WSS USING MULTIPLE TECHNOLOGY SWITCHING ELEMENTS

• US 20140146395A1
• Filed: 11/25/2013
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molex LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Nistica, Inc. (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wagener, Jefferson
• Granted Patent: US 9,019,612 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/634
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/10 Beam splitting or combining systems polarising systems G02B27/28; mixing and splitting light signals using optical waveguides G02B6/28; beam shaping, e.g. changing the cross-sectional area, by dividing or superposing multiple light beams G02B27/0905
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1006 for splitting or combining different wavelengths G02B27/1086, G02B27/141 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/46 Systems using spatial filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/18 Diffraction gratings holographic optical elements G02B5/32, G03H; integrally combined with optical fibres G02B6/02057; for coupling light guides G02B6/34; integrally combined with optical integrated light guides G02B6/12; grating systems G02B27/44
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/264 with optical elements between opposed fibre ends which perform a function other than beam splitting having lens focusing means G02B6/32; utilising prism or grating G02B6/34

Abstract

A wavelength selective switch for selectively switching optical wavelength components of an optical signal uses both LCoS and MEMs switching technologies to improve device performance. Specific performance improvements may include more ports, better spectral performance and isolation, improved dynamic crosstalk, more flexible attenuation options, integrated channel monitoring and compressed switch heights.

Claims

1. A method for directing wavelength components of an optical beam from an input port of a port array to at least one output port of the port array, comprising:

receiving a plurality of optical beams at a plurality of ports;

arranging the plurality of optical beams received by the plurality of ports into a first polarization state;

spatially separating each of the optical beams into first and second optical beams;

magnifying each of the first and second optical beams with different magnification factors in each of two orthogonal directions defined by a first and second direction;

spatially separating the wavelength components in each of the first and second optical beams in the second direction;

directing the spatially separated wavelength components onto an LCoS element to create a plurality of astigmatic beams on the LCoS element; and

using the LCoS element to selectively direct the astigmatic optical beams to selected ones of the ports.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of ports extend in the first direction and the optical beams are spatially separated in the first direction.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the magnification factor in the second direction is greater than the magnification in the first direction.