Optical switching device and reconfigurable add-drop multiplexer

Abstract

Provided in the embodiments of the present application is an optical switching device, which comprises a first input and output assembly and a second input and output assembly respectively used for transmitting input light beams to a first switching assembly and a second switching assembly; a first polarization conversion assembly and a second polarization conversion assembly respectively converting the light beams passing through the two switching assemblies into two polarization states having polarization directions perpendicular to each other; a first polarization assembly, used for combining the light beams passing through the first polarization conversion assembly and the second polarization conversion assembly; a dispersion assembly, used for separating in the dispersion direction, according to the wavelength, the light beam passing through the first polarization assembly; a second polarization assembly, used for separating, according to the polarization state, the light beam passing through the dispersion assembly; and a switching engine, used for adjusting the returning angle of the light beam coming from the second polarization assembly, such that the returned light beam is switched to a corresponding output port by the first switching assembly and the second switching assembly. The optical switching device provided in the embodiments of the present application can integrate more WSS units.

Description

Optical switching device and reconfigurable add / drop multiplexer

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on September 28, 2023, with application number 202311281914.5 and application name “Optical switching device and reconfigurable add-drop multiplexer”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The embodiments of the present application relate to the field of optical communications, and more specifically, to an optical switching device and a reconfigurable add / drop multiplexer. Background Art

[0003] Wavelength selective switches (WSSs) are a core component of modern optical communication networks. With advantages such as flexible scheduling and ultra-high-capacity wavelength scheduling, they play a key role in building optical networks with ultra-large system capacity and robust node scheduling.

[0004] Multiple WSS units can be integrated by spatially stacking multiple input and output arrays. However, as the level of integration increases, if the height of the WSS optical module remains unchanged, the pitch potential of the fiber array and microlens array of the input and output arrays needs to be further reduced. Existing processing conditions limit the integration level of WSS modules.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The embodiments of the present application provide an optical switching device and a reconfigurable add / drop multiplexer, which can integrate more WSS units.

[0007] In a first aspect, an optical switching device is provided, comprising: a first group of input and output components, a second group of input and output components, a first switching component, a second switching component, a first polarization conversion component, a second polarization conversion component, a first polarization component, a dispersion component, a second polarization component, and a switching engine, wherein: the first group of input and output components and the second group of input and output components respectively include at least two input and output arrays arranged along a switching direction, the first group of input and output components is used to transmit an input light beam to the first switching component, and the second group of input and output components is used to transmit an input light beam to the second switching component; the first polarization conversion component is used to convert a light beam passing through the first switching component into a first polarization state; the second polarization conversion component is used to convert a light beam passing through the second switching component into a first polarization state The light beam is converted into a second polarization state, and the polarization directions of the first polarization state and the second polarization state are orthogonal; the first polarization component is used to combine the light beams passing through the first polarization conversion component and the second polarization conversion component; the dispersion component is used to separate the light beams passing through the first polarization component along the dispersion direction according to wavelength, and the dispersion direction is perpendicular to the exchange direction; the second polarization component is used to separate the light beams passing through the dispersion component according to polarization state; the switching engine is used to adjust the return angle of the light beam from the second polarization component, so that the return light beam is switched by the first switching component to the output port of the input-output array of the first group of input-output components and / or is switched by the second switching component to the output port of the input-output array of the second group of input-output components.

[0008] In this embodiment, since the first group of input and output components and the second group of input and output components are stacked with at least two input and output ports respectively, and the first group of input and output components and the second group of input and output components can be polarization combined, more WSS units are integrated through polarization multiplexing and spatial stacking.

[0009] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the optical switching device further includes: a first prism and a second prism, the first prism being located between the first switching component and the first polarization component, the second prism being located between the second switching component and the first polarization component, the first prism being used to cause the light beams from each input and output array in the first group of input and output components to translate along the exchange direction toward the central axis of the exchange plane, and the second prism being used to cause the light beams from each input and output array in the second group of input and output components to translate along the exchange direction toward the central axis.

[0010] The first prism and the second prism may be polygonal prisms, which can shift the light beams of different input and output arrays toward the central axis along the switching direction, thereby reducing the size of the optical switching device in the switching direction.

[0011] The first prism and the second prism can respectively include a light beam incident surface and an exit surface, wherein the incident surface and the exit surface are parallel to each other, so that the incident light beam and the exit light beam are parallel through the refraction of light. In this way, the size of the light beam is reduced along the exchange direction after passing through the first prism and the second prism, which can reduce the overall size of the optical switching device and facilitate the integration of more WSS units.

[0012] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the first switching component includes a switching lens corresponding to each input and output array in the first group of input and output components, and the second switching component includes a switching lens corresponding to each input and output array in the second group of input and output components.

[0013] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the first group of input-output components is located on the focal plane of the first switching component, and the second group of input-output components is located on the focal plane of the second switching component.

[0014] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the optical switching device further includes a first lens and a second lens, the first lens being located between the first polarization component and the dispersion component, and the second lens being located between the dispersion component and the switching engine.

