Reconfigurable port array for wavelength selective switch

• Main Authors: YUAN, HAI JI, J, JI YIMING, WANG LIXIN, LU XUEWEN, JIANG GUOMIN, HELEN CHEN, LI QINGYU, CAO WENYI
• Format: Patent
• Language: Chinese; English
• Published: 21.10.2022
• Subjects: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICS; PHYSICS

The invention relates to a reconfigurable port array for a wavelength selective switch. The reconfigurable polarization rotator is formed from an array of very small liquid crystal (LC) cells (e.g., cells having a width of less than 10 [mu] m, referred to as "microcells"), hereinafter referred to as "microcells". Each LC microcell is addressable by an independent voltage input that independently controls the polarization rotation performed by the associated LC microcell. By defining a set of adjacent microcells to remain at the same voltage level, the set may be used to form a polarization rotator window of appropriate size for a first fiber array configuration. When fiber arrays of different configurations (e.g., arrays with double pitches) are used, a set of adjacent LC microcells of different sizes are maintained at a common voltage level so as to form a reconstructed "window" with a new size. 本申请涉及用于波长选择开关的可重构端口阵列。可重构偏振旋转器由非常小的液晶(LC)单元(例如，宽度小于10μm的单元，称为"微单元")阵列形成，非常小的液晶(LC)单元下文称为"微单元"。每个LC微单元可通过独立的电压输入来寻址