Wavelength Selective Switch
20170299858 · 2017-10-19
Inventors
Cpc classification
G02B6/3548
PHYSICS
G02B6/356
PHYSICS
G02B6/3556
PHYSICS
G02B6/3588
PHYSICS
International classification
Abstract
A wavelength selective switch (WSS) includes a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) panel and a fiber array with multiple ports. The two outermost ports of the multiple ports are a first port and a second port. An included angle between an intersecting line of the LCOS panel and a first plane in which the incident light entering the LCOS panel and emergent light exiting the LCOS panel are located, and incident light entering the LCOS panel is (90−θ) degrees, where a wavelength of the incident light is same as a wavelength of the emergent light, θ is less than 15 degrees, the first port and the included angle of (90−θ) degrees are located on a same side of the incident light, and the second port and the included angle of (90−θ) degrees are separately located on two sides of the incident light.
Claims
1. A wavelength selective switch (WSS), comprising: a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) panel; a fiber array, wherein the fiber array comprises multiple ports that are arranged in a column, wherein the multiple ports comprise an input port and multiple output ports, and wherein two outermost ports of the multiple ports that are arranged in a column are a first port and a second port; and a lens component, wherein an included angle between an intersecting line of the LCOS panel and a first plane and incident light entering the LCOS panel is (90−θ) degrees, wherein the first plane is a plane on which the incident light entering the LCOS panel and emergent light exiting the LCOS panel are located, wherein a wavelength of the incident light is same as a wavelength of the emergent light, wherein θ is less than 15 degrees and is
2. The WSS according to claim 1, wherein a grating period Λ of a blazed-grating-like structure on the LCOS panel meets a condition of Λ=λ/(sin θ+sin B.sub.1) wherein B.sub.1 is a diffraction angle of a +1-order diffractive light in the emergent light and λ is the wavelength of the incident light and the emergent light, wherein B.sub.1 is equal to θ+arctan(l.sub.3/f) when a destination output port of the +1-order diffractive light and the included angle of (90−θ) degrees are located on a same side of the incident light, and wherein l.sub.3 is a distance between the destination output port and the input port.
3. The WSS according to claim 1, wherein θ is less than 5 degrees.
4. The WSS according to claim 1, wherein a blazed-grating-like structure on the LCOS panel is configured to adjust a diffraction angle of diffractive light at various orders in the emergent light, and wherein the first plane is parallel to a straight line in which the multiple ports that are arranged in a column are located.
5. The WSS according to claim 1, further comprising: a deflection processing component; a reflection component; a demultiplexing component; and a multiplexing component.
6. A wavelength selective switch (WSS), comprising: a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) panel; a lens component; and a fiber array, wherein the fiber array comprises an input port and multiple output ports, wherein the input port and the multiple output ports are located in a straight line, wherein an included angle between the LCOS panel and a first plane is equal to (90−θ) degrees, wherein the first plane is a plane on which incident light entering the LCOS panel and a +1-order diffractive light exiting the LCOS panel are located, wherein a first grating period Λ.sub.1 of a blazed-grating-like structure on the LCOS panel that is in a direction perpendicular to the straight line meets a condition of Λ.sub.1=λ/2 sin θ, wherein a second grating period Λ.sub.2 of the blazed-grating-like structure on the LCOS panel that is in a direction parallel to the straight line meets a condition of Λ.sub.2=λ/(l/f), and wherein λ is a wavelength of the incident light, l is a distance between the input port and a destination output port, and f is a focal length of the lens component on the first plane.
7. The WSS according to claim 6, wherein θ is less than 5 degrees.
8. The WSS according to claim 6, wherein the blazed-grating-like structure on the LCOS panel is configured to adjust a diffraction angle of diffractive light at various orders in emergent light, and wherein the first plane is parallel to the straight line.
9. The WSS according to claim 6, wherein the WSS further comprises: a deflection processing component; a reflection component; a demultiplexing component; and a multiplexing component.
10. The WSS according to claim 1, wherein a grating period Λ of a blazed-grating-like structure on the LCOS panel meets Λ=λ/(sin θ+sin B.sub.1), wherein B.sub.1 is a diffraction angle of a +1-order diffractive light in the emergent light and λ is the wavelength of the incident light and the emergent light, B.sub.1 is equal to θ−arctan(l.sub.3/f) when a destination output port of the +1-order diffractive light and the included angle of (90−θ) degrees is separately located on two sides of the incident light, and wherein l.sub.3 is a distance between the destination output port and the input port.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0012] To describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the disclosure more clearly, the following briefly describes the accompanying drawings required for describing the embodiments or the prior art. The accompanying drawings in the following description show merely some embodiments of the disclosure; and a person of ordinary skill in the art may still derive other drawings from these accompanying drawings without creative efforts.
