Multi-mode optical switch and multi-mode optical transmission system

Abstract

The present invention discloses a multimode optical switch and a multimode optical transmission system, relating to the technical field of optical switches. Among them, the multimode optical switch includes a first beam splitter, an optical signal modulation component and a second beam splitter. The first beam splitter has an input port, a first output port and a second output port; the signal input end of the optical signal modulation component is connected to the first output port; the second beam splitter has a third input port, a fourth input port, a third output port and a fourth output port. The third input port is connected to the second output port, and the fourth input port is connected to the signal output end of the optical signal modulation component. The technical solution provided by the present invention can achieve high-speed switching at the sub-millisecond level while maintaining the integrity of the multimode optical signal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of optical switches, and particularly to a multimode optical switch and a multimode optical transmission system. Background Art

[0002] With the development of information technology, the data transmission rate and data volume have increased rapidly, and the demand for higher-efficiency data transmission methods has also been growing. Multimode waveguides can simultaneously carry multiple transverse modes (such as TE0, TE1, TE2, etc.). By using Mode-Division Multiplexing (MDM) technology, the channel capacity can be significantly improved because multiple independent data streams can be transmitted simultaneously in the same waveguide, and each data stream corresponds to a different mode. Despite the above advantages of multimode waveguides, in practical applications, especially when realizing the dynamic routing and switching of multimode optical signals, there is still a problem of lacking an efficient, controllable, low insertion loss, and low crosstalk integrated multimode optical switch solution. Most traditional on-chip optical switches are designed based on single-mode devices, such as Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) arrays, micro-ring resonator arrays, or micro-photonic crystal structures. These methods exhibit problems such as poor mode selectivity, high crosstalk, and insufficient controllability when processing multimode waveguide signals, and cannot effectively support the processing requirements of multimode optical signals. To overcome the above challenges, a new on-chip integrated scalable multimode optical switch solution needs to be developed, which should be able to achieve multi-input multi-output (MIMO), multi-mode flexible optical path switching and reconstruction functions on a single chip. This will provide strong support for future high-bandwidth, low-power on-chip optical interconnections and help solve the current bottleneck problems. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main object of the present invention is to propose a multimode optical switch and a multimode optical transmission system, aiming to achieve sub-millisecond high-speed switching while maintaining the integrity of multimode optical signals.

[0004] To achieve the above object, the multimode optical switch proposed by the present invention includes:

[0005] A first beam splitter, having an input port, a first output port, and a second output port, for receiving a first multimode optical signal and distributing the received first multimode optical signal to the first output port and the second output port according to a preset rule;

[0006] An optical signal modulation component, the signal input end of the optical signal modulation component is connected to the first output port, for decomposing the first multimode optical signal into multiple single-mode optical signals, performing phase modulation on each single-mode optical signal and synthesizing a second multimode optical signal for output;

[0007] The second beam splitter has a third input port, a fourth input port, a third output port, and a fourth output port. The third input port is connected to the second output port, and the fourth input port is connected to the signal output end of the optical signal modulation component, and is used for combining the first multimode optical signal output from the first output port and the second multimode optical signal output from the optical signal modulation component and then outputting the combined optical signal to the third output port or the fourth output port.

[0008] In one embodiment, the preset rule is the signal ratio of each of the first output port and the second output port;

[0009] The signal ratio is 1:1.

[0010] In one embodiment, the optical signal modulation component includes:

[0011] A first multiplexer, the multimode input port of the first multiplexer is connected to the first output port, and is used for decomposing the first multimode optical signal into multiple single-mode optical signals and then outputting them;

[0012] An optical phase shifter, the signal input side of the optical phase shifter is connected to the single-mode output port of the first multiplexer, and is used for changing the phase of the single-mode optical signal;

[0013] A second multiplexer, the single-mode input port of the second multiplexer is connected to the signal output side of the optical phase shifter, and the multimode output port of the second multiplexer is connected to the fourth input port, and is used for combining multiple single-mode optical signals into a second multimode optical signal and then outputting it.

[0014] In one embodiment, the optical phase shifter includes:

[0015] A substrate;

[0016] A single-mode narrow waveguide, disposed on the substrate;

[0017] A heating element, disposed on the substrate and located on one side of the single-mode narrow waveguide;

[0018] A driving circuit, electrically connected to the heating element, and is used for applying a voltage to the heating element to generate heat, so as to change the refractive index of the single-mode narrow waveguide, and further change the phase of the optical signal in the single-mode narrow waveguide.

[0019] In one embodiment, the first multiplexer has multiple single-mode output ports, and the second multiplexer has multiple single-mode input ports;

[0020] Multiple optical phase shifters are provided, the signal input sides of the multiple optical phase shifters are connected to the multiple single-mode output ports one by one, and the signal output sides of the multiple optical phase shifters are connected to the multiple single-mode input ports one by one.

[0021] In one embodiment, the multimode optical switch further includes:

[0022] A multimode input optical waveguide module, which is connected to the first beam splitter and is used to input a first multimode optical signal to the first beam splitter.