[0015] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the optical switching device further includes a third lens, a fourth lens, a fifth lens, and a sixth lens, the third lens and the fourth lens being located between the first group of input and output components and the first polarization conversion component, and the fifth lens and the sixth lens being located between the second group of input and output components and the second polarization conversion component.

[0016] The third lens and the fourth lens can adjust the light beam incident from the first group of input and output components, the fifth lens and the sixth lens can adjust the light beam incident from the second group of input and output components, and the third lens, the fourth lens, the fifth lens and the sixth lens can be cylindrical lenses in the dispersion direction.

[0017] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the optical switching device further includes a seventh lens and an eighth lens, the seventh lens being located between the first polarization component and the dispersion component, and the eighth lens being located between the dispersion component and the second polarization component.

[0018] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the first polarization conversion component includes a first Wollaston prism and a first half-wave plate, the second polarization conversion component includes a second Wollaston prism and a second half-wave plate, the first half-wave plate is located between the first Wollaston prism and the first polarization component, and the second half-wave plate is located between the second Wollaston prism and the first polarization component.

[0019] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the first Wollaston prism and the second Wollaston prism are located on the first focal plane of the first lens, the switching engine is located on the first focal plane of the second lens, and the dispersion component is located on the second focal plane of the first lens and the second lens.

[0020] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the first group of input and output components is located on the first focal plane of the third lens, the first Wollaston prism is located on the first focal plane of the fourth lens, the second group of input and output components is located on the first focal plane of the fifth lens, the second Wollaston prism is located on the first focal plane of the sixth lens, the third lens and the fourth lens have the same second focal plane, and the fifth lens and the sixth lens have the same second focal plane.

[0021] The third lens and the fourth lens may be arranged according to a 4f architecture, and the fifth lens and the sixth lens may be arranged according to a 4f architecture.

[0022] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the dispersion component is located on the focal plane of the seventh lens and the eighth lens.

[0023] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the seventh lens and the first lens are the same lens, and the eighth lens and the second lens are the same lens.

[0024] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the first group of input-output components includes a first input-output array and a second input-output array, the second group of input-output components includes a third input-output array and a fourth input-output array, and the first polarization component is used to combine the light beams from the first input-output array and the third input-output array, and to combine the light beams from the second input-output array and the fourth input-output array.

[0025] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the first polarization component and the second polarization component include a polarization beam splitter PBS.

[0026] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the dispersion component is a transmissive diffraction grating or a reflective diffraction grating or a transmissive diffraction prism or a reflective diffraction prism.

[0027] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the switching engine is any one of a liquid crystal on silicon chip, a micro-electromechanical system chip, or a liquid crystal switching chip.

[0028] In a second aspect, a reconfigurable optical add / drop multiplexer (ROADM) is provided, comprising the optical switching device according to the first aspect or any one implementation of the first aspect.

[0029] In a third aspect, an optical switching method is provided, which is applied to the optical switching device of the first aspect or any implementation of the first aspect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] FIG1 is a schematic block diagram of an optical switching device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0031] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of an optical path of an optical switching device on a switching plane provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0032] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of an optical path of an optical switching device on a dispersion plane provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0033] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a first prism provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0034] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a switching component according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0035] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of lenses of different components provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0036] FIG7 is a light path diagram of a light beam passing through a second polarization component provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0037] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of a light spot formed by a light beam on a switching engine according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0038] FIG9 is a schematic structural diagram of a first polarization component provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0039] FIG10 is a schematic structural diagram of a second polarization component and a switching engine provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] Below, some terms used in the embodiments of the present application are explained to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.

[0042] The "at least one" involved in the embodiments of the present application refers to one or more, and "more" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: the existence of A alone, the existence of A and B at the same time, and the existence of B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the previous and next associated objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following items" or similar expressions refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of single items or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, c can be single or multiple.

[0043] In the embodiments of the present application, the same reference numerals are used to represent the same component or the same part. In addition, the various parts in the drawings are not drawn to scale, and the sizes and dimensions of the parts shown in the drawings are only exemplary and should not be understood as limiting the present application.

[0044] In the embodiments of the present application, “corresponding” and “relevant” may sometimes be used interchangeably. It should be noted that when the distinction between them is not emphasized, the meanings they intend to express are consistent.

[0045] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the terms "upper", "lower", "vertical", etc. indicate orientations or positional relationships that are defined relative to the orientations or positions of the components schematically placed in the drawings. It should be understood that these directional terms are relative concepts. They are used for relative descriptions and clarifications, rather than indicating or implying that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. They may change accordingly according to changes in the orientations of the components placed in the drawings, and therefore cannot be understood as limitations on the present application.

[0046] Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" mentioned in the embodiments of the present application are used to distinguish multiple objects and are not used to limit the order, timing, priority or importance of multiple objects.

[0047] With the rapid development of optical communication technology, WSS is widely used in long-distance trunk lines or key nodes in metropolitan area networks to schedule signal wavelengths. Integrating multiple independently operating WSSs into a single optical module is a key development trend in this field.

