Optical switching
US9986316B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 21, 2013 |
| Grant date | May 29, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 21, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04Q2011/0035
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An optical switch (10) comprising: inputs (12) to receive input optical signals at respective wavelengths and having planar wavefronts; conversion apparatus (14) to convert each input optical signal into a respective optical signal having a respective helical wavefront, each helical wavefront having a different orbital angular momentum, OAM; optical multiplexing apparatus (16) to receive each helical wavefront optical signal from the conversion apparatus and to multiplex the helical wavefront optical signals into an OAM multiplexed optical signal; and optical demultiplexing apparatus (18) comprising a plurality of outputs (20), the optical demultiplexing apparatus arranged to: receive the OAM multiplexed optical signal; demultiplex the OAM multiplexed optical signal into a plurality of wavelength multiplexed optical signals each having a different OAM; reconvert each wavelength multiplexed optical signal from its helical wavefront into a respective planar wavefront; and deliver each planar wavefront wavelength multiplexed optical signal to a respective one of the outputs according to the respective OAM it had before reconversion.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.