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DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0024] The following clearly describes the technical solutions in the embodiments of the disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the disclosure. The described embodiments are some but not all of the embodiments of the disclosure. All other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the disclosure without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the disclosure.
[0025] The disclosure provides an LCOS-based wavelength selective switch, which can effectively suppress crosstalk diffractive light. It should be noted that, the “connection” in the embodiments of the disclosure refers to a connection on an optical path. A person skilled in the art may understand that, specific optical components may not necessarily have an essential physical contact-type connection relationship, but spatial positions of these optical components and component features of these optical components enable these optical components to form a connection relationship on an optical path.
[0026] As shown in
[0027]
[0028] In
[0029] Multiple patents, such as patents with publication numbers of U.S. Pat. No. 8,437,634 B2, U.S. Patent Publication US20140023316 A1, PCT Publication WO2014027204 A1, Chinese Patent Application Publication CN203311035 U, and Chinese Patent Application Publication CN102879864 B, include a structure of a conventional WSS. Content of these patents is also combined in this patent.
[0030] An existing LCOS-based WSS can implement Flexpid filtering for spectrum signals. However, when LCOS is used as an optical engine to load a grating, multiple diffraction orders are generated. A prime light intensity order is a +1 order. Light at this order is output at a destination output port as emergent light. At the same time, light at other orders is output at other ports as crosstalk signals, causing infra-frequency crosstalk between WSS ports. A value of the crosstalk is generally above −25 decibel (dB). However, a system generally has a crosstalk requirement of less than −30 dB or even lower for a single WSS. Therefore, for the existing LCOS-based WSS, a crosstalk suppression method needs to be found.
[0031] An embodiment of the disclosure provides a solution of effectively suppressing port crosstalk. As shown in
[0032] In an implementation, as shown in
[0033] In another implementation, as shown in
[0034] Specifically, corresponding to the implementation in
[0035] l.sub.1 is a distance between the input port and the first port. l.sub.2 is a distance between the input port and the second port. The first port and the included angle of (90−θ) degrees are located on a same side of the incident light. The second port and the included angle of (90−θ) degrees are separately located on two sides of the incident light and f is a focal length of the lens component on the first plane. It should be noted that focal lengths of the lens component may be the same or may be different in different directions. In all implementations of the disclosure, correspondingly, refers to a focal length of the lens component in a port direction, that is, the focal length on the first plane.
[0036] Specifically, a grating period Λ of a blazed-grating-like structure on the LCOS panel meets the following condition: Λ=λ/(sin θ+sin B.sub.1). B.sub.1 is a diffraction angle of +1-order diffractive light in the emergent light, and λ is the wavelength of the incident light and the emergent light. When a destination output port of the +1-order diffractive light and the included angle of (90−θ) degrees are located on a same side of the incident light, B.sub.1 is equal to θ+arctan(l.sub.3/f). When a destination output port of the +1-order diffractive light and the included angle of (90−θ) degrees are separately located on two sides of the incident light, B.sub.1 is equal to θ−arctan(l.sub.3/f). l.sub.3 is a distance between the destination output port and the input port.
[0037] Optionally, θ is less than 5 degrees.
[0038] The blazed-grating-like structure on the LCOS panel is configured to adjust a diffraction angle of diffractive light at various orders in the emergent light, and the first plane is parallel to a straight line in which the multiple ports that are arranged in a column are located.
[0039] The WSS further includes a deflection processing component, a reflection component, and a demultiplexing and multiplexing component.
[0040] Optionally, in this embodiment, the multiple ports may include one input port and multiple output ports, or may include multiple input ports and multiple output ports. In the following embodiment, one input port and multiple output ports are used as an example. For a case of multiple input ports and multiple output ports, description about each input port is the same as that about the input port in the case of one input port and multiple output ports. The input port may be located in the middle of the multiple ports that are arranged in a column, or may be located at either end of the multiple ports that are arranged in a column.
[0041] To clearly describe the specific implementation principle of the embodiment in
[0042]
[0043] l.sub.1 is a distance between the input port and an outermost output port on a left side in
[0044] In this critical state, the 0-order diffractive light is obviously not transmitted to the output port, and the +2-order diffractive light is transmitted to the outermost port on the left side. Therefore, provided that the corresponding θ value is greater than this critical value, the +2-order diffractive light is transmitted to a black area in
[0045] In a range in which the θ value is greater than this critical value, a small θ value should be selected as possible. Generally the θ value is not greater than 15 degrees. Preferably, the θ value is not greater than 10 degrees, or not greater than 5 degrees, or not greater than 3 degrees.