[0023] In one embodiment, the input ports of the first beam splitter include a first input port and a second input port;

[0024] The multimode input optical waveguide module includes a first multimode input optical waveguide and a second multimode input optical waveguide. The first multimode input optical waveguide is connected to the first input port, and the second multimode input optical waveguide is connected to the second input port.

[0025] In one embodiment, the multimode optical switch further includes:

[0026] A multimode output optical waveguide module, including a first multimode output optical waveguide and a second multimode output optical waveguide. The first multimode output optical waveguide is connected to the third output port and is used to output the signal passing through the third output port. The second multimode output optical waveguide is connected to the fourth output port and is used to output the signal passing through the fourth output port.

[0027] In one embodiment, the number of the first multimode output optical waveguides matches the number of the third output ports;

[0028] The number of the second multimode output optical waveguides matches the number of the fourth output ports.

[0029] The present invention also provides a multimode optical transmission system, including the multimode optical switch as described above.

[0030] The technical solution of the present invention realizes efficient dynamic routing and switching of multimode optical signals by integrating a first beam splitter, an optical signal modulation component, and a second beam splitter. First, the first beam splitter receives the input first multimode optical signal and distributes the signal to a first output port and a second output port according to a preset rule; then, the optical signal modulation component connected to the first output port decomposes the received first multimode optical signal into multiple single-mode optical signals, performs phase modulation on each single-mode optical signal, and then recombines them into a new second multimode optical signal; finally, the second beam splitter combines the first multimode optical signal from the second output port and the modulated second multimode optical signal into a third multimode optical signal, and selectively outputs it to a third output port or a fourth output port according to requirements. In this way, the multimode optical switch can flexibly and efficiently manage the transmission path and phase modulation of multimode optical signals, thereby realizing optical signal processing with low insertion loss, low crosstalk, and high controllability, effectively supporting the dynamic routing and switching requirements of multimode optical signals, providing the possibility for high-bandwidth and low-power on-chip optical interconnection, and solving the problems of poor mode selectivity, high crosstalk, and insufficient controllability encountered by traditional on-chip optical switches when processing multimode optical signals. Description of the Drawings

[0031] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the following drawings are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings.

[0032] Figure 1 Schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the multimode optical switch provided by the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 Schematic structural diagram of another embodiment of the multimode optical switch provided by the present invention;

[0034] Figure 3 Schematic structural diagram of still another embodiment of the multimode optical switch provided by the present invention;

[0035] Figure 4 Schematic structural diagram of yet another embodiment of the multimode optical switch provided by the present invention;

[0036] Figure 5 Schematic structural diagram of another embodiment of the multimode optical switch provided by the present invention;

[0037] Figure 6 Schematic structural diagram of still another embodiment of the multimode optical switch provided by the present invention.

[0038] Explanation of the reference numerals in the drawings:

[0039] 100. Multimode optical switch; 1. First beam splitter; 101. Input port; 1011. First input port; 1012. Second input port; 102. First output port; 103. Second output port; 2. Optical signal modulation component; 201. Signal input end; 202. Signal output end; 21. First multiplexer; 211. Multimode input port; 212. Single-mode output port; 22. Optical phase shifter; 2201. Signal input side; 2202. Signal output side; 221. Substrate; 222. Single-mode narrow waveguide; 223. Heating element; 224. Driving circuit; 23. Second multiplexer; 231. Single-mode input port; 232. Multimode output port; 3. Second beam splitter; 301. Third input port; 302. Fourth input port; 303. Third output port; 304. Fourth output port; 4. Multimode input optical waveguide module; 41. First multimode input optical waveguide; 42. Second multimode input optical waveguide; 5. Multimode output optical waveguide module; 51. First multimode output optical waveguide; 52. Second multimode output optical waveguide.

[0040] The realization, functional features and advantages of the object of the present invention will be further described with reference to the embodiments and the accompanying drawings. Detailed implementation manners

[0041] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0042] It should be noted that if there are directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back...) involved in the embodiments of the present invention, the directional indications are only used to explain the relative position relationship and movement conditions between components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.

[0043] In addition, if there are descriptions involving "first", "second", etc. in the embodiments of the present invention, such descriptions of "first", "second", etc. are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In addition, if "and / or" or "and / or" appears throughout the text, its meaning includes three parallel scenarios. Taking "A and / or B" as an example, it includes scenario A, or scenario B, or the scenario where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. In addition, the technical solutions between various embodiments can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the ability of those of ordinary skill in the art to implement. When the combination of technical solutions results in contradictions or is unachievable, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present invention.

