Wavelength selective switch

Abstract

Provided is a wavelength selective switch (WSS), and more particularly, a wavelength selective switch for electrically switching a wavelength without physical displacement. The wavelength selective switch includes an optical demultiplexer for dividing an input optical signal into signals having wavelengths corresponding to respective channels, selecting either the optical signal of each channel obtained by dividing the input optical signal or an optical signal input via an add port, and outputting the selected optical signal; and an optical multiplexer including an optical deflecting unit for individually deflecting the optical signals of the respective channels received from the optical demultiplexer according to supplied current or applied voltage, wherein the optical signal of each channel deflected by the optical deflecting unit is output to a specific output port. In the wavelength selective switch, current is supplied to the optical deflectors to switch the channels, resulting in higher reliability, smaller volume and higher switching speed than a conventional wavelength selective switch using mechanical displacement to switch channels.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.