[0048] To maximize the integration of WSSs, multiple input and output arrays are typically stacked spatially to create a system that integrates them along the height or port direction. However, as integration increases, maintaining the same height of the WSS optical module requires further reducing the pitch of the fiber arrays and microlens arrays within the input and output arrays. Existing processing conditions limit the integration of WSS modules.

[0049] The embodiments of the present application provide an optical module capable of integrating more WSS units.

[0050] Figure 1 shows a schematic block diagram of an optical switching device provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 1 , the optical switching device includes: a first set of input and output components 102, a second set of input and output components 104, a first switching component 124, a second switching component 125, a first polarization conversion component 106, a second polarization conversion component 108, a first polarization component 110, a dispersion component 112, a second polarization component 114, and a switching engine 116.

[0051] In the embodiments of the present application, the port direction or switching direction is defined as the X direction (also known as the switching axis direction), the wavelength direction or dispersion direction is defined as the Y direction (also known as the dispersion axis direction), and the optical axis direction or main direction of light propagation is defined as the Z direction. The plane formed by the X and Z directions is the port plane or switching plane, and the plane formed by the Y and Z directions is the dispersion plane.

[0052] Each of the first and second input / output components 102, 104 includes at least two input / output arrays stacked along a switching direction. Each input / output array includes at least one input port and at least one output port. The input and output ports can each be coupled to an optical fiber, for example, as part of a fiber optic network or one or more fiber optic devices. For ease of description, the following describes the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application using as examples the first and second input / output arrays stacked along the switching direction in the first input / output component 102, and the third and fourth input / output arrays stacked along the switching direction in the second input / output component 104.

[0053] The first and third input / output arrays can be located at the same height along the switching axis, and the second and fourth input / output arrays can be located at the same height along the switching axis. In other words, two layers of input / output arrays are stacked along the switching direction (the first layer contains the first and third input / output arrays, and the second layer contains the second and fourth input / output arrays).

[0054] It should be understood that the embodiments of this application only use an optical switching device including four input / output arrays as an example to describe the specific structure of the optical switching device. In practice, more input / output arrays can be stacked along the switching direction. For example, the first group of input / output components 102 also includes a fifth input / output array stacked along the switching direction, and the second group of input / output components 104 also includes a sixth input / output array stacked along the switching direction, with the fifth and sixth input / output components located at the same height along the switching axis. Of course, the first group of input / output components 102 and the second group of input / output components 104 can each include more input / output arrays stacked along the switching direction, which will not be further described here.

[0055] The first, second, third, and fourth light beams are input into the optical switching device from the input ports of the first, second, third, and fourth input / output arrays, respectively. The first and second light beams enter the first switching component 124, and the third and fourth light beams enter the second switching component 125.

[0056] The first switching assembly 124 may include a switching lens corresponding to each input / output array in the first group of input / output assemblies 102. For example, the first switching assembly 124 may include a switching lens corresponding to the first input / output array and a switching lens corresponding to the second input / output array 1022. The second switching assembly 125 may include switching lenses corresponding to the third input / output array 1041 and the fourth input / output array 1022. The first group of input / output assemblies 102 may be disposed on the focal plane of the first switching assembly 124, and the second group of input / output assemblies 104 may be disposed on the focal plane of the second switching assembly 125. Each switching lens in the first switching assembly 124 and the second switching assembly 125 may expand the light beam from the corresponding input / output array along the switching direction. Each lens in the first switching assembly 124 and the second switching assembly 125 may be a cylindrical prism having a curved surface along the switching direction.

[0057] In this optical switching device, the first polarization conversion component 106 corresponds to the first and second input / output arrays, and the second polarization conversion component 108 corresponds to the third and fourth input / output arrays. After emitting from the first and second input / output arrays, the first and second light beams enter the first polarization conversion component 106, where they are converted into a first polarization state and propagate to the first polarization component 110. Similarly, after emitting from the third and fourth input / output arrays, the third and fourth light beams enter the second polarization conversion component 108, where they are converted into a second polarization state and propagate to the first polarization component 110.

[0058] The first polarization conversion component 106 and the second polarization conversion component 108 can respectively include a Wollaston prism and a half-wave plate. The Wollaston prism in the first polarization conversion component 106 respectively divides the first light beam into two light beams of the first polarization state and the second polarization state along the dispersion direction, and divides the second light beam into two light beams of the first polarization state and the second polarization state along the dispersion direction. The light beam of the second polarization state becomes a light beam of the first polarization state after passing through the half-wave plate, so that the first light beam and the second light beam are converted into the first polarization state. Similarly, the Wollaston prism in the second polarization conversion component 108 respectively divides the third light beam into two light beams of the first polarization state and the second polarization state, and divides the fourth light beam into two light beams of the first polarization state and the second polarization state. The light beam of the first polarization state is converted into the second polarization state by the half-wave plate, so that the third light beam and the fourth light beam are converted into the second polarization state.

[0059] The first light beam and the second light beam of the first polarization state emitted from the first polarization conversion component 106 enter the first polarization component 110. The first polarization component may include a polarization beam splitter (PBS). The PBS includes a PBS functional film. Light beams of different polarization states will be transmitted along different paths when passing through the functional film of the first polarization component 110. The functional film can transmit the light beam of the first polarization state and reflect the light beam of the second polarization state, so that the first light beam and the second light beam directly pass through the functional film and continue to propagate in the original propagation direction.