[0044] With the development of information technology, the data transmission rate and data volume have increased rapidly, and the demand for higher-efficiency data transmission methods has also been growing. Multimode waveguides can simultaneously carry multiple transverse modes (such as TE0, TE1, TE2, etc.). By using mode-division multiplexing (MDM) technology, the channel capacity can be significantly improved because multiple independent data streams can be transmitted simultaneously within the same waveguide, and each data stream corresponds to a different mode. Although multimode waveguides have the above advantages, in practical applications, especially when implementing dynamic routing and switching of multimode optical signals, there is still a problem of lacking an efficient, controllable, low-loss, and low-crosstalk integrated multimode optical switch solution. Most traditional on-chip optical switches are designed based on single-mode devices, such as Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) arrays, micro-ring resonator arrays, or micro-photonic crystal structures. These methods exhibit problems such as poor mode selectivity, high crosstalk, and insufficient controllability when processing multimode waveguide signals and cannot effectively support the processing requirements of multimode optical signals. To overcome the above challenges, a new on-chip integrated scalable multimode optical switch solution needs to be developed, which should be able to achieve multi-input multi-output (MIMO), multi-mode flexible optical path switching and reconstruction functions on a single chip. This will provide strong support for future high-bandwidth and low-power on-chip optical interconnections and help solve the current bottleneck problems.

[0045] To improve the above problems, the present invention proposes a multimode optical switch 100.

[0046] Please refer to Figure 1 , in an embodiment of the present invention, the multimode optical switch 100 includes:

[0047] The first beam splitter 1, having an input port 101, a first output port 102, and a second output port 103, is configured to receive a first multimode optical signal and distribute the received first multimode optical signal to the first output port 102 and the second output port 103 according to a preset rule;

[0048] The optical signal modulation component 2, the signal input end 201 of the optical signal modulation component 2 is connected to the first output port 102, and is configured to decompose the first multimode optical signal into a plurality of single-mode optical signals, perform phase modulation on each of the single-mode optical signals, and synthesize and output a second multimode optical signal;

[0049] The second beam splitter 3, having a third input port 301, a fourth input port 302, a third output port 303, and a fourth output port 304, the third input port 301 is connected to the second output port 103, and the fourth input port 302 is connected to the signal output end 202 of the optical signal modulation component 2, and is configured to combine the first multimode optical signal output from the first output port 102 and the second multimode optical signal output from the optical signal modulation component 2 and output the combined signal to the third output port 303 or the fourth output port 304.

[0050] In this embodiment, the multimode optical switch 100 includes a first beam splitter 1, an optical signal modulation component 2, and a second beam splitter 3. The core lies in the collaborative work of the first beam splitter 1, the optical signal modulation component 2, and the second beam splitter 3 to achieve effective processing and control of the multimode optical signal.

[0051] The first beam splitter 1 receives multiple first multimode optical signals to be processed via the input port 101. These first multimode optical signals may contain multiple modes, such as TE0, TE1, etc. The first beam splitter 1 divides these signals into two parts according to a preset rule and outputs them from the first output port 102 and the second output port 103 respectively. The first beam splitter 1 can adopt a multimode interferometer (MMI) or a multimode directional coupler. By precisely designing the waveguide width and length, it can ensure that the mode field distribution of each mode remains unchanged after the first multimode optical signal is split. For example, the TE0 and TE1 modes can still maintain the original mode ratio after splitting, avoiding mode crosstalk. The first multimode optical signal coming out of the first output port 102 of the first beam splitter 1 will be sent to the optical signal modulation component 2. Here, using the principle of mode orthogonality, the original complex first multimode optical signal is decomposed into multiple simpler single-mode optical signals (such as the TE0 fundamental mode). This step can be achieved by cascading adiabatic tapered waveguides, enabling higher-order modes (such as TE0, TE1) to be separated into different single-mode waveguides. Then, the thermo-optic phase shifters in each single-mode channel can adjust the phase of the single-mode optical signal by changing the waveguide refractive index. The modulated single-mode optical signals are recombined into a new second multimode optical signal and sent to the second beam splitter 3 to interfere with another signal from the second output port 103 of the first beam splitter 1. In addition, there is an auxiliary path that directly leads from the second output port 103 of the first beam splitter 1 to the second beam splitter 3 without passing through the modulation process and is used as a reference optical path. The two paths finally meet and interfere at the second beam splitter 3, and the result of the interference depends on the phase difference between the two signals. If the signals are in-phase superposition, constructive interference will occur, and at this time the signal will be output via one of the output ports of the second beam splitter 3 (such as the third output port 303); if they are out-of-phase cancellation, destructive interference will occur, and at this time the signal will be output from the other output port of the second beam splitter 3 (such as the fourth output port 304).

[0052] The signal output from the third output port 303 or the fourth output port 304 is a new multimode optical signal, which is formed based on the input original first multimode optical signal through mode decomposition, phase modulation, and interference processes. The characteristics of the final output signal depend on the relative phase relationship between the two signals and the interference result. If the phases of the two signals are properly matched, the desired signal enhancement or suppression effect can be achieved.

