# US 11,079,551 B2 · Liquid crystal on silicon element for dual-functionality beam steering in wavelength selective switches

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,079,551 B2
- Document ID: US11079551B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/717,559
- Filed: 2019-12-17
- Published: 2020-07-02
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2019-01-02
- Assignees: Lumentum Operations LLC
- Applicants: Lumentum Operations LLC
- Inventors: Peter David Roorda; Paul Colbourne; Sheldon McLaughlin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079551B2

## CPC

- G02B 6/3518: {the reflective optical element being an intrinsic part of a MEMS device, i.e. fabricated together with the MEMS device (MEMS devices in general B81B; manufacture of MEM devices in general B81C; micromechanical devices controlling the direction of light G02B26/0833)}
- G02B 26/0833: {the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD (G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B)}
- H04J 14/0217: {Multi-degree architectures, e.g. having a connection degree greater than two}
- G02B 6/29383: {Adding and dropping}
- G02B 6/3534: {the optical element being diffractive, i.e. a grating}
- G02B 6/3546: {NxM switch, i.e. a regular array of switches elements of matrix type constellation}
- G02B 6/3594: {Characterised by additional functional means, e.g. means for variably attenuating or branching or means for switching differently polarized beams}
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- H04J: MULTIPLEX COMMUNICATION (transmission in general H04B; peculiar to transmission of digital information H04L5/00; systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal H04N7/08; in exchanges H04Q11/00; stereophonic systems H04S)

## Abstract

An optical device may include a monolithic beam steering engine. The device may include a twin M×N wavelength selective switch (WSS) including a first M×N WSS and a second M×N WSS. The first M×N WSS may include a first panel section of the monolithic beam steering engine to perform first beam steering of first beams, wherein the first beam steering is add/drop port beam steering; and a second panel section of the monolithic beam steering engine to perform second beam steering of second beams, wherein the second beam steering is common port beam steering. The first M×N WSS may include a first optical element aligned to the monolithic beam steering engine to direct one of the first beams or the second beams relative to the other of the first beams or the second beams, such that the first beams are directed in a different direction from the second beams.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An optical device, comprising:
a monolithic beam steering engine; and
a twin M×N wavelength selective switch (WSS) including a first M×N WSS and a second M×N WSS,
the first M×N WSS comprising:
a first panel section of the monolithic beam steering engine to perform first beam steering of first beams,
wherein the first beam steering is add/drop port beam steering, and
wherein the first panel section has a first geometric configuration;
a second panel section of the monolithic beam steering engine to perform second beam steering of second beams,
wherein the second beam steering is common port beam steering, and
wherein the second panel section has a second geometric configuration different from the first geometric configuration; and
a first optical element aligned to the monolithic beam steering engine to direct one of the first beams or the second beams relative to the other of the first beams or the second beams, such that the first beams are directed in a different direction from the second beams, and
the second M×N WSS comprising:
a third panel section of the monolithic beam steering engine to perform third beam steering of third beams,
wherein the third beam steering is add/drop port beam steering, and
wherein the third panel section has the first geometric configuration;
a fourth panel section of the monolithic beam steering engine to perform fourth beam steering of fourth beams,
wherein the fourth beam steering is common port beam steering, and
wherein the fourth panel section has the second geometric configuration; and
a second optical element aligned to the monolithic beam steering engine to direct one of the third beams or the fourth beams relative to the other of the third beams or the fourth beams, such that the third beams are directed in a different direction from the fourth beams.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The optical device of claim 1, wherein the first beams are non-dispersed spectrum beams and the second beams are dispersed spectrum beams.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The optical device of claim 1, wherein the third beams are non-dispersed spectrum beams and the fourth beams are dispersed spectrum beams.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The optical device of claim 1, wherein the first optical element and the second optical element are a same optical element.

