Optical device

Abstract

An optical device includes a first fiber; a liquid crystal member configured to have liquid crystal pixels that reflect light output from the first fiber; a second fiber configured to have a core to which a first order light ray in the light reflected by the liquid crystal member is optically connected; a light receiving circuit configured to receive higher order light rays in the light reflected by the liquid crystal member; and a control circuit configured to control based on a light receiving result of the light receiving circuit, efficiency of optical connection of the first order light ray to the core of the second fiber, by varying an angle of the light reflected by the liquid crystal member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An optical device comprising:
 a first fiber;   a liquid crystal member configured to have liquid crystal pixels that reflect light output from the first fiber;   a second fiber configured to have a core to which a first order light ray in the light reflected by the liquid crystal member is optically connected;   a light receiving circuit configured to receive higher order light rays in the light reflected by the liquid crystal member; and   a control circuit configured to control based on a light receiving result of the light receiving circuit, efficiency of optical connection of the first order light ray to the core of the second fiber, by varying an angle of the light reflected by the liquid crystal member.   
     
     
         2 . The optical device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the control circuit varies the angle of the light reflected by the liquid crystal member, by varying a refractive index difference among a plurality of liquid crystal pixels among the liquid crystals and to which the light output from the first fiber is incident.   
     
     
         3 . The optical device according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a slit configured to reduce a light receiving diameter for the higher order light rays at the light receiving circuit.   
     
     
         4 . The optical device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first fiber is a multicore fiber configured to have a plurality of cores,   the liquid crystal member reflects light rays output from the plurality of cores of the first fiber,   the second fiber is a multicore fiber configured to have a plurality of cores to which first order light rays in the light rays reflected by the liquid crystal member are optically connected,   the light receiving circuit receives higher order light rays in the light rays reflected by the liquid crystal member,   the control circuit respectively controls based on a light receiving result obtained for the higher order light rays by the light receiving circuit, efficiency of optical connection of the first order light rays to the plurality of cores of the second fiber, by varying an angle of the light rays reflected by the liquid crystal member.   
     
     
         5 . The optical device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first fiber is an amplifying medium in which erbium is added to a core and pump light is injected into cladding.   
     
     
         6 . The optical device according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a separator configured to separate the light output from the first fiber into differing polarized wave components and output the polarized wave components to be incident on respectively differing positions of the liquid crystal member; and   a coupler configured to couple first order light rays of the polarized wave components reflected by the liquid crystal member and input the coupled first order light rays into the second fiber.   
     
     
         7 . The optical device according to  claim 6 , further comprising
 a coupler configured to couple higher order light rays of the polarized wave components reflected by the liquid crystal member and to output the coupled higher order light rays to be incident on the light receiving circuit.   
     
     
         8 . The optical device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a diffraction grating disposed at a core of the first fiber and, configured to reflect light of a specific wavelength in light propagated by the core and to output the light of the specific wavelength to a destination outside the first fiber; and   a second light receiving circuit configured to receive light output from the first fiber by the diffraction grating, wherein   the control circuit controls based on a light receiving result of the second light receiving circuit, the efficiency of the optical connection of the first order light ray to the core of the second fiber.   
     
     
         9 . The optical device according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the diffraction grating and the second light receiving circuit are disposed near at least any one among an input end and an output end of the first fiber.   
     
     
         10 . The optical device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the control circuit controls based on correspondence information of a light receiving result of the light receiving circuit and power of light output from the second fiber, the efficiency of the optical connection of the first order light ray to the core of the second fiber.   
     
     
         11 . The optical device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first fiber outputs wavelength multiplexed light.   
     
     
         12 . The optical device according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a filter disposed between the liquid crystal member and any one among the first fiber and the second fiber, and configured to have a loss wavelength property equivalent to a gain wavelength property in the first fiber.   
     
     
         13 . An optical device comprising:
 a first fiber;   a liquid crystal member configured to have liquid crystal pixels that transmit light output from the first fiber;   a second fiber configured to have a core to which a first order light ray in the light output by the liquid crystal member is optically connected;   a light receiving circuit configured to receive higher order light rays in the light output by the liquid crystal member; and   a control circuit configured to control based on a light receiving result of the light receiving circuit, efficiency of optical connection of the first order light ray to the core of the second fiber, by varying an angle of the light output by the liquid crystal member.