Method and apparatus for wavelength selective switch
US9201286B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 6, 2015 |
| Grant date | Dec 1, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 6, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04Q2213/1301
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Apparatus and method embodiments are provided for implementing a wavelength selective switch (WSS). The embodiments use combinations of switchable polarization grating (SPG) and LC cells and combinations of polymer polarization grating (PPG) and LC cells to achieve 1×N WSS systems. An embodiment optical switch includes a liquid crystal cell and a polymer polarization grating (PPG) cell adjacent to the liquid crystal cell. The PPG includes a glass substrate, a photo-alignment layer overlying the glass substrate and comprising photosensitive polymer that has been physically altered by exposure using two interfering light beams with opposite handedness of circular polarization, and a polymerized liquid crystal layer overlying the photo-alignment layer on an opposite side of the glass substrate, the polymerized liquid crystal layer has been physically altered by illumination using a uniform light beam.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.