[0053] The technical solution of the present invention realizes efficient dynamic routing and switching of multimode optical signals by integrating a first beam splitter 1, an optical signal modulation component 2, and a second beam splitter 3. First, the first beam splitter 1 receives the input first multimode optical signal and distributes the signal to the first output port 102 and the second output port 103 according to a preset rule; then, the optical signal modulation component 2 connected to the first output port 102 decomposes the received first multimode optical signal into multiple single-mode optical signals, modulates the phase of each single-mode optical signal, and then recombines them into a new second multimode optical signal; finally, the second beam splitter 3 combines the first multimode optical signal from the second output port 103 and the modulated second multimode optical signal into a third multimode optical signal, and selectively outputs it to the third output port 303 or the fourth output port 304 according to requirements. In this way, the multimode optical switch 100 can flexibly and efficiently manage the transmission path and phase modulation of multimode optical signals, thereby achieving low insertion loss, low crosstalk, and highly controllable signal processing, effectively supporting the dynamic routing and switching requirements of multimode optical signals, providing the possibility for high-bandwidth and low-power on-chip optical interconnection, and solving the problems of poor mode selectivity, high crosstalk, and insufficient controllability encountered by traditional on-chip optical switches when processing multimode optical signals.

[0054] Please refer to Figure 2 , in an embodiment of the present invention, the optical signal modulation component 2 includes:

[0055] A first multiplexer 21, the multimode input port 211 of the first multiplexer 21 is connected to the first output port 102, and is used for decomposing the first multimode optical signal into multiple single-mode optical signals and then outputting them;

[0056] An optical phase shifter 22, the signal input side 2201 of the optical phase shifter 22 is connected to the single-mode output port 212 of the first multiplexer 21, and is used for changing the phase of the single-mode optical signal;

[0057] A second multiplexer 23, the single-mode input port 231 of the second multiplexer 23 is connected to the signal output side 2202 of the optical phase shifter 22, and the multimode output port 232 of the second multiplexer 23 is connected to the fourth input port 302, and is used for combining multiple single-mode optical signals into a second multimode optical signal and then outputting them.

[0058] It can be understood that there are many ways to implement the optical signal modulation component 2. In this embodiment, the optical signal modulation component 2 includes a first multiplexer 21, an optical phase shifter 22, and a second multiplexer 23; among them:

[0059] The first multiplexer 21 is a first 1×N mode multiplexer and is a mode demultiplexer (DeMUX). It uses mode orthogonality to decompose the first multimode optical signal (including TE0, TE1, etc.) output from the first output port 102 of the first beam splitter 1 into multiple independent single-mode optical signals (such as TE0-0, TE1-1).

[0060] Next, these single-mode optical signals are transmitted to the optical phase shifter 22. The optical phase shifter 22 performs phase modulation on each received single-mode optical signal. By changing the refractive index of the waveguide material (for example, using the thermo-optic effect, such as a TIN heater), the phase of each single-mode optical signal can be precisely adjusted. This process allows for independent control of the phase of each mode, providing flexibility for subsequent interference operations.

[0061] Finally, the phase-modulated single-mode optical signals are sent into the second multiplexer 23. The second multiplexer 23 is a second 1×N mode multiplexer and is a mode multiplexer (MUX). The second multiplexer 23 has multiple single-mode input ports 231, and each single-mode input port 231 receives a single-mode optical signal from the optical phase shifter 22. The task of the second multiplexer 23 is to recombine these single-mode optical signals into a new multimode optical signal (i.e., the second multimode optical signal) and send it through its multimode output port 232 to the fourth input port 302 of the second beam splitter 3, ready to interfere with another unmodulated multimode optical signal. That is to say, the second 1×N mode multiplexer and the first 1×N mode multiplexer perform opposite and complementary functions in the optical switch: the first 1×N mode multiplexer is a "signal resolver", which disassembles the multimode optical signal into controllable single-mode components; the second 1×N mode multiplexer is a "signal reconstructor", which recombines the modulated single-mode components into a routable multimode optical signal. Their collaborative work can achieve the entire process of "decomposition - regulation - reconstruction" of the multimode optical signal, which is the core technical basis for the multimode optical switch 100 to achieve mode-selective switching.

[0062] To facilitate understanding of the working principle of the optical signal modulation component 2, the following will explain its optical signal processing flow in detail in combination with the first beam splitter 1 and the second beam splitter 3:

[0063] The first multimode optical signal (including TE0, TE1, etc.) enters the first beam splitter 1 and is distributed to two paths in the first beam splitter 1. The two paths are the main path and the auxiliary path respectively. The main path is: a part of the first multimode optical signal enters the first multiplexer 21 and is decomposed into single-mode optical signals TE0-0, TE1-1 (corresponding to the original TE0, TE1 components), and an optical phase shifter 22 can be configured for each single-mode channel 、 。The auxiliary path is as follows: Another part of the first optical mode optical signal directly enters the second beam splitter 3 without phase adjustment (default phase is 0). If the same phase change is applied to the single-mode optical signals TE0-0 and TE1-1 (such as ), then the phases of all modes are adjusted synchronously, and the overall path is switched (such as TE0 and TE1 are both directed to the third output port 303); if different phase changes are applied to the single-mode optical signals TE0-0 and TE1-1 (such as , ), then mode-selective switching can be achieved (such as TE0 is directed to the third output port 303 and TE1 is directed to the fourth output port 304). Specifically, when , , the signals of the main path and the auxiliary path are in the same phase at the second beam splitter 3 ( ), constructive interference occurs, and the light intensity is concentrated at the third output port 303; when , , the phase of the TE0 component remains unchanged, and the phase of the TE1 component is inverted. Since the phase change of TE1 in the main path is π, anti-phase interference is generated with the TE1 component of the auxiliary path ( ), resulting in TE1 being directed to the fourth output port 304, while TE0 is still directed to the third output port 303. If Φ = π is applied to all modes, the overall optical signal is switched to the fourth output port 304.

