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US 9,851,508 B2Granted
Wavelength selective switch for multimode optical systems
AssigneeFinisar Corporation
InventorBrendan Hamel-Bissell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an example embodiment, a WSS may include a steering element, an optical subsystem, and a cylindrical lens. The optical subsystem may include a collimating lens and a dispersive element. The optical subsystem may be located between a fiber array and the steering element. The collimating lens may be located between the fiber array and the dispersive element. The cylindrical lens may be located between the optical subsystem and the steering element.
Claims17
A wavelength selective switch, comprising:
- a steering element;
- an optical subsystem configured to collimate and demultiplex an input multimode optical signal into input discrete wavelength channels, the optical subsystem comprising a collimating lens and a dispersive element, wherein:
- the optical subsystem is located between a fiber array and the steering element;
- and
- the collimating lens is located between the fiber array and the dispersive element;
- a cylindrical lens located between the optical subsystem and the steering element.
3 more elements
A wavelength selective switch comprising:
- an optical subsystem configured to collimate and demultiplex an input multimode optical signal into input discrete wavelength channels, wherein the optical subsystem is configured to receive the input multimode optical signal from an input fiber of a fiber array that includes the input fiber and a plurality of output fibers;
- a cylindrical lens configured to focus in one dimension the input discrete wavelength channels onto a steering element, wherein the cylindrical lens is positioned to be substantially one focal length of the cylindrical lens from the optical subsystem and substantially one focal length of the cylindrical lens from the steering element;
- and
- the steering element configured to independently redirect the input discrete wavelength channels, such that the redirected input discrete wavelength channels become output discrete wavelength channels;
- wherein:
- the cylindrical lens is further configured to diverge in one-direction the output discrete wavelength channels onto the optical subsystem;
- and
- the optical subsystem is further configured to converge the output discrete wavelength channels onto at least one output fiber of the plurality of output fibers.
5 more elements
A method comprising:
- collimating an input multiplexed multimode optical signal;
- demultiplexing the input multiplexed multimode optical signal into discrete wavelength channels;
- focusing each of the discrete wavelength channels in one dimension, such that the discrete wavelength channels are incident on a steering element in substantially different locations;
- selectively redirecting the discrete wavelength channels;
- collimating the redirected discrete wavelength channels in the one dimension;
- and
- converging each of the redirected discrete wavelength channels into at least one output fiber.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.