Multi-layer wavelength-division multiplexing devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11310570-B2
Application number	US-202017064103-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2020
Priority date	Apr 17, 2018
Publication date	Apr 19, 2022
Grant date	Apr 19, 2022

Abstract

Disclosed herein are multi-layer wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) devices that include a first optical signal router to route first demultiplexed signals from a common layer to a first channel layer and a second optical signal router to route second demultiplexed signals from the common layer to a second channel layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) device, comprising:
a common layer comprising:
a first common port configured for optical communication of a multiplexed signal comprising a plurality of signals; and
a plurality of WDM filters each having different passband so as to be configured to pass a different signal of the plurality of signals and reflect other signals of the plurality of signals, wherein the plurality of WDM filters includes a first WDM filter array and a second WDM filter array that is spaced from the first WDM filter array;

a first channel layer comprising a first channel array of channel ports, wherein each channel port in the first channel array is configured for optical communication of one of the different signals passed by the WDM filters in the first WDM filter array;
a second channel layer comprising a second channel array of channel ports, wherein each channel port in the second channel array is configured for optical communication of one of the different signals passed by the WDM filters in the second WDM filter array;
a first optical signal router configured to route the different signals passed by the WDM filters in the first WDM filter array from the common layer to the first channel layer; and
a second optical signal router configured to route the different signals passed by the WDM filters in the second WDM filter array from the common layer to the second channel layer.

2. The WDM device of claim 1 , wherein the first optical signal router comprises a first trapezoidal prism and the second optical signal router comprises a second trapezoidal prism.

3. The WDM device of claim 1 , wherein the first optical signal router is positioned to overlap the common layer and the first channel layer.

4. The WDM device of claim 3 , wherein the second optical signal router is positioned to overlap the common layer and the second channel layer.

5. The WDM device of claim 1 , wherein the common layer comprises a common layer substrate and the first common port and the plurality of WDM filters are coupled to the common layer substrate, wherein the first channel layer comprises a first channel layer substrate and the channel ports of the first channel array are coupled to the first channel layer substrate, and wherein the second channel layer comprises a second channel layer substrate and the channel ports of the second channel array are coupled to the second channel layer substrate.

6. The WDM device of claim 5 , wherein first optical signal router is secured to the first channel layer substrate and the second optical signal router is secured to the common layer substrate.

7. The WDM device of claim 6 , wherein the common layer substrate, the first channel layer substrate, the second channel layer substrate, the first optical signal router and the second optical signal router have a length between about 35 mm and about 70 mm, a height less than or about equal to 10 mm, and a width less than about 25 mm.

8. The WDM device of claim 5 , wherein the common layer substrate is positioned between the first channel layer substrate and the second channel layer substrate.

9. The WDM device of claim 5 , wherein the first channel layer substrate is offset from the common layer substrate by a distance equal to or greater than a height of the first common port.

10. The WDM device of claim 5 , wherein the second channel layer substrate is offset from the common layer substrate by a distance equal to or greater than a height of the second channel port.

11. The WDM device of claim 1 , wherein the first common port comprises a first common collimator and each channel port of the first channel array comprises a first channel collimator.

12. A wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) device, comprising:
a common layer comprising:
a first common port configured for optical communication of a multiplexed signal comprising a plurality of signals; and
a plurality of WDM filters each having different passband so as to be configured to pass a different signal of the plurality of signals and reflect other signals of the plurality of signals, wherein the plurality of WDM filters includes a first WDM filter array and a second WDM filter array that is spaced from the first WDM filter array;

a first channel layer comprising a first channel array of channel ports, wherein each channel port in the first channel array is configured for optical communication of one of the different signals passed by the WDM filters in the first WDM filter array;
a second channel layer comprising a second channel array of channel ports, wherein each channel port in the second channel array is configured for optical communication of one of the different signals passed by the WDM filters in the second WDM filter array, wherein the common layer is located between the first channel layer and the second channel layer;
a first optical signal router positioned to overlap the common layer and the first channel layer, the first optical signal router configured to route the different signals passed by the WDM filters in the first WDM filter array from the common layer to the first channel layer; and
a second optical signal router positioned to overlap the common layer and the second channel layer, the second optical signal router configured to route the different signals passed by the WDM filters in the second WDM filter array from the common layer to the second channel layer.

13. The WDM device of claim 12 , wherein:
the common layer further comprises a common layer substrate;
the first channel layer further comprises a first channel layer substrate; and
an offset between the common layer substrate and the first channel layer substrate is equal to or greater than a height of the first common port.

14. The WDM device of claim 12 , wherein:
the common layer further comprises a common layer substrate;
the first channel layer further comprises a first channel layer substrate,
the first common port is mounted to a first surface of the common layer substrate; and
the second channel port is mounted to a second surface of the common layer substrate, the second surface opposite the first surface.

15. The WDM device of claim 12 , wherein the common layer comprises a common layer substrate and the first common port and the plurality of WDM filters are coupled to the common layer substrate, wherein the first channel layer comprises a first channel layer substrate and the channel ports of the first channel array are coupled to the first channel layer substrate, and wherein the second channel layer comprises a second channel layer substrate and the channel ports of the second channel array are coupled to the second channel layer substrate.

16. The WDM device of claim 15 , wherein the first optical signal router is mounted to the first channel layer substrate and the second optical signal router is mounted to the common layer substrate.

17. The WDM device of claim 16 , wherein the first optical signal router comprises a first trapezoidal prism and the second optical signal router comprises a second trapezoidal prism.

18. The WDM device of claim 12 , wherein the first common port comprises a first common collimator and each channel port of the first channel array comprises a first channel collimator.

19. The WDM device of claim 12 , wherein the common layer further comprises a second common port configured for optical communication of a second multiplexed signal.

20. A method of using a wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) device, compris

Assignees

• Alliance Fiber Optics Prod Inc

Inventors

• Gui Dong
• Li Yao
• Xiao Shudong
• Zhou Andy Fenglei

Classifications

• H04J14/02 Primary

  Wavelength-division multiplex systems · CPC title

• H04Q2011/0016

  using wavelength multiplexing or demultiplexing · CPC title

• H04Q11/0005 Primary

  Switch and router aspects · CPC title

• G02B6/262

  Optical details of coupling light into, or out of, or between fibre ends, e.g. special fibre end shapes or associated optical elements · CPC title

• G02B6/3636

  the mechanical coupling means being grooves (G02B6/3652 takes precedence) · CPC title