[0064] As can be seen from the above analysis, the present invention can flexibly process and regulate different mode components, and achieve fine control of the optical signal transmission path through precise phase modulation, thereby supporting efficient and low-crosstalk data routing and switching. This can not only improve the adjustability and efficiency of the optical switch, but also lay a foundation for the development of future high-bandwidth and low-power on-chip optical interconnection technology.

[0065] Please refer to Figure 3 , in an embodiment of the present invention, the optical phase shifter 22 includes:

[0066] A substrate 221;

[0067] A single-mode narrow waveguide 222 disposed on the substrate 221;

[0068] A heating element 223 disposed on the substrate 221 and located on one side of the single-mode narrow waveguide 222;

[0069] A driving circuit 224 electrically connected to the heating element 223, configured to apply a voltage to the heating element 223 to generate heat, so as to change the refractive index of the single-mode narrow waveguide 222, and further change the phase of the optical signal in the single-mode narrow waveguide 222.

[0070] It can be understood that there are many ways to implement the optical phase shifter 22. In this embodiment, the optical phase shifter 22 includes a substrate 221, a single-mode narrow waveguide 222, a heating element 223, and a drive circuit 224; where:

[0071] The substrate 221 is the basic structure of the entire optical phase shifter 22 and can be made of materials suitable for manufacturing optical devices, such as semiconductor materials like silicon, to provide physical support for other components.

[0072] The single-mode narrow waveguide 222 is disposed on the substrate 221 and is used to transmit optical signals in a single mode. Due to its narrow design, it can effectively confine and guide the optical signal along a predetermined path while reducing crosstalk between modes, ensuring the purity and stability of the optical signal.

[0073] The heating element 223 is also disposed on the substrate 221 and is located on one side of the single-mode narrow waveguide 222. It mainly changes the refractive index of the single-mode narrow waveguide 222 by generating heat. Specifically, when the heating element 223 is activated, it generates heat, causing the temperature of the waveguide region near it to rise, thereby inducing a change in the refractive index of the material in this region.

[0074] The drive circuit 224 is electrically connected to the heating element 223 and is responsible for applying a voltage to the heating element 223 to generate the required heat. By precisely controlling the voltage magnitude applied to the heating element 223, the generated heat can be adjusted, thereby accurately changing the refractive index in the single-mode narrow waveguide 222. The change in the refractive index will cause a corresponding change in the phase of the optical signal passing through the waveguide. This method allows for precise modulation of the phase of the optical signal and is one of the key steps in realizing optical signal processing.

[0075] It can be seen that the optical phase shifter 22 in this embodiment can very precisely regulate the phase of the optical signal passing through the single-mode narrow waveguide 222, providing the necessary technical support for mode decomposition, phase adjustment, and subsequent optical signal reconstruction in the multi-mode optical switch 100. This method not only improves the flexibility and efficiency of the optical switch but also provides an effective solution to problems such as poor mode selectivity and high crosstalk in traditional devices.

[0076] Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 , in an embodiment of the present invention, the first multiplexer 21 has a plurality of single-mode output ports 212, and the second multiplexer 23 has a plurality of single-mode input ports 231;

[0077] A plurality of the optical phase shifters 22 are provided. The signal input sides 2201 of the plurality of optical phase shifters 22 are connected to the plurality of single-mode output ports 212 one-to-one, and the signal output sides 2202 of the plurality of optical phase shifters 22 are connected to the plurality of single-mode input ports 231 one-to-one.

[0078] In this embodiment, the first multiplexer 21 has a plurality of single-mode output ports 212. This means that when the first multiplexer 21 receives the first multimode optical signal transmitted from the first beam splitter 1, it can decompose the first multimode optical signal containing multiple modes into multiple independent single-mode optical signals and output them respectively through its plurality of single-mode output ports 212. The second multiplexer 23 has a plurality of single-mode input ports 231. This allows it to receive the phase-modulated single-mode optical signals from a plurality of optical phase shifters 22 and recombine these single-mode optical signals into a new multimode optical signal (i.e., the second multimode optical signal) for subsequent processing or transmission. A plurality of optical phase shifters 22 are provided, and each optical phase shifter 22 is connected one-to-one between the plurality of single-mode output ports 212 of the first multiplexer 21 and the plurality of single-mode input ports 231 of the second multiplexer 23. This means that each single-mode optical signal output from the first multiplexer 21 will enter a separate optical phase shifter 22, where it is phase-modulated and then transmitted one-to-one to the corresponding single-mode input port 231 of the second multiplexer 23. With such a setting, it can be ensured that each mode can be independently extracted and its phase precisely adjusted, and then recombined into a new multimode optical signal. In this way, not only can fine control of different-mode optical signals be achieved, but also crosstalk between modes can be effectively reduced, improving the performance and efficiency of the overall system. In addition, this structure can also provide higher flexibility and scalability for the multimode optical switch 100, enabling it to better adapt to the requirements of different application scenarios.

