Optical switch
AssigneeAlcatel-Lucent USA Inc.
InventorsLong Chen, Christopher R. Doerr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus, comprising an optical switch having Nin optical input ports and Nout optical output ports. The optical switch includes an input array of 1×Nout optical switches, an output array of Nin×1 optical switches and a plurality of optical crossconnect zones located in-between the input array and the output array. Nin and Nout are integers greater than 1, and, each of Nin*Nout output waveguide arms of the 1×Nout optical switches are optically coupled to a corresponding one of Nin*Nout input waveguide arms of the Nin×1 optical switches comprising an optical switch.
Claims20
An apparatus, comprising:
- an optical switch having Nin optical input ports and Nout optical output ports, including:
- an input array of 1×Nout optical switches;
- an output array of Nin×1 optical switches;
- and
- a plurality of optical crossconnect zones located in-between the input array and the output array, wherein Nin and Nout are integers greater than 1, and, each of Nin*Nout output waveguide arms of the 1×Nout optical switches are optically coupled to a corresponding one of Nin*Nout input waveguide arms of the Nin×1 optical switches.
A method, comprising:
- manufacturing an optical switch having Nin optical input ports and Nout optical output ports, including:
- forming an input array of 1×Nout optical switches;
- forming an output array of Nin×1 optical switches;
- and
- forming a plurality of optical crossconnect zones located in-between the input array and the output array, wherein Nin and Nout are integers greater than 1, and, each of Nin*Nout output waveguide arms of the 1×Nout optical switches are optically coupled to a corresponding one of Nin*Nout input waveguide arms of the Nin×1 optical switches.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.