[0060] The third light beam and the fourth light beam of the second polarization state emitted from the second polarization conversion component 108 can enter the first polarization component 110 in a direction perpendicular to the first light beam and the second light beam. The third light beam and the fourth light beam will be reflected by the functional film of the first polarization component 110 and finally emitted from the first polarization component 110 in the direction of the first light beam and the second light beam.

[0061] Thus, the light beams from the first set of input / output components 102 and the second set of input / output components are combined after passing through the first polarization component 110. Specifically, since the first and third light beams are at the same height along the switching direction, and the second and fourth light beams are at the same height along the switching direction, the first and third light beams continue to propagate after being combined, and the second and fourth light beams continue to propagate after being combined, and enter the dispersion component 112. The dispersion component 112 may be a grating or a grism, and may be either transmissive or reflective.

[0062] The dispersion component 112 can separate the light beams along the dispersion direction according to wavelength. After passing through the second polarization component, the light beams of different wavelengths separated along the dispersion direction can be separated by the second polarization component 114 according to their polarization states. As a result, sub-beams of different wavelengths from different input and output arrays can be irradiated to different positions of the switching engine 116. The switching engine 116 can independently adjust the return angle or output angle of each sub-beam. The first switching component 124 and the second switching component 125 respectively switch each sub-beam adjusted by the switching engine to the corresponding output port of the corresponding input and output array.

[0063] Through the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application, the light beams from the first input and output array and the third input and output array are polarized and combined, and the light beams from the second input and output array and the fourth input and output array are polarized and combined, and the first input and output array, the second input and output array, the third input and output array, and the fourth input and output array are stacked along the switching direction, and the optical switching device integrates more WSS units.

[0064] FIG2 and FIG3 are schematic diagrams of light paths along the switching direction and the dispersion direction of an optical switching device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0065] In an embodiment of the present application, in order to reduce the size of the optical switching device along the switching direction, the optical switching device may further include a first prism 118 and a second prism 120. The first prism 118 may be disposed between the first switching component 124 and the first polarization component 110, for example, between the first switching component 124 and the first polarization conversion component 106 or between the first polarization conversion component 106 and the first polarization component 110, or between the first Wollaston prism 1061 and the first half-wave plate 1062 in the first polarization conversion component 106. The second prism 120 may be disposed between the second switching component 125 and the first polarization component 110. The specific position of the second prism 120 may refer to the description of the first prism 118 and will not be described in detail here.

[0066] The first prism 118 and the second prism 120 may be polygonal prisms positioned in a direction oblique to the direction of light beam propagation, thereby reducing the distance between light beams from multiple input and output arrays arranged along the switching direction. As shown in FIG4(a), the first prism 118 may include a first portion 1181 corresponding to the first input and output array 1021 and a second portion 1182 corresponding to the second input and output array 1022, respectively configured to shift the light beam from the first input and output array 1021 toward the light beam from the second input and output array 1022 and shift the light beam from the second input and output array 1022 toward the light beam from the first input and output array 1021 by refraction, that is, to shift the light beams from the first input and output array 1021 and the second input and output array toward the central axis or optical axis in the switching direction. The first portion 1181 and the second portion 1182 may be two separate parts fixed together by bonding or other means to form the first prism 118, or they may be integrally formed to form the first prism 118. Similarly, the second prism 120 may also include two parts corresponding to the third input-output array 1041 and the fourth input-output array 1042, and will be used to translate the light beams from the third input-output array 1041 and the light beams from the fourth input-output array 1042 toward each other respectively. The second prism 120 may also be fixed with multiple independent parts or integrally formed into the second prism 120.

[0067] When more than two WSS units are stacked along the switching direction (i.e., more than two input / output arrays), for example, when three input / output arrays are stacked, the first prism and the second prism may each include three parts. As shown in FIG2(b), the first prism 118 may include a first part 1181, a second part 1182, and a third part 1183 corresponding to the three input / output arrays, respectively, thereby causing the light beams from different input / output arrays to be offset or translated toward the optical axis of the switching direction or the central axis of light beam propagation in the switching direction. When more WSS units are stacked along the switching direction, the first prism and the second prism may also include two, three, or even more parts, thereby minimizing the size of each optical component in the optical switching device.

[0068] In the embodiment of the present application, the optical switching device may further include a first lens 1221 and a second lens 1222. The first lens 1221 and the second lens 1222 may constitute a first relay component 122, and the two lenses included in the first relay component 122 may form a 4f architecture.

[0069] The first lens 1221 and the second lens 1222 may be cylindrical lenses along the dispersion direction.

[0070] The first lens 1221 is located between the first polarization component 110 and the dispersion component 112, and the distance between the first polarization component 106 (Wollaston prism) and the second polarization component 108 (Wollaston prism) and the first lens 1221 is the focal length of the first lens 1221. That is, the first Wollaston prism 1061 and the second Wollaston prism 1081 are located on the first focal plane of the first lens 1221. The first lens 1221 can adjust the spot of the light beam passing through the first polarization component 110. Specifically, it can make the light beams with different transmission directions separated by the Wollaston prism become light beams with mutually parallel transmission directions on the dispersion plane.

