M×N wavelength selective switch with compressed port spacing
AssigneeLumentum Operations LLC
InventorSheldon McLaughlin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An M×N wavelength selective switch (WSS), may comprise a common port fiber array unit (FAU) configured to emit optical beams with a lateral offset and a beam steering device configured to direct optical beams with an angular offset to add/drop port optical fibers of an add/drop port FAU. The common port FAU may comprise a first set of common port optical fibers arranged in a first column of the common port FAU and a second set of common port optical fibers arranged in a second column of the common port FAU. The second column of the common port FAU may be laterally offset from the first column of the common port FAU. The beam steering device may be configured to selectively direct, in two dimensions, the optical beams with the angular offset to the add/drop port optical fibers.
Claims20
An M×N wavelength selective switch (WSS), comprising:
- a common port fiber array unit (FAU) configured to emit optical beams with a lateral offset, comprising:
- a first set of common port optical fibers arranged in a first column of the common port FAU, and
- a second set of common port optical fibers arranged in a second column of the common port FAU,
- wherein the second column of the common port FAU is laterally offset from the first column of the common port FAU;
- a beam steering device configured to direct the optical beams with an angular offset to add/drop port optical fibers,
- wherein the beam steering device is configured to selectively direct, in two dimensions, the optical beams with the angular offset to the add/drop port optical fibers;
- and
- an optical element configured to converge the optical beams to a same area of the beam steering device at an angle to cause the angular offset.
An M×N wavelength selective switch (WSS), comprising:
- a common port fiber array unit (FAU), comprising:
- a first set of common port optical fibers and a second set of common port optical fibers arranged in a one-dimensional linear array of the common FAU,
- wherein the first set of common port optical fibers and the second set of common port optical fibers are positioned alternatingly in the one-dimensional linear array of the common FAU;
- a microlens array (MLA) coupled to the common port FAU, comprising:
- a first set of microlenses and a second set of microlenses arranged in a one-dimensional linear array of the MLA,
- wherein the first set of microlenses and the second set of microlenses are arranged in an alternating lateral offset pattern in the one-dimensional linear array of the MLA, and
- wherein, the first set of microlenses are coupled to the first set of common port optical fibers and the second set of microlenses are coupled to the second set of common port optical fibers;
- a beam steering device configured to selectively direct optical beams at an angular offset to add/drop port optical fibers of an add/drop port FAU;
- and
- an optical element configured to converge the optical beams to a same area of the beam steering device at an angle to cause the angular offset.
An M×N wavelength selective switch (WSS), comprising:
- a laterally offset microcollimator array (MCA), comprising:
- a one-dimensional fiber array unit (FAU) coupled to a laterally offset one-dimensional microlens array (MLA), or
- a laterally offset two-dimensional FAU coupled to a laterally offset two-dimensional MLA;
- a beam steering device, comprising:
- one or more elements for selectively directing optical beams at an angular offset;
- and
- an optical element configured to converge the optical beams to a same area of the beam steering device at an angle to cause the angular offset.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.