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US 12,317,012 B2Granted
Multi-device wavelength selective switch
AssigneeII-Vi Delaware, Inc.
InventorsJonathan Plumridge, Luke Stewart, Glenn Baxter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described herein is a wavelength selective switch (100), comprising an input array (102) of optical fibers. The array (102) comprises two or more columns of fibers that are spatially offset in one or both of a switching dimension or a dispersive dimension of the wavelength selective switch (100). Each column (102A, 102B) of fibers is adapted to project respective optical beams. A switching engine (112) is positioned to receive the optical beams and apply an angular switching to the beams to direct the beams to respective output fibers. The optical beams are encoded at respective angles or polarization states such that each column of optical beams is incident onto a different region of the switching engine (112).
Claims18
A wavelength selective switch, comprising:
- an input array of optical fibers, the array comprising two or more columns of fibers that are spatially offset in one or both of a switching dimension or a dispersive dimension of the wavelength selective switch, each column of fibers being adapted to project respective optical beams;
- a polarization manipulation module configured to independently manipulate the polarization of each column of optical beams;
- and
- a switching engine positioned to receive the respective optical beams and apply an angular switching to the beams to direct the beams to respective output fibers;
- wherein the optical beams are encoded at respective angles and/or polarization states such that each column of optical beams is incident onto a different region of the switching engine.
2 more elements
A wavelength selective switch, comprising:
- an input array of optical fibers, the array comprising two or more columns of fibers that are spatially offset in one or both of a switching dimension or a dispersive dimension of the wavelength selective switch, each column of fibers being adapted to project respective optical beams;
- a switching engine positioned to receive the respective optical beams and apply an angular switching to the beams to direct the beams to respective output fibers;
- and
- a two dimensional microlens array disposed adjacent to the input array of optical fibers, the microlens array having a microlens corresponding to each of the input optical fibers,
- wherein the respective optical beams are encoded at respective angles and/or polarization states such that each column of optical beams is incident onto a different region of the switching engine, and
- wherein the microlens array is offset from the input array of optical fibers by a predefined distance in the switching dimension or dispersion dimension to provide angular encoding to the respective optical beams.
3 more elements
A wavelength selective switch, comprising:
- an input array of optical fibers, the array comprising two or more columns of fibers that are spatially offset in one or both of a switching dimension or a dispersive dimension of the wavelength selective switch, each column of fibers being adapted to project respective optical beams;
- a switching engine positioned to receive the respective optical beams and apply an angular switching to the beams to direct the beams to respective output fibers;
- and
- wherein the respective optical beams are encoded at respective angles and/or polarization states such that each column of optical beams is incident onto a different region of the switching engine, and
- wherein the optical fibers are oriented at respective angles in the switching dimension or dispersion dimension relative to an optical axis to provide angular encoding to the respective optical beams.
2 more elements
A wavelength selective switch, comprising:
- an input array of optical fibers, the array comprising two or more columns of fibers that are spatially offset in one or both of a switching dimension or a dispersive dimension of the wavelength selective switch, each column of fibers being adapted to project respective optical beams;
- a switching engine positioned to receive the respective optical beams and apply an angular switching to the beams to direct the beams to respective output fibers;
- and
- a plurality of optical directing elements configured to apply angular encoding to the optical beams,
- wherein the respective optical beams are encoded at respective angles and/or polarization states such that each column of optical beams is incident onto a different region of the switching engine.
2 more elements
A wavelength selective switch, comprising:
- an input array of optical fibers, the array comprising two or more columns of fibers that are spatially offset in one or both of a switching dimension or a dispersive dimension of the wavelength selective switch, each column of fibers being adapted to project respective optical beams;
- and
- a switching engine positioned to receive the respective optical beams and apply an angular switching to the beams to direct the beams to respective output fibers,
- wherein the respective optical beams are encoded at respective angles and/or polarization states such that each column of optical beams is incident onto a different region of the switching engine
- wherein optical beams within each column are encoded with a common angle in the switching dimension relative to the optical axis.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.