The present disclosure relates to systems and method for deploying a fiber optic network. Distribution devices are used to index fibers within the system to ensure that live fibers are provided at output locations throughout the system. In an example, fibers can be indexed in multiple directions within the system. In an example, fibers can be stored and deployed form storage spools.

Disclosed herein are various embodiments for high performance wireless data transfers. In an example embodiment, laser chips are used to support the data transfers using laser signals that encode the data to be transferred. The laser chip can be configured to (1) receive a digital signal and (2) responsive to the received digital signal, generate and emit a variable laser signal, wherein the laser chip comprises a laser-emitting epitaxial structure, wherein the laser-emitting epitaxial structure comprises a plurality of laser-emitting regions within a single mesa structure that generate the variable laser signal. Also disclosed are a number of embodiments for a photonics receiver that can receive and digitize the laser signals produced by the laser chips. Such technology can be used to wireless transfer large data sets such as lidar point clouds at high data rates.

Process margin relaxation is provided in relation to a compensated-for process via a first optical device, fabricated to satisfy an operational specification when a compensated-for process is within a first tolerance range; a second optical device, fabricated to satisfy the operational specification when the compensated-for process is within second tolerance range, different than the first tolerance range; a first optical switch connected to an input and configured to output an optical signal received from the input to one of the first optical device and the second optical device; and a second optical switch configured to combine outputs from the first optical device and the second optical device.

An input/output, a wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer, and a spatial light modulator are provided. The input/output is configured by an optical waveguide into which multiplex light with multiple wavelengths enters. The wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer performs demultiplexing for forming a plurality of signal lights by spatially demultiplexing the multiplex light emitted from the input/output, by one diffraction, into light of each wavelength, and multiplexing for multiplexing the spatially demultiplexed plurality of signal lights that are different in wavelength. The wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer is configured by a metasurface. The spatial light modulator reflects each of the plurality of signal lights in a set direction.

An edge wavelength-switching system includes an optical switch and a wavelength selective switch. The optical switch includes a west hub-side port, an east hub-side port, a west local-side port, and an east local-side port. The wavelength selective switch includes (i) a multiplexed port optically coupled to the west local-side port and (ii) a bypass port optically coupled to the east local-side port, and (iii) a plurality of demultiplexed ports. An optical network includes a network hub including an M-by-N.sub.1 wavelength-selective switch, N.sub.1>M≥1, a first network node, and a second network node. Each of the first and second network nodes includes a respective edge wavelength-switching system. The network hub, the first network node, and the second network node are optically coupled.

Indexing modules and tapping modules that can be interconnected in one or more chains to form a network. The indexing modules each include at least one pass-through line that is not dropped or indexed at the indexing module. The tap modules each include a tap line and a pass-through line. Input and pass-through connection interfaces of the indexing and tapping modules are configured so that the tap line of the tap modules is connected only to the pass-through line of the indexing modules.

Methods and systems concerning demultiplexing and multiplexing light in optical multiplexing systems are disclosed herein. An optical multiplexing system may include a number of light emitters and a number of associated waveguides. Light emitted from each of the number of light emitters may travel through the associated waveguide and may enter a multiplexer, where a multiplexing operation may occur. At least one of the number of light emitters may be configured to emit light with multiple wavelengths. Such a light emitter may further be associated with a demultiplexer to demultiplex the light with multiple wavelengths before the light reaches a multiplexer. After a demultiplexing operation, the demultiplexed light may be directed to multiple waveguides and the multiple waveguides may guide the demultiplexed light to a multiplexer.

Disclosed herein are various embodiments for high performance wireless data transfers. In an example embodiment, laser chips are used to support the data transfers using laser signals that encode the data to be transferred. The laser chip can be configured to (1) receive a digital signal and (2) responsive to the received digital signal, generate and emit a variable laser signal, wherein the laser chip comprises a laser-emitting epitaxial structure, wherein the laser-emitting epitaxial structure comprises a plurality of laser-emitting regions within a single mesa structure that generate the variable laser signal. Also disclosed are a number of embodiments for a photonics receiver that can receive and digitize the laser signals produced by the laser chips. Such technology can be used to wireless transfer large data sets such as lidar point clouds at high data rates.

Consistent with the present disclosure, an encoder circuit is provided at a transmit side of an optical fiber link that maps an input sequence of bits of fixed length k a sequence of symbols of a codeword of length n, such that the symbols of the codeword define a predetermined transmission probability distribution. Preferably, each symbol of the codeword is generated during a corresponding clock cycle, such that after n clock cycles, a complete codeword corresponding to the input bit sequence is output. On a receive end of the link, a decoder is provided that outputs the k-bit sequence every n clock cycles. Accordingly, buffers need not be provided at the output of the encoder and the input of the decoder, such that processing of the input sequence, codewords, and output sequence may be achieved efficiently without large buffers and complicated circuitry. Moreover, the input sequence, with any binary alphabet may be matched to a desired output distribution with any arbitrary alphabet. Accordingly, probabilistic constellation shaping may be achieved over constellations of arbitrary size. In addition, relatively long codewords, may be encoded and decoded with the apparatus and method disclosed herein. Accordingly, for a fixed SNR a higher SE (more bits per symbol) can be achieved. Alternatively, for a fixed SE, a lower SNR may be sufficient. Moreover, the resulting SE may be finely tailored to a particular optical link SNR to provide data transmission rates that are higher than the low order modulation formats that would otherwise be employed for optical signals carried by such links.

An optical branching/coupling device includes: a first optical branching unit that splits first light with a first and a second wavelength, and outputs second light and third light; a wavelength selector that receives the second light, receives fourth light with a third wavelength, output fifth and sixth light, one of the fifth light and the sixth light including an optical signal of the first wavelength of the second light and including the fourth light, and the other including an optical signal of the second wavelength; a first light switch that receives the fifth light and the sixth light, output one of the fifth light and the sixth light as seventh light, and output the other as eighth light; and a second light switch that receives the third light, receives the eighth light, and outputs the third or the eighth light that have been input as ninth light.