[0071] The second lens 1222 may be disposed between the dispersion component 112 and the switching engine 116. The switching engine 116 may be disposed on a first focal plane of the second lens 1222. The dispersion component 112 may be disposed on a second focal plane of the first lens 1221 and the second lens 1222. The second lens 1222 may converge the light beams separated by the dispersion component 112 onto the switching engine 116 along a dispersion direction.

[0072] After the light beams from each input and output array are reflected by the switching engine 116 at adjusted angles, the switching lenses in the first switching component 124 and the second switching component can switch the light beams of the corresponding input and output arrays to appropriate output ports for output.

[0073] Figures 5(a) and 5(b) illustrate schematic diagrams of the optical paths of the first light beam upon entering and returning from the switching lens 1241 in the first switching assembly. As shown in Figure 5(a), the first light beam is expanded upon passing through the lens 1241. Furthermore, upon propagating toward the switching engine 116, the first light beam can be input from any port of the input / output array. The number of ports in each input / output array can be set according to actual circumstances. Figures 2, 3, and 5 illustrate the technical solutions of the present embodiment using five ports as an example, with the input light beam incident from the third port (the input port is bolded in Figure 5(a)). Upon returning from the lens 1241, Figure 5(b) illustrates the optical paths of two light beams of different wavelengths. One beam is switched by the switching lens 1241 to be output from the first port of the first input / output array 1021, while the other beam is switched by the switching lens 1241 to be output from the fifth port of the first input / output array 1021. The switching lens corresponding to each input / output array in the switching assembly can switch the light beam to the corresponding output port for output.

[0074] In an embodiment of the present application, the optical switching device may further include a second relay assembly 126 and a third relay assembly 128. The second relay assembly 126 and the third relay assembly 128 may each include two lenses. The second relay assembly 126 may include a third lens 1261 and a fourth lens 1262. The third relay assembly 128 may include a fifth lens 1281 and a sixth lens 1282. The second relay assembly 126 and the third relay assembly may each form a 4f architecture. The third lens 1261 and the fourth lens 1262 are located between the first group of input and output components 102 and the first polarization conversion component 106. The fifth lens 1281 and the sixth lens 1282 are located between the second group of input and output components 104 and the second polarization conversion component 108.

[0075] The two lenses in the second relay assembly 126 and the third relay assembly 128 may each form a 4f framework.

[0076] Specifically, the first group of input-output components 102 may be located on the first focal plane of the third lens 1261, the first Wollaston prism 1061 may be located on the first focal plane of the fourth lens 1061, and the third lens 1261 and the fourth lens 1262 may have the same second focal plane. The second group of input-output components 104 may be located on the first focal plane of the fifth lens 1281, the second Wollaston prism 1081 may be located on the first focal plane of the sixth lens, and the fifth lens 1281 and the sixth lens 1282 may have the same second focal plane.

[0077] The second relay assembly 126 and the third relay assembly 128 can adjust the first and second light beams along the dispersion direction. Specifically, the third lens 1261 can expand the first and second light beams along the dispersion direction, and the fourth lens 1262 can converge the first and second light beams along the dispersion direction onto the first Wollaston prism 1061. The fifth lens 1281 can expand the third and fourth light beams along the dispersion direction, and the sixth lens 1282 can converge the third and fourth light beams along the dispersion direction onto the second Wollaston prism 1081.

[0078] The third lens 1061 , the fourth lens 1062 , the fifth lens 1281 and the sixth lens 1282 may all be cylindrical prisms having a curved surface in the dispersion direction.

[0079] (a) and (b) of Figure 6 respectively show the shapes of each lens in the switching component (the first switching component 124 or the second switching component 125) and the second relay component 126 (or the third relay component 128). It can be seen that the lens in the switching component has a curved surface along the exchange direction (Y-axis), while the lens in the second relay component 126 or the third relay component 128 has a curved surface along the dispersion direction (X-axis).

[0080] In an embodiment of the present application, the optical switching device may further include a fourth relay component 122', and the fourth relay component 122' may include a seventh lens 1221' and an eighth lens 1222', wherein the seventh lens 1221' may be located between the first polarization component 110 and the dispersion component, and the eighth lens 1222' may be located between the dispersion component 112 and the second polarization component 114.

[0081] The dispersion component 112 can be located on the focal plane of the two lenses of the fourth relay component 122 ′. By controlling the focal lengths of the two lenses of the fourth relay component 122 ′, the size of the light spot formed on the switching engine 116 along the switching direction can be adjusted.

[0082] In one embodiment, the fourth relay component 122' can be a different device from the first relay component 122, so that the first relay component 122 can include a cylindrical lens with a curved surface along the dispersion direction, and the fourth relay component 122' can include a cylindrical lens with a curved surface along the exchange direction.

