arriving optical signal, the optical resonator being further configured to transform phase transitions corresponding to phase modulation of the arriving optical into intensity modulation of the output optical signal, an opto-electrical converter configured to convert the output optical signal into an electrical signal, a pulse detector configured to detect pulses in the electrical energy indicative of the phase transitions in the arriving optical signal, and a memory configured to record timing information associated with the pulses detected by the pulse detector.

Optical receivers configured to demodulate phase modulated optical signals. In one example, an optical signal receiver includes an optical resonator configured to receive an arriving optical signal and to emit an output optical signal in response to receiving the arriving optical signal, the optical resonator being further configured to transform phase transitions corresponding to phase modulation of the arriving optical into intensity modulation of the output optical signal, an opto-electrical converter configured to convert the output optical signal into an electrical signal, a pulse detector configured to detect pulses in the electrical energy indicative of the phase transitions in the arriving optical signal, and a memory configured to record timing information associated with the pulses detected by the pulse detector.

An optical receiver includes: a first combiner configured to output first combined light by combining local light of first polarization and signal light of second polarization; a converter configured to convert the first combined light to a first electric signal; a converter configured to covert a component of the first combined light that has passed through a first polarizer to a second electric signal; a converter configured to convert a component of the first combined light that has passed through a wave plate and a polarizer to a third electric signal; a divider configured to output a fourth electric signal and a fifth electric signal by branching the first electric signal; subtractors configured to subtract the fourth electric signal from the second electric signal and the fifth electric signal from the third electric signal.

A pluggable optical connector is configured to be insertable into and removable from an optical communication apparatus, and to be capable of communicating a modulation signal and a data signal with the optical communication apparatus. A wavelength-tunable light source is configured to output an output light and a local oscillation light. An optical transmission unit is configured to output an optical signal generated by modulating the output light in response to the modulation signal. An optical reception unit is configured to demodulate an optical signal received by using the local oscillation light to the data signal. Pluggable optical receptors are configured in such a manner that an optical fiber is insertable into and removable from the pluggable optical receptors, and configured to be capable of outputting the optical signal to the optical fiber and transferring the optical signal received thorough the optical fiber to the optical reception unit.

A pluggable optical connector is configured to be insertable into and removable from an optical communication apparatus, and to be capable of communicating a modulation signal and a data signal with the optical communication apparatus. A wavelength-tunable light source is configured to output an output light and a local oscillation light. An optical transmission unit is configured to output an optical signal generated by modulating the output light in response to the modulation signal. An optical reception unit is configured to demodulate an optical signal received by using the local oscillation light to the data signal. Pluggable optical receptors are configured in such a manner that an optical fiber is insertable into and removable from the pluggable optical receptors, and configured to be capable of outputting the optical signal to the optical fiber and transferring the optical signal received thorough the optical fiber to the optical reception unit.

A polarization tracking device that tracks polarization fluctuation of light using a Stokes vector, includes: an updating unit configured to express a fluctuation amount of the Stokes vector on a Poincare sphere in an xy plane perpendicular to a travelling direction of a light wave using a first and a second angles, the first angle being an angle between a direction of an electric field of the light wave and y axis, and the second angle being a phase difference between a component of the optical electric field in a direction of the y axis and a component of the optical electric field in a direction of an x axis; and an application unit configured to rotate the Stokes vector using an inverse polarization rotation matrix expressed with the first and the second angles.