[0079] Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 , in an embodiment of the present invention, the preset rule is the signal ratio occupied by the first output port 102 and the second output port 103 respectively;

[0080] The signal ratio is 1:1.

[0081] In this embodiment, the preset rule means that the signal ratios of the first output port 102 and the second output port 103 are each 1:1. This means that when the first beam splitter 1 receives the input first multimode optical signal, it evenly divides the signal into two parts, and each part is respectively sent to the first output port 102 and the second output port 103. For example, in the input first multimode optical signal, TE0 accounts for 70% and TE1 accounts for 30%. After beam splitting, the main path and the auxiliary path still each contain 35% TE0 and 15% TE1. This evenly distributed design helps to ensure that the optical signal intensities emerging from the two paths are equal, so that when interference occurs at the second beam splitter 3, the final output direction of the optical signal can be adjusted and controlled based on the same energy basis. For example, when achieving constructive interference or destructive interference, the even energy distribution can more precisely achieve the expected interference effect by adjusting the phase difference, thereby optimizing the signal quality of the third output port 303 or the fourth output port 304. This provides a stable and predictable basis for subsequent mode decomposition, phase modulation, and ultimately optical signal reconstruction, which is conducive to improving the performance and reliability of the entire system.

[0082] Please refer to Figure 4 , in an embodiment of the present invention, the multimode optical switch 100 further includes:

[0083] A multimode input optical waveguide module 4, the multimode input optical waveguide module 4 is connected to the first beam splitter 1 for inputting a first multimode optical signal to the first beam splitter 1.

[0084] In this embodiment, the multimode input optical waveguide module 4 is directly connected to the input port 101 of the first beam splitter 1. Its main responsibility is to guide and transmit the first multimode optical signal from an external source into the first beam splitter 1, so that it can ensure that the first multimode optical signal can be efficiently and low-lossly introduced into the multimode optical switch 100 for subsequent processing. By integrating the multimode input optical waveguide module 4, the entire multimode optical switch 100 becomes more complete and practical. It can not only simplify the input process of the first multimode optical signal, but also ensure that the optical signal maintains its original characteristics and integrity before entering the complex beam splitting, modulation, and beam combining processes.

[0085] Please refer to Figure 5 , in an embodiment of the present invention, the input port 101 of the first beam splitter 1 includes a first input port 1011 and a second input port 1012;

[0086] The multimode input optical waveguide module 4 includes a first multimode input optical waveguide 41 and a second multimode input optical waveguide 42. The first multimode input optical waveguide 41 is connected to the first input port 1011, and the second multimode input optical waveguide 42 is connected to the second input port 1012.

[0087] In this embodiment, the input port of the first beam splitter 1 may include two independent input ports: the first input port 1011 and the second input port 1012. This means that the first beam splitter 1 can simultaneously receive and process multimode optical signals from two different sources. The multimode input optical waveguide module 4 is accordingly divided into two parts: the first multimode input optical waveguide 41 and the second multimode input optical waveguide 42. The first multimode input optical waveguide 41 is connected to the first input port 1011 of the first beam splitter 1 and is responsible for introducing the first multimode optical signal from the first source into the first beam splitter 1. The second multimode input optical waveguide 42 is connected to the second input port 1012 of the first beam splitter 1 and is used to introduce the first multimode optical signal from the second source. This design allows the multimode optical switch 100 to simultaneously process two independent data streams or signal paths. Each input optical waveguide can carry different first multimode optical signals. After entering the first beam splitter 1, these signals will be distributed to the first output port 102 and the second output port 103 according to a preset rule (such as a 1:1 ratio), and then subsequent operations such as mode decomposition, phase modulation, and beam combination interference will be performed respectively. And by symmetrically accessing the two input signals to the first beam splitter 1, a balanced interference optical path can be formed, reducing the phase error and insertion loss difference caused by path asymmetry. At the same time, the symmetric structure is beneficial to achieving a high extinction ratio (30 dB) and low crosstalk (< -25 dB).

[0088] In this way, the multimode optical switch 100 can not only enhance the data processing ability, but also more flexibly manage multiple signal sources, improving the overall efficiency and application range of the system. For example, in practical applications, information can be simultaneously received from different network nodes or devices and efficiently processed on the same chip, providing the possibility for building a more complex and efficient optical communication system.

