Multicast optical switch

US9250391B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Lumentum Operations LLC · US

Inventors

• Sheldon McLaughlin · Ottawa, CA
• Peter David Roorda · Ottawa, CA
• Paul Colbourne · Ottawa, CA
• Barrie Keyworth · Ottawa, CA

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 8, 2015
• Grant date: Feb 2, 2016
• Expiry date: Jun 8, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B27/1093
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A multicast optical switch uses a diffractive bulk optical element, which splits at least one input optical beam into sub-beams, which freely propagate in a medium towards an array of directors, such as MEMS switches, for directing the sub-beams to output ports. Freely propagating optical beams can cross each other without introducing mutual optical loss. The amount of crosstalk is limited by scattering in the optical medium, which can be made virtually non-existent. Therefore, the number of the crossover connections, and consequently the number of inputs and outputs of a multicast optical switch, can be increased substantially without a loss or a crosstalk penalty.