Wavelength selective switch
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A wavelength switch comprising:
- at least one quantized dispersive element having a substantially quantized dispersion characteristic adapted to demultiplex an incoming DWDM light beam to produce a plurality of demultiplexed light beams;
a plurality of switching elements each adapted to perform light beam redirection;
the at least one quantized dispersive element being arranged to direct a respective one of the plurality of demultiplexed light beams to a respective single switching element in the plurality of switching elements for redirection;
wherein each quantized dispersive element exhibits a substantially staircase dispersion characteristic whereby the quantized dispersive element disperses each range of a plurality of ranges of wavelengths substantially at a respective angle of a finite set of angles.
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Abstract
A wavelength selective switch is realized by combining a quantized dispersion element and an array of switching means. The quantized dispersion element enables to concentrate all the wavelengths within predetermined wavelength bands onto the same location in the switching array. With this arrangement, a low fill factor switching array can be used while maintaining good flat-top spectral performance with no spectral dips and improving alignment tolerances.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A wavelength switch comprising:
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at least one quantized dispersive element having a substantially quantized dispersion characteristic adapted to demultiplex an incoming DWDM light beam to produce a plurality of demultiplexed light beams; a plurality of switching elements each adapted to perform light beam redirection; the at least one quantized dispersive element being arranged to direct a respective one of the plurality of demultiplexed light beams to a respective single switching element in the plurality of switching elements for redirection; wherein each quantized dispersive element exhibits a substantially staircase dispersion characteristic whereby the quantized dispersive element disperses each range of a plurality of ranges of wavelengths substantially at a respective angle of a finite set of angles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A switch comprising:
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a plurality of ports; for each port, a respective dispersive element wit a substantially quantized dispersion characteristic; a plurality of switching elements; a bulk optical element having optical power adapted to couple a demultiplexed light beam received from any of the dispersive elements to one of the switching elements and to couple each light beam received from one of the switching elements to a respective one of the dispersive elements; wherein each dispersive element further multiplexes any light beams received from the bulk optical element having power to produce a respective a multiplexed output signal at the respective port; wherein each quantized dispersive element exhibits a substantially staircase dispersion characteristic whereby the quantized dispersive element disperses each range of a plurality of ranges of wavelengths substantially at a respective angle of a finite set of angles.
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28. A method of wavelength switching comprising:
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demultiplexing an incoming DWDM light beam using a quantized dispersive element to produce demultiplexed beams; coupling the demultiplexed beams onto respective switching elements in an array; remultiplexing the light beams into output ports; wherein each quantized dispersive element exhibits a substantially staircase dispersion characteristic whereby the quantized dispersive element disperses each range of a plurality of ranges of wavelengths substantially of a respective angle of a finite set of angles.
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29. An apparatus comprising:
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at least one quantized dispersive element having a substantially quantized dispersion characteristic adapted to demultiplex an incoming DWDM light beam to produce a plurality of demultiplexed light beams; a plurality of light processing elements each adapted to perform light processing; the at least one quantized dispersive element being arranged to direct a respective one of the plurality of demultiplexed light beams to a respective single light processing element in the plurality of light processing elements for processing; wherein each quantized dispersive element exhibits a substantially staircase dispersion characteristic whereby the quantized dispersive element disperses each range of a plurality of ranges of wavelengths substantially at a respective angle of a finite set of angles. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. A method comprising:
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demultiplexing an incoming DWDM light beam using a quantized dispersive element to produce demultiplexed beams; coupling the demultiplexed beams onto respective light processing elements in an array; processing the demultiplexed beams with the light processing elements; wherein each quantized dispersive element exhibits a substantially staircase dispersion characteristic whereby the quantized dispersive element disperses each range of a plurality of ranges of wavelengths substantially at a respective angle of a finite set of angles.
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Specification