Reconfigurable all-optical multiplexers with simultaneous add-drop capability
First Claim
1. An optical apparatus comprising:
- a) a one-dimensional input-output-port array, providing multiple input ports including an input port for a multi-wavelength optical signal and a plurality of add ports, and multiple output ports including a pass-through port and a plurality of drop ports, wherein each drop port has a pairing add port;
b) a wavelength-separator, for separating said multi-wavelength optical signal by wavelength respectively into incoming spectral channels;
c) a beam-focuser, for focusing said incoming spectral channels into corresponding focused spots; and
d) an array of channel micromirrors positioned such that each channel micromirror receives a unique one of said incoming spectral channels, said channel micromirrors being individually and continuously pivotable to reflect said incoming spectral channels into selected ones of said output ports;
wherein said wavelength-separator and said beam-focuser further direct one or more add spectral channels from said add ports onto corresponding ones of said channel micromirrors, and wherein said input-output-port array is configured such that each channel micromirror is able to reflect an incoming spectral channel to a drop port and an impinging add spectral channel from a pairing add port to said pass-through port.
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Abstract
This invention provides a novel wavelength-separating-routing (WSR) apparatus that uses a diffraction grating to separate a multi-wavelength optical signal by wavelength into multiple spectral channels, which are then focused onto an array of corresponding channel micromirrors. The channel micromirrors are individually controllable and continuously pivotable to reflect the spectral channels into multiple output ports. As such, the inventive WSR apparatus is capable of routing the spectral channels on a channel-by-channel basis and coupling any spectral channel into any one of the output ports. The WSR apparatus of the present invention may be further equipped with servo-control and spectral power-management capabilities, thereby maintaining the coupling efficiencies of the spectral channels into the output ports at desired values. The WSR apparatus of the present invention can be used to construct a novel class of dynamically reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexers (OADMs) for WDM optical networking applications.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. An optical apparatus comprising:
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a) a one-dimensional input-output-port array, providing multiple input ports including an input port for a multi-wavelength optical signal and a plurality of add ports, and multiple output ports including a pass-through port and a plurality of drop ports, wherein each drop port has a pairing add port;
b) a wavelength-separator, for separating said multi-wavelength optical signal by wavelength respectively into incoming spectral channels;
c) a beam-focuser, for focusing said incoming spectral channels into corresponding focused spots; and
d) an array of channel micromirrors positioned such that each channel micromirror receives a unique one of said incoming spectral channels, said channel micromirrors being individually and continuously pivotable to reflect said incoming spectral channels into selected ones of said output ports;
wherein said wavelength-separator and said beam-focuser further direct one or more add spectral channels from said add ports onto corresponding ones of said channel micromirrors, and wherein said input-output-port array is configured such that each channel micromirror is able to reflect an incoming spectral channel to a drop port and an impinging add spectral channel from a pairing add port to said pass-through port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An optical apparatus comprising:
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a) an input-output-port array, providing a plurality of input ports including an input port for a multi-wavelength optical signal and at least one add port, and a plurality of output ports including a pass-through port and at least one drop port, wherein each drop port has a pairing add port;
b) a wavelength-separator, for separating said multi-wavelength optical signal by wavelength respectively into incoming spectral channels;
c) a beam-focuser, for focusing said incoming spectral channels into corresponding focused spots;
d) an array of channel micromirrors positioned such that each channel micromirror receives a unique one of said incoming spectral channels, said channel micromirrors being individually controllable to reflect said incoming spectral channels into selected ones of said output ports; and
e) a servo-control assembly;
wherein said wavelength-separator and said beam-focuser further direct at least one add spectral channel from said at least one add port onto said channel micromirrors, wherein said input-output-port array is configured such that each channel micromirror is able to reflect an incoming spectral channel to a drop port and an impinging add spectral channel from a pairing add port to said pass-through port, and wherein said servo-control assembly maintains a predetermined coupling of each reflected spectral channel into said pass-through port. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification