Wavelength switch
First Claim
1. A fiber optic wavelength switch comprising:
- (a) a front-end unit having an input port and a plurality of output ports, said front-end unit comprising;
(i) a fiber array comprising a plurality of fibers coupled to the input port and the plurality of output ports for transmitting and receiving optical signals, respectively;
(ii) a micro-lens array having a plurality of micro-lenses, each micro-lens being coupled to a respective fiber; and
(iii) a lens for receiving and re-directing the optical signals from the micro-lens array;
(b) a wavelength dispersion element defining a dispersion plane for dispersing an input optical signal from the input port into a plurality of sub-beams with different central wavelengths;
(c) a spherical reflector for redirecting the input optical signal launched from the input port to the wavelength dispersion element, and for redirecting the sub-beams from the wavelength dispersion element back along spatially separated parallel paths; and
(d) an actuation array for redirecting a selected plurality of sub-beams back to the spherical reflector in a plane substantially perpendicular to the dispersion plane defined by the wavelength dispersion elements whereby the selected plurality of sub-beams are redirected by the spherical reflector back to the wavelength dispersion element for recombination into a recombined output beam, which is redirected via the spherical reflector to one of the output ports.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fiber optic wavelength switch that includes a front-end unit having optical ports for receiving and transmitting optical signals; a wavelength dispersion element (e.g., diffraction grating, prism, etc.) for defining a dispersion plane; a light redirecting element (e.g., spherical reflector) associated with the wavelength dispersion element; and an actuation array (e.g., MEMS) operative with the light redirecting element for tilting an optical signal substantially perpendicular to the dispersion plane defined by the wavelength dispersion element. The wavelength switch can be implemented as a one input/output port and several add/drop ports type device, which can add/drop wavelengths from/to the in/out port. The front-end unit having a fiber array coupled to a micro-lens array with optical signals from the micro-lens being directed by a further lens.
121 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A fiber optic wavelength switch comprising:
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(a) a front-end unit having an input port and a plurality of output ports, said front-end unit comprising;
(i) a fiber array comprising a plurality of fibers coupled to the input port and the plurality of output ports for transmitting and receiving optical signals, respectively;
(ii) a micro-lens array having a plurality of micro-lenses, each micro-lens being coupled to a respective fiber; and
(iii) a lens for receiving and re-directing the optical signals from the micro-lens array;
(b) a wavelength dispersion element defining a dispersion plane for dispersing an input optical signal from the input port into a plurality of sub-beams with different central wavelengths;
(c) a spherical reflector for redirecting the input optical signal launched from the input port to the wavelength dispersion element, and for redirecting the sub-beams from the wavelength dispersion element back along spatially separated parallel paths; and
(d) an actuation array for redirecting a selected plurality of sub-beams back to the spherical reflector in a plane substantially perpendicular to the dispersion plane defined by the wavelength dispersion elements whereby the selected plurality of sub-beams are redirected by the spherical reflector back to the wavelength dispersion element for recombination into a recombined output beam, which is redirected via the spherical reflector to one of the output ports. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An optical device for rerouting and modifying an optical signal comprising:
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(a) a front-end unit having a first port for launching an input abeam of light, a second port for receiving a first output beam of light, and a third port for receiving a second output beam of light, (b) a light redirecting element having a focal plane for receiving the beam of light launched from the first port;
(c) a wavelength dispersion element defining a dispersion plane and disposed substantially at the focal plane of the light redirecting element for spatially dispersing the input a beam of light into a plurality of sub-beams with different center wavelengths, and for redirecting the sub-beams back to the light redirecting element; and
(d) an actuation array disposed at the focal plane of the light redirecting element for selectively redirecting at least one of the sub-beams back to the wavelength dispersion element via the light redirecting element in a direction substantially perpendicular to the dispersion plane for recombination into the first output beam and output the second port, and for selectively redirecting at least one of the sub-beams back to the wavelength dispersion element via the light redirecting element in a direction substantially perpendicular to the dispersion plane for recombination into the second output beam and output the third port. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of rerouting and modifying an optical signal comprising:
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(a) launching an input abeam of light towards a reflecting element having a focal plane;
(b) redirecting the input beam of light incident on the reflecting element to a dispersion element defining a dispersion direction, said dispersion element disposed substantially at the focal plane;
(c) spatially dispersing the input beam of light into a plurality of different sub-beams of light corresponding to a plurality of different spectral channels directed towards the reflecting element;
(d) redirecting the plurality of different sub-beams of light incident on the reflecting element to an actuation array optically disposed substantially at the focal plane;
(e) selectively redirecting at least one of the sub-beams of light in a direction substantially perpendicular to the dispersion direction and reflecting them in a substantially backwards direction; and
(f) redirecting the selectively redirected sub-beams to the dispersion element and combining them to form an output beam of light. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification