Wavelength-selective switch and wavelength-selective method

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a wavelength-selective switch and a wavelength-selective method. The wavelength-selective switch is configured to receive an optical signal from a single multicore input optical fiber, output multiple optical signals of different wavelengths to multiple multicore output optical fibers, and couple multiple optical signals of the same wavelength to a single multicore output optical fiber, wherein each core in the multicore input optical fiber contains optical signals of multiple wavelengths, and the routing direction of the same wavelength in different cores coincides. This disclosure enables wavelength selection of multicore optical fibers and enables the optical exchange function of a multicore optical fiber network.

Claims

1. Wavelength selector switch, The wavelength selection switch is configured to receive an optical signal from one multicore input optical fiber, output multiple optical signals of different wavelengths to multiple multicore output optical fibers, and couple multiple optical signals of the same wavelength to one multicore output optical fiber. In a multicore input optical fiber, each core contains optical signals of multiple wavelengths, and the routing direction of the same wavelength in different cores coincides. A wavelength-selective switch characterized by the following features.

2. A multicore input optical fiber contains M cores, The wavelength selector switch is a 1 × N wavelength selector switch, The wavelength selector switch is configured to output optical signals of multiple different wavelengths to N multicore output optical fibers. Each multicore output optical fiber contains M cores, and the wavelengths of the optical signals in the M cores of each multicore output optical fiber are the same, where M and N are both natural numbers greater than 1. The wavelength selective switch according to claim 1.

3. It includes a multicore optical fiber demultiplexer, a grid, a mirror including multiple regions, an LCoS chip including multiple regions, and a multicore optical fiber coupler. The multicore optical fiber demultiplexer is configured to separate the optical signal from the multicore input optical fiber into parallel light signals for multiple paths. The lattice is configured to complete optical path scattering and achieve wavelength separation of parallel light from multiple paths. Each region of the mirror is configured to reflect light of different wavelengths received to the corresponding region of the LCoS chip. Each region of the LCoS chip is configured to perform wavelength path selection for light of different wavelengths. The mirror is further configured to reflect light of different wavelengths selected by wavelength path selection onto the grating. The aforementioned grating is further configured to perform optical wavelength synthesis in the same routing direction for light reflected by the mirrors, The multicore optical fiber coupler is configured to couple multiple parallel optical fibers having the same routing direction into a single multicore output optical fiber. The wavelength-selective switch according to feature 1 or 2.

4. The wavelength selective switch according to claim 3, characterized in that the multicore optical fiber demultiplexer is configured to separate the optical signal of a multicore input optical fiber into parallel light in M ​​paths, where M is the number of cores in the multicore input optical fiber.

5. The lattice contains M regions, and since each wavelength of light in the M paths has the same routing direction, the M regions of the lattice have the same structure. A mirror contains M regions, and the M regions of the mirror have the same structure. The wavelength selective switch according to feature 3 or 4.

6. The LCoS chip includes M regions, Each region of the LCoS chip is configured to receive reflected light from the corresponding region of a mirror and perform wavelength path selection for one core in a multicore input optical fiber. A wavelength-selective switch according to any one of claims 3 to 5.

7. The LCoS chip is configured to apply an electric field to each region of the LCoS chip, thereby causing distortion at each pixel point in the liquid crystal layer, changing the reflection angle, and further reflecting the reflected light received from the mirror to a specific position according to a designed optical path, thereby completing the wavelength path selection of one core in a multicore input optical fiber. A wavelength-selective switch according to any one of claims 3 to 6.

8. In a multicore input optical fiber, in one core, the selectable paths for each wavelength correspond to the N dimensions of the wavelength selector switch. The number of routing directions corresponds to the N dimensions of the wavelength-selective switch, where N is the number of multicore output optical fibers. A wavelength-selective switch according to any one of claims 2 to 7.

9. A wavelength selection method, A wavelength-selective switch receives an optical signal from a single multicore input optical fiber, where each core in the multicore input optical fiber contains optical signals of multiple wavelengths, and the routing direction of the same wavelength is consistent across different cores. A wavelength-selective switch includes outputting multiple optical signals of different wavelengths to multiple multicore output optical fibers, and coupling multiple optical signals of the same wavelength into a single multicore output optical fiber. A wavelength selection method characterized by the following:

10. The multicore input optical fiber contains M cores, and the wavelength selective switch is a 1 × N wavelength selective switch. The wavelength-selective switch outputting multiple optical signals of different wavelengths to multiple multicore output optical fibers includes the wavelength-selective switch outputting multiple optical signals of different wavelengths to N multicore output optical fibers, each multicore output optical fiber containing M cores, the wavelengths of the optical signals in the M cores of each multicore output optical fiber being the same, and M and N being natural numbers greater than 1. The wavelength selection method according to feature 9.

11. The wavelength selection switch outputs multiple optical signals of different wavelengths to multiple multicore output optical fibers, and couples multiple optical signals of the same wavelength into a single multicore output optical fiber. The multicore optical fiber demultiplexer separates the optical signal from a multicore input optical fiber into parallel light signals along multiple paths, The lattice completes the optical path scattering, achieving wavelength separation of parallel light from multiple paths, The process involves reflecting light of different wavelengths received by each region of the mirror to the corresponding region of the LCoS chip, wherein both the mirror and the LCoS chip include multiple regions. Wavelength path selection is performed for light of different wavelengths in each region of the LCoS chip, Light of different wavelengths selected for wavelength path selection is reflected by a mirror onto a grating, and the grating completes the synthesis of light wavelengths in the same routing direction. This includes coupling multiple parallel optical fibers having the same routing direction into a single multicore output optical fiber using a multicore optical fiber coupler. The wavelength selection method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized by the above.

12. In the aforementioned multicore optical fiber demultiplexer, separating the optical signal from the multicore input optical fiber into parallel light signals for multiple paths is: This includes separating the optical signal from a multicore input optical fiber into parallel light in the M path using a multicore optical fiber demultiplexer. M is the number of cores in a multicore input optical fiber, the grid contains M regions, and since each wavelength of light in the M paths has the same routing direction, the M regions of the grid have the same structure, and the mirrors contain M regions, and the M regions of the mirrors have the same structure. Wavelength selection method according to feature 11.

13. Performing wavelength path selection for light of different wavelengths in each region of the LCoS chip is, Each region of the LCoS chip receives reflected light from the corresponding region of a mirror, completing the wavelength path selection for one core in a multicore input optical fiber, wherein the LCoS chip comprises M regions, where M is the number of cores in the multicore input optical fiber. The wavelength selection method according to claim 11 or 12.

14. Performing wavelength path selection for light of different wavelengths in each region of the LCoS chip is, This involves applying an electric field to each region of the LCoS chip to induce distortion at each pixel point in the liquid crystal layer, thereby changing the reflection angle, and further reflecting the reflected light received from the mirror to a specific position according to a designed optical path, thereby completing the wavelength path selection of one core in a multicore input optical fiber. Wavelength selection method according to any one of claims 11 to 13.

15. In a multicore input optical fiber, in one core, the selectable paths for each wavelength correspond to the N dimensions of the wavelength selector switch. The number of routing directions corresponds to the N dimensions of the wavelength-selective switch, where N is the number of multicore output optical fibers. Wavelength selection method according to any one of claims 10 to 14.

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