Wavelength-selective switch for space-division multiplexed systems
AssigneeWSOU Investments, LLC
InventorsNicolas K. Fontaine, David Neilson, Roland Ryf
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical apparatus includes a front optics section and a spectrometer section. The front optics section includes a spot de-multiplexer configured to receive a plurality of multi-mode optical signals each having a plurality of modal components, and to output in a linear array of a corresponding plurality of optical beams for each multimode optical signal. The spectrometer section includes a wavelength steering element configured to separate each of the optical beams into a plurality of wavelength channels. A fiber steering element is configured to steer the wavelength channels between the optical beams.
Claims20
An optical apparatus, comprising:
- a mode remapper configured to receive a plurality N of multi-mode optical signals each having M modal components, and to output M linear arrays of N optical beams, each array including a same modal component from each multi-mode optical signal;
- a spectrometer
- configured to separate each of said optical beams into a plurality of wavelength channels;
- and
- an optical steering element configured to steer a selected one of said wavelength channels between said optical beams.
A method of forming an optical apparatus, comprising:
- configuring a mode remapper to receive a plurality N of multi-mode optical signals each having M modal components, and to output M linear arrays of N optical beams, each array including a same model component from each of said multi-mode optical signals;
- locating in a path of said optical beams a spectrometer configured to separate each of said optical beams into a plurality of wavelength channels;
- and
- configuring an optical steering element to steer a selected one of said wavelength channels between said optical beams.
A wavelength-selective switch (WSS), comprising:
- a mode remapper configured to receive, from a plurality N of optical fibers, M multi-mode optical signals and form therefrom M*N optical beams, where N>1;
- a diffraction element configured to separate said optical beams into wavelength-resolved optical beams;
- and
- an optical steering element configured to direct a selected one of said wavelength-resolved optical beams from a first one of said optical fibers to a second one of said optical fibers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.