### Claim 5

An M×N wavelength selective switch (WSS), comprising:
a monolithic beam steering engine, comprising:
a first panel section to perform first beam steering of first beams,
wherein the first beam steering is add/drop port beam steering, and
wherein the first panel section has a first geometric configuration;
a second panel section to perform second beam steering of second beams,
wherein the second beam steering is common port beam steering, and
wherein the second panel section has a second geometric configuration different from the first geometric configuration;
a third panel section to perform third beam steering of third beams,
wherein the third beam steering is add/drop port beam steering, and
wherein the third panel section has the first geometric configuration; and
a fourth panel section to perform fourth beam steering of fourth beams,
wherein the fourth beam steering is common port beam steering, and
wherein the fourth panel section has the second geometric configuration; and
at least one optical element aligned to the beam steering engine to:
direct one of the first beams or the second beams relative to the other of the first beams or the second beams, such that the first beams are directed in a different direction from the second beams, and
direct one of the third beams or the fourth beams relative to the other of the third beams or the fourth beams, such that the third beams are directed in a different direction from the fourth beams.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The M×N WSS of claim 5, wherein the at least one optical element is aligned to the first panel section to direct the first beams in a first direction that is different from a second direction of the second beams.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The M×N WSS of claim 5, wherein the at least one optical element is aligned to the second panel section to direct the second beams in a second direction that is different from a first direction of the first beams.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The M×N WSS of claim 5, wherein the first panel section includes areas for receiving the first beams that are larger relative to areas on the second panel section for receiving the second beams.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The M×N WSS of claim 5, wherein an optical path between the monolithic beam steering engine and the at least one optical element is direct.

### Claim 10 (depends on 5)

The M×N WSS of claim 5, wherein the at least one optical element is at least one of a mirror or a prism.

### Claim 11 (depends on 5)

The M×N WSS of claim 5, wherein the monolithic beam steering engine is a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) panel.

### Claim 12 (depends on 5)

The M×N WSS of claim 5, further comprising:
a set of add ports aligned to the first panel section; and
a set of drop ports aligned to the first panel section.

### Claim 13 (depends on 5)

The M×N WSS of claim 5, further comprising:
a set of common ports aligned to the second panel section.

### Claim 14 (depends on 5)

The M×N WSS of claim 5, further comprising:
an optical path for a dispersed spectrum beam, comprising:
a first path section from a common port to the second panel section,
a second path section from the second panel section to one or more optical components,
a third path section from the one or more optical components to the first panel section, and
a fourth path section from the first panel section to an add port or drop port.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The M×N WSS of claim 14, wherein the at least one optical element is disposed in one of the second path section or the third path section.

### Claim 16 (depends on 5)

The M×N WSS of claim 5, wherein the M×N WSS is one of:
a twin M×N WSS,
a triple M×N WSS, or
a quad M×N WSS.

### Claim 17

A method of controlling an M×N wavelength selective switch (WSS), comprising:
configuring, by a device, a first panel section of a monolithic beam steering engine to perform first beam steering of first beams,
wherein the first panel section has a first geometric configuration;
configuring, by the device, a second panel section of the monolithic beam steering engine to perform second beam steering of second beams,
wherein the second panel section has a second geometric configuration different from the first geometric configuration, and
wherein one of the first panel section or the second panel section is aligned to at least one optical element to separate a direction of the first beams from the second beams;
configuring, by the device, a third panel section of the monolithic beam steering engine to perform third beam steering of third beams,
wherein the third panel section has the first geometric configuration; and
configuring, by the device, a fourth panel section of the monolithic beam steering engine to perform second beam steering of second beams,
wherein the fourth panel section has the second geometric configuration, and
wherein one of the third panel section or the fourth panel section is aligned to the at least one optical element to separate a direction of the third beams from the fourth beams.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein configuring the first panel section comprises:
configuring pixels of a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) panel.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein configuring the second panel section comprises:
configuring pixels of a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) panel.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the monolithic beam steering engine is configured to at least one of:
have steering angles less than a threshold angle, or
perform beamforming for less than a threshold quantity of ports.