[0083] In another embodiment, the fourth relay component 122' can be the same device as the first relay component 122. In this way, the first relay component 122 can be an ordinary lens, which can simultaneously perform the functions of the first relay component 122 and the fourth relay component 122', that is, adjust the light beam along the exchange direction and the dispersion direction at the same time.

[0084] The optical paths of the light beams along the dispersion plane and the exchange plane are described in detail below with reference to FIG2 and FIG3 .

[0085] Referring to Figure 2 , a first light beam is input from a first input / output array 1021, and a second light beam is input from a second input / output array 1022. Each input / output array may include five ports, each of which may include at least one input port and at least one output port. For example, the third port is an input port, and the first, second, fourth, and fifth ports are output ports. Both the first and second light beams are input from the third port. The input ports may have corresponding optical fibers and microlenses, where the microlenses can collimate and expand the light beams. The first and second light beams may include beams of multiple wavelengths.

[0086] Along the switching direction, the first and second light beams are output from the input / output arrays and enter the first switching assembly 124. The input / output arrays may be on the focal plane of the switching assembly 124. The first switching assembly 124 may be a cylindrical lens having a curved surface in the switching direction, as shown in FIG4(a). After passing through the corresponding switching lens in the corresponding first switching assembly 124, the first and second light beams are expanded and enter the first prism 118. The first prism 118 is a polygonal prism having an inclined surface in the switching direction. It can reduce the distance between the central axes of the individual light beams along the switching direction or cause the light beams from different input / output arrays to be translated toward the central axis in the switching direction. The light beams then enter the seventh lens 1221' of the fourth relay assembly 122', causing the combined first and third light beams, as well as the combined second and fourth light beams, to change position along the switching direction. After passing through the second polarization assembly 114, the light beams are polarization-separated, so that the light beams from different input / output arrays are irradiated at different positions on the switching engine 116. The second polarization assembly 114 may be a coated PBS. After the switching engine 116 adjusts the angle of the light beam incident on the switching engine 116 along the switching direction, the light beam can pass through the fourth relay component 122', the first prism 118, and the first switching component 124 in sequence. The first switching component 124 switches the light beams from different input and output arrays to the corresponding output ports (the return light path is shown as the dotted line in Figure 5), and the output port is the fifth.

[0087] The third light beam and the fourth light beam pass through the second switching component 125, the second prism 120, the fourth relay component 122', and the second polarization component 114 in a manner similar to the first light beam and the second light beam, and then reach the switching engine 116. After the angle is adjusted by the switching engine 116, they return to the output ports of the third input and output array 1041 and the fourth input and output array 1042. The specific process can be referred to the description of the first light beam and the second light beam, and will not be repeated here.

[0088] The port to which the above-mentioned light beam is switched in the input and output array has been set by the switching engine to complete the corresponding switching. The switching engine can adjust and switch the sub-beams of each wavelength of each light beam separately. The above-mentioned switching to the fifth port is only for schematic illustration and does not constitute a limitation of the embodiments of the present application.

[0089] Along the dispersion direction, the first light beam and the second light beam first enter the third lens 1261 of the second relay assembly 126 for beam expansion and are then converged by the fourth lens 1262 and enter the first polarization conversion assembly 106 .

[0090] The first polarization conversion component 106 can convert the first light beam and the second light beam into light beams of a first polarization state. For example, the first polarization conversion component 106 may include a first Wollaston prism 1061 and a first half-wave plate 1062. After passing through the first Wollaston prism 1061, the first light beam is divided into two light beams with different polarization states: one is a P polarization state, and the other is an S polarization state. The first half-wave plate 1062 is set in the propagation direction of the S polarization state light beam, so as to convert the S polarization state light beam into a P polarization state light beam. In this way, the first light beam is converted into two P polarization state light beams by the first polarization conversion component 106. Similarly, the second light beam can be converted into two P polarization state light beams by the first polarization conversion component 106.

[0091] Similarly, a second half-wave plate can be set on the beam propagation path of the P-polarization state in the two beams of the third and fourth beams divided by the second Wollaston prism 1081, so that the third beam is converted into two beams of S-polarization state, and the fourth beam is converted into two beams of S-polarization state.

[0092] The two light beams converted from the first light beam and the two light beams converted from the third light beam are combined into two light beams after passing through the first polarization component 110, and are converted into two parallel light beams due to the action of the first lens 1221. The two light beams formed after the second light beam and the fourth light beam are combined also become two parallel light beams after passing through the first lens 1221.

[0093] After the combined light beam passes through the dispersion component 112 , the sub-beams of different wavelengths are separated along the dispersion direction and converged to the same position on the switching engine 116 after passing through the second lens 1222 .

[0094] Along the exchange direction, the combined beam passes through the second polarization component and is separated according to the polarization state, so that the beams from different input and output arrays are separated, that is, the combined beam of the first beam and the third beam is separated, and the combined beam of the second beam and the fourth beam is separated.

