Patent · US Active

WSS with high port isolation and close spaced ports

US8977079B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
8References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 18, 2012
Grant dateMar 10, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 31, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B6/3548
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

By steering wanted diffraction orders within a concentrated angular region and steering all unwanted diffraction orders outside that region, a wavelength selective switch achieves high port isolation and densely spaced ports. N inputs receive an optical signal. Optics spatially separate and direct wavelength channels from the signal. A phased array switching engine comprising cells steers a wanted diffraction order of each spatially separated wavelength channel from each cell at an angle within a concentrated angular region relative to the PASE, and steers all unwanted diffraction orders of spatially separated wavelength channels from cells outside the concentrated angular region. Optics direct each wanted diffraction order to one of N outputs in accordance with the steering of the wanted diffraction orders by the PASE. The concentrated angular region is defined by a largest and smallest steering angle wherein the largest steering angle is a margin less than the smallest steering angle.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.