Orthogonally-combining wavelength selective switch multiplexer and systems and methods using same

• US 8,731,402 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2010
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tyco Electronics Subsea Communications LLC (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Subsea Communications LLC (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Jander, Ralph Brian, Jiang, Yan
• Primary Examiner(s): Vandrpuye, Ken
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alagheband, Abbas H
• Application Number:
  US12/902,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20120087657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 398/46, 398/152, 398/48, 398/65, 398/89
• US Class Current: 398/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/02 Wavelength-division multiplex systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0212 using optical switches or wavelength selective switches [WSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/06 Polarisation multiplex systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0005 Switch and router aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0016 using wavelength multiplexing or demultiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0049 Crosstalk reduction; Noise; Power budget

Abstract

In general, a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) communication system may use wavelength selective switching to simultaneously pre-filter and combine groups of channel wavelengths with orthogonal polarizations to provide a pre-filtered, pair-wise orthogonal aggregate WDM optical signal. An orthogonally-combining wavelength selective switch (WSS) multiplexer may route channel wavelengths individually from different sets of channels to a common output. The orthogonally-combining WSS multiplexer may also provide substantially orthogonal polarizations for the wavelengths in the different sets of channels. The different sets of channels may include odd channels and even channels.

Claims

1. An orthogonally-combining wavelength selective switch (WSS) multiplexer comprising:

first and second optical input ports configured to receive first and second sets of multiplexed wavelengths;

first and second wavelength demultiplexers configured to demultiplex the first and second sets of multiplexed wavelengths, respectively;

a switch fabric configured to selectively route wavelengths demultiplexed from the first and second sets of wavelengths;

polarization optics configured to provide wavelengths in the first set of wavelengths with a first polarization and wavelengths in the second set of wavelengths with a second polarization, the first and second polarizations being substantially orthogonal;

a wavelength multiplexer configured to multiplex routed wavelengths with the first and second polarizations to produce pre-filtered, pair-wise orthogonal aggregate channel wavelengths; and

a combined channel optical output port configured to output the pair-wise orthogonal aggregate channel wavelengths.

2. The orthogonally-combining WSS multiplexer according to claim 1, wherein the first set of multiplexed wavelengths include odd channel wavelengths and the second set of multiplexed wavelengths include even channel wavelengths.

3. The orthogonally-combining WSS multiplexer according to claim 1, wherein the first optical input port and the second optical input port include fiber collimators coupled to polarization maintaining (PM) input fibers.

4. The orthogonally-combining WSS multiplexer according to claim 3 further comprising first and second input polarizers configured to increase a polarization extinction ratio of the first set of wavelengths and the second set of wavelengths, respectively.

5. The orthogonally-combining WSS multiplexer according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of variable optical attenuators configured to adjust a power of the channel wavelengths, respectively, being routed by the switch fabric.

6. The orthogonally-combining WSS multiplexer according to claim 1, wherein the combined channel optical output includes a fiber collimator coupled to a PM output fiber.

7. The orthogonally-combining WSS multiplexer according to claim 1, wherein an angle between the first polarization and the second polarization is within a range of 90±

7 degrees.

8. The orthogonally-combining WSS multiplexer according to claim 1, wherein the polarization optics are located after the switch fabric.

9. The orthogonally-combining WSS multiplexer according to claim 1, wherein the polarization optics are configured to translate the polarization of the channel wavelengths in either the first set of wavelengths or the second set of wavelengths by about 90 degrees.

10. The orthogonally-combining WSS multiplexer according to claim 1, wherein the polarization optics are configured to translate the polarization of the channel wavelengths in either the first set of wavelengths or the second set of wavelengths such that the first and second polarizations are substantially orthogonal or substantially parallel.