[0095] Figure 7 shows the optical path changes after the dispersed light beams enter second polarization assembly 114. As shown in Figure 7, two groups of light beams are visible in the switching direction, each group of light beams actually representing multiple light beams of different wavelengths. Specifically, WW2+WW4 refer to the light beams from second input / output array 1022 and fourth input / output array 1042, while WW1+WW3 refer to the light beams from first input / output array 1021 and third input / output array 1041. The sub-beams dispersed and separated after the first and third beams are combined are formed by combining the sub-beams dispersed and separated in the P-polarization state of the first beam and the sub-beams dispersed and separated in the S-polarization state of the third beam. After passing through the second polarization component 114, the above beams are separated according to polarization state. The P-polarization state component directly passes through the functional film of the second polarization component 114 and is totally reflected on the right side, impinging on the switching engine 116. The S-polarization state component is reflected after reaching the functional film, then passes through the top quarter-wave plate, is reflected by the top reflector, and passes through the quarter-wave plate again, changing its polarization state. It can then directly pass through the functional film and impinge on the switching engine 116. The sub-beams dispersed and separated after the second and fourth beams are combined are also formed in a similar manner, so that sub-beams of different wavelengths from different input and output arrays are illuminated at different positions on the switching engine 116.

[0096] The light beam that finally irradiates the switching engine 116 is a P-polarized light beam. If the switching engine 116 is sensitive to the S-polarization state, a half-wave plate can be set before the switching engine 116, as shown by the dotted line at the bottom of Figure 7, so that the P-polarized light beam is converted into the S-polarized state, allowing the switching engine to adjust the incident light beam.

[0097] Finally, a light spot as shown in FIG. 8 can be formed on the switching engine 116 . Light beams from different input and output arrays are projected to different positions of the switching engine 116 according to their wavelengths (λ1, λ2 . . . λn) and the input and output arrays to which they belong.

[0098] In an embodiment of the present application, when multiple input and output arrays are stacked along the X-axis, for example, a fifth input and output array and a sixth input and output array are set, and the light beams of the fifth input and output array and the sixth input and output array can also be combined after passing through the first polarization component 110, then the light beams of different wavelengths from the fifth input and output array and the sixth input and output array will also be separated.

[0099] In addition, the light beams from the third and fourth light beams in the figure propagate primarily in a direction perpendicular to the propagation direction of the light beams from the first and second light beams when they reach the first polarization component 110. However, this propagation direction is illustrated only schematically. For example, the light beams output by the third input / output array 1041 and the fourth input / output array 1042 may also propagate in a direction parallel to the propagation direction of the first and second light beams, but are reflected by a reflector before entering the first polarization component 110 and are incident on the first polarization component 110 in a direction perpendicular to the primary propagation direction of the first and second light beams. Alternatively, the first polarization component 110 may be modified into other forms, so that the light beams from the third and fourth light beams can propagate in a direction parallel to the light beams from the first and second light beams.

[0100] As shown in FIG9 (a), the upper light beam in the first polarization state can directly pass through the functional film of the first polarization component 110, while the lower light beam in the second polarization state is totally reflected by the boundary below the first polarization component 110 and then reflected by the functional film before being combined with the upper light beam. In FIG9 (b), a reflector is added, which has the same function as the boundary in FIG9 (a), thereby allowing the upper and lower light beams to be combined and propagated.

[0101] Moreover, the exchange direction, dispersion direction, and optical axis direction mentioned in this application are not necessarily completely physically the same direction at different optical device positions in the optical exchange device. For example, with respect to the optical axis direction, when the optical device is arranged as shown in FIG3 , the optical axes of the third light beam and the fourth light beam before entering the first polarization component 110 and the optical axis directions of the optical device after exiting the first polarization component 110 are perpendicular to each other, and the dispersion directions are also perpendicular to each other.

[0102] In Figures 2 and 3, the optical path of the light beam reaching the second polarization component 114 and the switching engine 116 is only shown schematically. The orientation of the switching engine is also drawn to be perpendicular to the optical axis for simplicity. The form of the switching engine 116 can also be set according to needs, for example, in the manner of Figure 7 or in other ways.

[0103] In addition, the focal lengths of the two lenses of each relay assembly can be the same or different, so as to adjust the light beam or change the spot size.

[0104] FIG10 illustrates another configuration of the second polarization assembly 114 and the switching engine 116 provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG10 , the switching engine 116 is disposed on both the right and bottom sides of the second polarization assembly. Light beams from the first and second input / output arrays 1021 and 1022 reach the right side of the switching engine 116, while light beams from the third and fourth input / output arrays 1041 and 1042 reach the bottom side of the switching engine 116.

[0105] Although the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present application have been shown and described above, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the optical switching device provided by the embodiments of the present application can be adjusted without departing from the principles and spirit of the embodiments of the present application. For example, the various components, lenses, and prisms described above can each be implemented by one or more optical devices, and are not limited to a single optical device. In addition, different components or lenses can include the same optical device to implement their functions.

