Inventors:
Roger Jonathan Helkey - Montecito CA, US
John Edward Bowers - Santa Barbara CA, US
Xuezhe Zheng - Santa Barbara CA, US
David Welsh - Goleta CA, US
Robert Anderson - Oxnard CA, US
Olivier Jerphagnon - Santa Ynez CA, US
Assignee:
Calient Technologies, Inc. - Goleta CA
International Classification:
G02B 6/26, G02B 6/28, G02B 6/34, G02B 6/42, H04J 14/00, H04B 10/00
US Classification:
385 18, 385 16, 385 17, 385 24, 385 37, 398 43, 398118
Abstract:
A wavelength-selective optical switch for switching arbitrary wavelengths between optical fibers in mesh networks, using interference filters for separating optical wavelengths, and two-dimensional arrays of micromirrors for switching. Broadband switch inputs and outputs are provided for adding and dropping arbitrary wavelengths at each node of the network. A two-stage multiplexer and two-stage demultiplexer are provided to simplify the free-space demultiplexer and multiplexer. Mechanisms are provided that allows full non-blocking functionality in the presence of finite yield of the micromirror arrays.