Wavelength-selective switch and integrated wavelength demultiplexer using stacked planar lightwave circuits
US7257285B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 4, 2005 |
| Grant date | Aug 14, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 23, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04Q2011/0032
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Wavelength-selective switches (WSSs) having embedded multiplexer or demultiplexer functionality include a stack of planar waveguide circuits (PLCs) in which all but one of the PLCs have identical features consisting of a single waveguide connected to a free space region, further connected to a waveguide array that terminates at the PLC edge facet, which are placed at the front focal plane of a lens, generating a spectrally resolved optical signal at the back focal plane of the lens. Due to the use of a single lens, the spectrally resolved optical signal of all the PLCs are superimposed, differing only by propagation direction. A tilting micro-mirror array at the back focal plane reflects the spectral components, implementing a wavelength-selective switch. The reflected light can couple to any of the remaining PLCs, for multiplexing, or to the different PLC in the stack, which implements the multiplexer/demultiplexer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.