[0106] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. An optical switching device, characterized in that: The system comprises a first group of input and output components (102), a second group of input and output components (104), a first switching component (124), a second switching component (125), a first polarization conversion component (106), a second polarization conversion component (108), a first polarization component (110), a dispersion component (112), a second polarization component (114), and a switching engine (116), wherein: The first group of input-output components (102) and the second group of input-output components (104) respectively include at least two input-output arrays arranged along a switching direction, the first group of input-output components (102) is used to transmit an input light beam to the first switching component (124), and the second group of input-output components (104) is used to transmit an input light beam to the second switching component (125); The first polarization conversion component (106) is used to convert the light beam passing through the first switching component (124) into a first polarization state; The second polarization conversion component (108) is used to convert the light beam passing through the second switching component (125) into a second polarization state, and the polarization directions of the first polarization state and the second polarization state are orthogonal; The first polarization component (110) is used to combine the light beams passing through the first polarization conversion component (106) and the second polarization conversion component (108); The dispersion component (112) is used to separate the light beam passing through the first polarization component (110) according to wavelength along a dispersion direction, wherein the dispersion direction is perpendicular to the exchange direction; The second polarization component (114) is used to separate the light beam passing through the dispersion component (112) according to the polarization state; The switching engine (116) is used to adjust the angle of the light beam returned from the second polarization component (114), so that the returned light beam is switched by the first switching component (124) to the output port of the input-output array of the first group of input-output components (102) and / or is switched by the second switching component (125) to the output port of the input-output array of the second group of input-output components (104).

2. The optical switching device according to claim 1, wherein: The optical exchange device further comprises: a first prism (118) and a second prism (120), wherein the first prism (118) is located between the first switching component (124) and the first polarization component (110), and the second prism (120) is located between the second switching component (125) and the first polarization component (110), wherein the first prism (118) is used to make the light beams from each input and output array in the first group of input and output components (102) translate toward the central axis along the exchange direction, and the second prism (120) is used to make the light beams from each input and output array in the second group of input and output components (104) translate toward the central axis along the exchange direction.

3. The optical switching device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The first switching component (124) includes a switching lens corresponding to each input-output array in the first group of input-output components (102), and the second switching component (125) includes a switching lens corresponding to each input-output array in the second group of input-output components (104).

4. The optical switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The first group of input-output components (102) is located on a focal plane of the first switching component (124), and the second group of input-output components (104) is located on a focal plane of the second switching component (125).

5. The optical switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The optical switching device also includes a first lens (1221) and a second lens (1222), wherein the first lens is located between the first polarization component (110) and the dispersion component (112), and the second lens is located between the dispersion component (112) and the switching engine (116).

6. The optical switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The optical switching device also includes a third lens (1261), a fourth lens (1262), a fifth lens (1281) and a sixth lens (1282), wherein the third lens (1261) and the fourth lens (1262) are located between the first group of input-output components (102) and the first polarization conversion component (106), and the fifth lens (1281) and the sixth lens (1282) are located between the second group of input-output components (104) and the second polarization conversion component (108).

7. The optical switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The optical switching device further comprises a seventh lens (1221') and an eighth lens (1222'), wherein the seventh lens (1221') is located between the first polarization component (110) and the dispersion component (112), and the eighth lens (1222') is located between the dispersion component (112) and the second polarization component (114).

8. The optical switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The first polarization conversion component (106) comprises a first Wollaston prism (1061) and a first half-wave plate (1062); the second polarization conversion component (108) comprises a second Wollaston prism (1081) and a second half-wave plate (1082); the first half-wave plate (1062) is located between the first Wollaston prism (1061) and the first polarization component (110); and the second half-wave plate (1082) is located between the second Wollaston prism (1081) and the first polarization component (110).

9. The optical switching device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The first Wollaston prism (1061) and the second Wollaston prism (1081) are located on a first focal plane of the first lens (1221), the switching engine (116) is located on a first focal plane of the second lens (1222), and the dispersion component (112) is located on a second focal plane of the first lens (1221) and the second lens (1222).

10. The optical switching device according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that: The first group of input-output components (102) is located on the first focal plane of the third lens (1261), the first Wollaston prism (1061) is located on the first focal plane of the fourth lens (1262), the second group of input-output components (104) is located on the first focal plane of the fifth lens (1281), the second Wollaston prism (1081) is located on the first focal plane of the sixth lens (1282), the third lens (1261) and the fourth lens (1262) have the same second focal plane, and the fifth lens (1281) and the sixth lens (1282) have the same second focal plane.

11. The optical switching device according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that: The dispersion component (112) is located on the focal plane of the seventh lens (1221') and the eighth lens (1222').

12. The optical switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: The first group of input-output components (102) includes a first input-output array (1021) and a second input-output array (1022); the second group of input-output components (104) includes a third input-output array (1041) and a fourth input-output array (1042); and the first polarization component (110) is used to combine light beams from the first input-output array (1021) and the third input-output array (1041), and to combine light beams from the second input-output array (1022) and the fourth input-output array (1042).

13. The optical switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that: The first polarization component (110) and the second polarization component (114) include a polarization beam splitter PBS.

14. The optical switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that: The dispersion component is a transmissive diffraction grating or a reflective diffraction grating or a transmissive diffraction prism or a reflective diffraction prism.

15. The optical switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that: The switching engine is any one of a liquid crystal on silicon chip, a micro-electromechanical system chip or a liquid crystal switching chip.

16. A reconfigurable optical add / drop multiplexer, comprising the optical switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

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