[0046] In a WSS structure in this embodiment of the disclosure, a corresponding grating period Λ of a blazed-grating-like structure on the LCOS panel may be determined by using a grating equation Λ(sin θ+sin B.sub.m)=mλ when light is transmitted to different ports. In the grating equation, θ is an incidence angle of the incident light, B.sub.m is a diffraction angle of diffractive light at an m.sup.th order, and λ is a corresponding optical wavelength. Because a required optical signal is the +1-order diffractive light, the foregoing grating equation is converted to Λ(sin θ+sin B.sub.1)=λ. Therefore, Λ=λ/(sin θ+sin B.sub.1). As shown in
[0047] In the following, a 1×4 WSS is used as an example to describe how to suppress crosstalk of light at a high diffraction order.
[0048] As shown in
[0049] In this implementation, l.sub.1=l.sub.2=500 um, and f=75 mm. According to
it can be learnt that a value of θ in a critical state is 0.573 degree (°). Then, according to a value range of θ, a specific θ value may be determined. Herein, θ may be set to 0.6°, and the LCOS panel is rotated to a corresponding angle.
[0050] Then, according to port positions and the θ value, a wavelength value is 1.55 um. By using a grating diffraction equation Λ=λ/(sin θ+sin B.sub.1), grating periods of a blazed-grating-like structure on the LCOS panel that are corresponding to four output ports disposed from left to right are: 56.2 um, 63.9 um, 88 um, and 109.6 um.
[0051] Grating periods of the blazed-grating-like structure on the LCOS panel that correspond to different wavelengths and different output ports may be obtained by using different wavelength values. A WSS function can be implemented by importing a correspondence among an output port, a wavelength, and a grating period into an LCOS chip.
[0052] A person skilled in the art clearly knows that, for a given WSS structure, incident light, input from a specific input port, with a specific wavelength is incident on a fixed pixel (pixel) on an LCOS panel. The pixel or multiple pixels are a set of a series of liquid crystal. Because of a birefringent effect of the liquid crystal, a blazed-grating-like structure is formed under an external voltage. A grating period of the blazed-grating-like structure can be adjusted by adjusting a corresponding external voltage. It may be known from the foregoing grating diffraction equation Λ=2/(sin θ+sin B.sub.1) that, once the grating period Λ, a wavelength λ of the incident light, and an incidence angle θ are determined, a diffraction angle B.sub.1 of a corresponding +1-order diffraction light, that is, required signal light, is determined. Emergent diffractive light returns, for output, to a fiber array by using a lens component. Relative to the incident light, the +1-order diffractive light has corresponding displacement in a straight line in which the fiber array is located. A value of the displacement can be adjusted by adjusting the corresponding external voltage. When the external voltage is appropriate, the diffractive light may be output from a corresponding destination output port.
[0053] According to the WSS provided by this embodiment of the disclosure, without adding any additional component, other diffractive light different from +1-order diffractive light can be prevented from entering any input port or output port, provided that an LCOS panel is correspondingly deflected. This suppresses crosstalk with low costs.
[0054] Corresponding to
[0055] Optionally, θ is less than 5 degrees. For example, θ may be 1 degree, 1.5 degrees, 2 degrees, 3 degrees, or 4 degrees.
[0056] Optionally, the blazed-grating-like structure on the LCOS panel is configured to adjust a diffraction angle of diffractive light at various orders in emergent light, and the first plane is parallel to the straight line.
[0057] Optionally, the WSS further includes a deflection processing component, a reflection component, and a demultiplexing and multiplexing component.
[0058] In this implementation of the disclosure, the LCOS panel is deflected by a small angle by using a port direction (the vertical direction in
[0059] As shown in
[0060] The solution and principle of this embodiment of the disclosure are described in detail below with reference to
[0061] It can be seen from the part (d) in
[0062] Specifically, an included angle between the LCOS panel and a first plane is equal to (90−θ) degrees. The first plane is a plane on which incident light entering the LCOS panel and +1-order diffractive light exiting the LCOS panel are located. That is, the LCOS panel in
[0063] For a detailed method for configuring the grating period of the blazed-grating-like structure on the LCOS panel, reference may be made to the foregoing descriptions, and details are not described herein.
[0064] According to the WSS provided by this embodiment of the disclosure, without adding any additional component, other diffractive light different from +1-order diffractive light can be prevented from entering any input port or output port, provided that an LCOS panel is correspondingly deflected and a corresponding blazed-grating-like structure is configured. This suppresses crosstalk with low costs.
[0065] The foregoing descriptions are merely specific implementations of the disclosure, but are not intended to limit the protection scope of the disclosure. Any variation or replacement readily figured out by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the disclosure shall fall within the protection scope of the disclosure. Therefore, the protection scope of the disclosure shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.