Jds Uniphase Corporation

Other

Stephen Robert De Hennin

Paul Colbourne

Sheldon McLaughlin

Pierre D Wall

Steven Harold Moffat

Philip Patrick Duggan

Martin Matthews

David William Charles Markin

A wavelength selective switch (WSS) based on an array of MEMS mirrors tiltable in 1-dimension about only one axis exhibits 'hitting' or unwanted port connections during switching. Two WSS's can be cascaded to create M&#xd7;N switching functionality in a hitless manner by the inclusion of block ports at specified positions in one or both of the WSS's. Greater use efficiency of ports can be achieved if quasi-hitless performance is acceptable.

MxN wavelength selective switch

Hitless MxN wavelength selective switch

An array of optical elements for processing a spatially dispersed optical beam including monitoring optical elements for determining the position of the optical beam in the array is disclosed. The monitoring optical elements have a width that varies in ay direction normal to the array axis, enabling the determination of the beam position across the monitoring elements in both x and y directions. The monitoring optical elements are preferably disposed in the end portions of the array for the beam tilt determination. The optical elements can be e.g. liquid crystal pixels or micro-mirrors.

Optical array with beam alignment feature

Growing community of inventors

Ottawa, Canada

Stephen Robert De Hennin