A four-dimensional multiplexing method and four-dimensional multiplexing system are provided for optical networks. The method includes receiving sensor data to be transmitted on an optical network. The method also includes encoding the sensor data into an optical signal employing one or more multiplexing systems. The method additionally includes transmitting the optical signal over the optical network. The method further includes decoding the optical signal into the sensor data employing the one or more multiplexing systems. The method also includes controlling an operation of a processor-based machine responsive to the sensor data.

A method and switch are provided for reconfigurable optical space switch. The method includes receiving a control signal, from a controller, to configure a path through the reconfigurable optical space switch. The method also includes applying a voltage to one or more direction changing devices at each intersection between each of the east-west optical waveguides and each of the north-south optical waveguides to form the path through the reconfigurable optical space switch. The method additionally includes receiving an optical signal in one of a plurality of passive waveguides at a beginning of the path, including the plurality of east-west optical waveguides and the plurality of north-south optical waveguides. The method further includes outputting the optical signal out on of the plurality of passive waveguides at an end of the path.

A method and network are provided for a reconfigurable optical sensor network. The method includes configuring, by a controller, the reconfigurable optical sensor network, including one or more reconfigurable optical space switches, for a type of sensor data. The method also includes generating sensor data in the type of sensor data with one or more of a plurality of bidirectional sensors. The method additionally includes sending the sensor data to one or more optical star couplers. The method further includes forwarding the sensor data from one of the one or more optical star couplers to the one of one or more reconfigurable optical space switches.

An optical transmitter includes an optical modulator configured to modulate an optical signal, a dual-stage space switch configured to receive, as an input, the modulated optical signal from the optical modulator, and output ports configured to control light outputs based on an operation of the dual-stage space switch.

An optical transmitter includes an optical modulator configured to modulate an optical signal, a dual-stage space switch configured to receive, as an input, the modulated optical signal from the optical modulator, and output ports configured to control light outputs based on an operation of the dual-stage space switch.

An optical node may include an optical switch and an optical add drop multiplexer (OADM). The optical switch may receive, via a space-division multiplexing (SDM) link that carries optical signals via multiple SDM elements, an optical signal to be switched from a first SDM element to a second SDM element. The multiple SDM elements may include multiple cores of a multi-core fiber, multiple modes of a multi-mode fiber, or multiple fibers of a fiber bundle. The optical switch may switch the optical signal from the first SDM element to the second SDM element. The OADM may add optical signals to an optical network or drop optical signals from the optical network via one or more SDM links that include the SDM link.

A cross-connect switch architecture is described. A cross-connect switch device includes a cross-point switch array, a plurality of photo detectors and a plurality of amplifiers. The cross-point switch array includes a plurality of switches. Each switch is coupled between a respective photo detector and a respective amplifier and is configured to couple the respective photo detector to the respective amplifier when the switch is selected.

An optical device includes a plurality of optical input ports, a plurality of optical output ports, a wavelength dispersion arrangement and at least one optical beam steering arrangement. The plurality of optical input ports is configured to receive optical beams each having a plurality of wavelength components. The wavelength dispersion arrangement receives the optical beams and spatially separates each of the optical beams into a plurality of wavelengths components. The optical beam steering arrangement has a first region onto which the spatially separated wavelength components are directed and a second region onto which any subset of the plurality of wavelength components of each of the optical beams is selectively directed after the wavelength components in each of the subsets are spatially recombined with one another. The optical beam steering arrangement selectively directs each of subset of the plurality of wavelength components to a different one of the optical output ports.

We describe methods and devices for manipulating optical signals. A method of manipulating an optical signal comprises providing a device (100) comprising a layer (106) of blue phase liquid crystal in the path of the optical signal; and applying a dynamically varying spatial pattern of voltages across the layer (106) of blue phase liquid crystal, thereby causing the refractive index of the layer (106) of blue phase liquid crystal to vary according the dynamically varying spatial pattern.

The present invention discloses an optical switching apparatus, an optical cross-connect node, and an optical signal switching method. The optical switching apparatus includes: N input ports, N OAM modulators in a one-to-one correspondence with the N input ports, an OAM splitter, and M output ports, where the M output ports are in a one-to-one correspondence with M OAM modes; a first input port of the input ports is configured to input a first optical signal, a target output port of the first optical signal is a first output port; a first OAM modulator corresponding to the first input port modulates the first optical signal into an optical signal of a first OAM mode corresponding to the first output port; the OAM splitter transmits, to the first output port, the first optical signal received from the first OAM modulator; and the first output port outputs the first optical signal.