[0089] Please refer to Figure 4 , in an embodiment of the present invention, the multimode optical switch 100 further includes:

[0090] A multimode output optical waveguide module 5, including a first multimode output optical waveguide 51 and a second multimode output optical waveguide 52. The first multimode output optical waveguide 51 is connected to the third output port 303 and is used to output the signal passing through the third output port 303. The second multimode output optical waveguide 52 is connected to the fourth output port 304 and is used to output the signal passing through the fourth output port 304.

[0091] In this embodiment, the multimode output optical waveguide module 5 is used to effectively export the signals processed by the second beam splitter 3 from the third output port 303 and the fourth output port 304 for subsequent use or further transmission. Specifically, the multimode output optical waveguide module 5 includes two parts: the first multimode output optical waveguide 51 and the second multimode output optical waveguide 52. The first multimode output optical waveguide 51 is connected to the third output port 303 of the second beam splitter 3. Its function is to receive the multimode optical signal formed after interference from the third output port 303 and guide it out for subsequent processing or transmission. The second multimode output optical waveguide 52 is connected to the fourth output port 304 of the second beam splitter 3 and is responsible for receiving the multimode optical signal of the other interference result from this output port and also guiding it out. This design can ensure that the multimode optical signal after complex processing such as modulation and interference can be efficiently and low-loss output from the multimode optical switch 100. Each output optical waveguide corresponds to an output port, making the signal path clear and definite, which helps to maintain the quality and integrity of the signal.

[0092] By integrating the multimode output optical waveguide module 5, the entire multimode optical switch 100 can not only have the ability to effectively manage and process input signals, but also strengthen the precise output control of the processed signals. This can provide the possibility for realizing more complex optical networks and communication systems. For example, in the fields of data exchange within data centers and high-speed communication between different network nodes, such a design can significantly improve the flexibility, efficiency and scalability of the system. In addition, this structure also reserves space for future technology upgrades and function expansions, enabling the system to be adjusted and optimized according to changes in requirements.

[0093] Please refer to Figure 5 , in an embodiment of the present invention, the number of the first multimode output optical waveguides 51 matches the number of the third output ports 303;

[0094] The number of the second multimode output optical waveguides 52 matches the number of the fourth output ports 304.

[0095] In this embodiment, the number of the first multimode output optical waveguides 51 matches the number of the third output ports 303. This means that if the second beam splitter 3 has multiple third output ports 303 (for example, in a more complex system design, more than one output port may be required to handle different signal flow directions), then there will be the same number of first multimode output optical waveguides 51 connected to these third output ports 303. Each first multimode output optical waveguide 51 is responsible for receiving and transmitting signals from a specific third output port 303.

[0096] The number of the second multimode output optical waveguides 52 matches the number of the fourth output ports 304. The same logic applies to the connection between the second multimode output optical waveguides 52 and the fourth output ports 304. If there are multiple fourth output ports 304 for signal output in different purposes or directions, a corresponding number of the second multimode output optical waveguides 52 will be configured to ensure that each fourth output port 304 has a corresponding output channel.

[0097] In this way, it can be ensured that each output port can efficiently and directly transmit the processed multimode optical signals without signal congestion or loss. This precise matching can not only improve the overall efficiency and reliability of the multimode optical switch 100, but also enhance its flexibility, enabling the multimode optical switch 100 to adapt to more diverse application scenario requirements. Whether it is a simple single-output configuration or a more complex multi-output setting, the best performance can be achieved by adjusting the number of output optical waveguides, thus supporting a wider range of optical communication and data processing tasks.

[0098] It can be understood that with the growth of the demand for multimode optical signal processing in optical communication systems, the development of scalable multimode optical switches 100 has become a key technology to improve the flexibility and capacity of optical networks. Traditional solutions are limited by fixed port configurations and are difficult to adapt to different scales of switching requirements.

[0099] In response to this, referring to Figure 6, the present invention is based on the core combination of the first multiplexer 21, the optical phase shifter 22 and the second multiplexer 23. Through the flexible adjustment of the structure by the first beam splitter 1 and the second beam splitter 3, the expansion of the multimode optical switch 100 from 1×2 to N×N can be achieved, while maintaining the integrity of the multimode optical signal and meeting diverse application scenarios. Specifically, the core of the present invention lies in the synergistic effect of the first multiplexer 21, the optical phase shifter 22 and the second multiplexer 23: the first multiplexer 21 is used to decompose the input multimode optical signal into single-mode components (such as TE0, TE1); the second multiplexer 23 is used to reconstruct the multimode optical signal in reverse to ensure mode orthogonality; the optical phase shifter 22 independently regulates the phase of the single-mode components, and realizes dynamic routing through the interference effect. The port configurations of the first beam splitter 1 and the second beam splitter 3 (such as 1×2, 2×2, 3×3) are adjusted according to application requirements, which only affect the signal distribution path and do not change the core function. For example, for a 1×2 optical switch: the first stage uses a 1×2 beam splitter, and after the single input signal is regulated by 1-way phase (only one optical signal modulation component 2 is set between the first beam splitter 1 and the second beam splitter 3), the dual output switching is realized through a 2×2 beam splitter; or, for a 3×3 optical switch: the first stage uses a 1×3 beam splitter, and two-phase (two optical signal modulation components 2 are set between the first beam splitter 1 and the second beam splitter 3) regulation links control the signal distribution, and finally the output port selection is completed by a 3×3 beam splitter; or, for an N×N optical switch: a large-scale switching matrix is constructed by cascading an N×N beam splitter and N-1-way phase regulation. That is to say, the present invention can realize the expansion of the multimode optical switch 100 from 1×2 to N×N through the core architecture of "the first multiplexer 21, the optical phase shifter 22 and the second multiplexer 23", combined with the flexible configuration of the first beam splitter 1 and the second beam splitter 3. Its technical advantages are as follows: First, mode independence: the complete transmission of the multimode optical signal can be maintained under any port configuration; Second, high scalability: the number of ports of the beam splitter and the number of phase regulation links can be adjusted according to needs to adapt to different-scale optical switching requirements; Third, low loss and low crosstalk: through orthogonal mode decomposition and reconstruction, it is ensured that the insertion loss <2 dB and the crosstalk < -30 dB.

