Multicast Optical Switch Based On Free-Space Transmission

• US 20160291255A1
• Filed: 11/25/2013
• Published: 10/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accelink Technologies Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Accelink Technologies Company Limited
• Inventors: Zhang, Bo, Hu, Leilei, Zhang, Yuan, Hu, Qianggao, Sun, Liping, Yang, Liu, Xie, Hui, Yang, Rui, Yuan, Zhilin
• Granted Patent: US 9,720,180 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/32 having lens focusing means positioned between opposed fibre ends with lens being an integral part of the single fibre end G02B6/262
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3512 the optical element being reflective, e.g. mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3518 the reflective optical element being an intrinsic part of a MEMS device, i.e. fabricated together with the MEMS device MEMS devices in general B81B; manufacture of MEM devices in general B81C; micromechanical devices controlling the direction of light G02B26/0833
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3548 1xN switch, i.e. one input and a selectable single output of N possible outputs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3556 NxM switch, i.e. regular arrays of switches elements of matrix type constellation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3592 Means for removing polarization dependence of the switching means, i.e. polarization insensitive switching light guides coupling with polarization selective and adjusting means G02B6/27

Abstract

A multicast optical switch based on free-space transmission comprises a 1×M input collimator array, a light splitting device, an optical distance compensation device, a spot transformation device, a 1×N output collimator array and a reflector array which are arranged in sequence. The 1×N output collimator array corresponds to reflector array. The light splitting device is provided with a light splitting surface and a reflection surface, and by means of light splitting surface and reflection surface, light splitting and beam splitting of n times are carried out on input signals of 1×M input collimator array, and then N beams of sub-signal light are generated. The optical distance compensation device compensates optical distance differences among M×N sub-signal light beams produced by light splitting device. The M×N sub-signal light beams are focused to be 1×N light spots through light spot conversion device, and then 1×N light spots are reflected to reflector array.

Claims

1. A multicast optical switch based on free-space transmission,

comprising:

a 1×

M input collimator array, a light splitting device, an optical distance compensation device, a spot transformation device, a 1×

N output collimator array, and a reflector array arranged sequentially,

wherein the 1×

N output collimator array corresponds to the reflector array, the light splitting device is provided with a splitting surface and a reflecting surface for causing input signal light of the 1×

M input collimator array being subjected to n (n≧

2) times of light splitting and beam splitting to generate N=2ⁿ beams of sub-signal light;

wherein the optical distance compensation device is for compensating optical distance difference among M×

N beams of sub-signal light generate from the light splitting device;

wherein the spot transformation device is for focusing the M×

N beams of the sub-signal light into 1×

N light spots which are incident on the reflector array.

2. The multicast optical switch based on free-space transmission of claim 1, wherein splitting surface of the light splitting device is a 50:

50 polarization-independent splitter, the reflecting surface include two reflective mirrors disposed on both sides of the splitter.

3. The multicast optical switch based on free space transmission of claim 2, wherein the light splitter uses a light splitting film or light splitting plate.

4. The multicast optical switch based on free space transmission of claim 1, wherein the light splitting device is a special-shaped light splitting prism, which includes light splitting surface with function of light splitting surface, and edge surfaces with function of reflective surface.

5. The multicast optical switch based on free space transmission of claim 1, wherein the spot transformation device includes a first lens, a second lens, and a third lens arranged sequentially, wherein the first lens and the third lens are cylindrical lenses on x-direction, the second lens is a cylindrical lens on y-direction.

6. The multicast optical switch based on free space transmission of claim 1, wherein the optical distance compensation device is consist of a set of glass blocks, each of which is set correspondingly in optical path of each beam of sub-signal light, wherein length of the glass block is

7. The multicast optical switch based on free space transmission of claim 1, wherein the reflector array is two-dimensional 1×

N MEMS reflectors array.

8. The multicast optical switch based on free space transmission of claim 1, wherein the reflector array is provided with an interference preventer in front thereof, which includes a focus-backward device, a fifth reflector and a shield plate;

wherein the fifth reflector is set in rear end of the focus-backward device to reflect position of light focus point to a focal plane without the focus backward device set in optical path, and the reflector array is also disposed in the focus point, the shield plate is set between the spot transformation device and the reflector array.

9. The multicast optical switch based on free space transmission of claim 8, wherein the shield plate is reflective or non-transmissive plate.

10. The multicast optical switch based on free space transmission of claim 9, wherein the focus-backward device is a glass plate.

11. The multicast optical switch based on free space transmission of claim 2, wherein the reflector array is provided with an interference preventer in front thereof, which includes a focus-backward device, a fifth reflector and a shield plate;

wherein the fifth reflector is set in rear end of the focus-backward device to reflect position of light focus point to a focal plane without the focus backward device set in optical path, and the reflector array is also disposed in the focus point, the shield plate is set between the spot transformation device and the reflector array.

12. The multicast optical switch based on free space transmission of claim 3, wherein the reflector array is provided with an interference preventer in front thereof, which includes a focus-backward device, a fifth reflector and a shield plate;

wherein the fifth reflector is set in rear end of the focus-backward device to reflect position of light focus point to a focal plane without the focus backward device set in optical path, and the reflector array is also disposed in the focus point, the shield plate is set between the spot transformation device and the reflector array.

13. The multicast optical switch based on free space transmission of claim 4, wherein the reflector array is provided with an interference preventer in front thereof, which includes a focus-backward device, a fifth reflector and a shield plate;

wherein the fifth reflector is set in rear end of the focus-backward device to reflect position of light focus point to a focal plane without the focus backward device set in optical path, and the reflector array is also disposed in the focus point, the shield plate is set between the spot transformation device and the reflector array.

14. The multicast optical switch based on free space transmission of claim 5, wherein the reflector array is provided with an interference preventer in front thereof, which includes a focus-backward device, a fifth reflector and a shield plate;

wherein the fifth reflector is set in rear end of the focus-backward device to reflect position of light focus point to a focal plane without the focus backward device set in optical path, and the reflector array is also disposed in the focus point, the shield plate is set between the spot transformation device and the reflector array.

15. The multicast optical switch based on free space transmission of claim 6, wherein the reflector array is provided with an interference preventer in front thereof, which includes a focus-backward device, a fifth reflector and a shield plate;

wherein the fifth reflector is set in rear end of the focus-backward device to reflect position of light focus point to a focal plane without the focus backward device set in optical path, and the reflector array is also disposed in the focus point, the shield plate is set between the spot transformation device and the reflector array.

16. The multicast optical switch based on free space transmission of claim 7, wherein the reflector array is provided with an interference preventer in front thereof, which includes a focus-backward device, a fifth reflector and a shield plate;

wherein the fifth reflector is set in rear end of the focus-backward device to reflect position of light focus point to a focal plane without the focus backward device set in optical path, and the reflector array is also disposed in the focus point, the shield plate is set between the spot transformation device and the reflector array.