[0100] The present invention also proposes a multimode optical transmission system, which includes a multimode optical switch 100. The specific structure of the multimode optical switch 100 refers to the above-mentioned embodiments. Since this multimode optical transmission system adopts all the technical solutions of the above-mentioned all embodiments, it at least has all the beneficial effects brought by the technical solutions of the above-mentioned embodiments, and will not be elaborated here one by one.

[0101] The above description is only an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformation made under the technical concept of the present invention by using the content of the specification and drawings of the present invention, or directly / indirectly applied in other related technical fields, is included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multimode optical switch, characterized in that, Comprising: A first beam splitter having an input port, a first output port, and a second output port, for receiving a first multimode optical signal and distributing the received first multimode optical signal to the first output port and the second output port according to a preset rule. The first multimode optical signal includes multiple transverse modes, and the preset rule is the signal ratio of the first output port and the second output port in the same transverse mode, and the signal ratio is 1:1; An optical signal modulation component, the signal input end of the optical signal modulation component is connected to the first output port, for decomposing the first multimode optical signal into multiple single-mode optical signals, performing phase modulation on each single-mode optical signal and synthesizing a second multimode optical signal before outputting; A second beam splitter having a third input port, a fourth input port, a third output port, and a fourth output port. The third input port is connected to the second output port, and the fourth input port is connected to the signal output end of the optical signal modulation component, for combining the first multimode optical signal output from the first output port and the second multimode optical signal output from the optical signal modulation component and outputting to the third output port or the fourth output port; The optical signal modulation component includes: A first multiplexer, the multimode input port of the first multiplexer is connected to the first output port, for decomposing the first multimode optical signal into multiple single-mode optical signals and then outputting; An optical phase shifter, the signal input side of the optical phase shifter is connected to the single-mode output port of the first multiplexer, for changing the phase of the single-mode optical signal; A second multiplexer, the single-mode input port of the second multiplexer is connected to the signal output side of the optical phase shifter, and the multimode output port of the second multiplexer is connected to the fourth input port, for combining multiple single-mode optical signals into a second multimode optical signal and then outputting.

2. The multimode optical switch according to claim 1, wherein The optical phase shifter includes: A substrate; A single-mode narrow waveguide disposed on the substrate; A heating element disposed on the substrate and located on one side of the single-mode narrow waveguide; A driving circuit electrically connected to the heating element, for applying a voltage to the heating element to generate heat, so as to change the refractive index of the single-mode narrow waveguide, and further change the phase of the optical signal in the single-mode narrow waveguide.

3. The multimode optical switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first multiplexer has multiple single-mode output ports, and the second multiplexer has multiple single-mode input ports; Multiple optical phase shifters are provided, and the signal input sides of the multiple optical phase shifters are connected to the multiple single-mode output ports one by one, and the signal output sides of the multiple optical phase shifters are connected to the multiple single-mode input ports one by one.

4. The multimode optical switch according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The multimode optical switch further includes: A multimode input optical waveguide module connected to the first beam splitter, for inputting a first multimode optical signal to the first beam splitter.

5. The multimode optical switch according to claim 4, characterized in that, The input port of the first beam splitter includes a first input port and a second input port; The multimode input optical waveguide module includes a first multimode input optical waveguide and a second multimode input optical waveguide. The first multimode input optical waveguide is connected to the first input port, and the second multimode input optical waveguide is connected to the second input port.

6. The multimode optical switch according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The multimode optical switch further includes: The multimode output optical waveguide module includes a first multimode output optical waveguide and a second multimode output optical waveguide. The first multimode output optical waveguide is connected to the third output port and is used to output the signal passing through the third output port. The second multimode output optical waveguide is connected to the fourth output port and is used to output the signal passing through the fourth output port.

7. The multimode optical switch according to claim 6, wherein, The number of the first multimode output optical waveguides matches the number of the third output ports; The number of the second multimode output optical waveguides matches the number of the fourth output ports.

8. A multi-mode optical transmission system, characterized in that, It includes the multimode optical switch according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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