Method for pre-calculating and applying optimized phase patterns to LCoS switch panel of WSS module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12231832-B2
Application number	US-202217822306-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2022
Priority date	Aug 25, 2022
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

Abstract

Advanced hologram techniques pre-calculate holograms to be displayed on an LCoS switch panel of a wavelength selective switch (WSS) module. The holograms are generated offline and are then stored on the WSS module for later retrieval. Each of the holograms is associated with a defined parameter, such as an attenuation level, and each of the holograms is configured to create a reconfigurable phase grating profile or pattern of the pixels of the LCoS switch panel. Each phase pattern selectively directs desired diffraction orders of optical channels from the LCoS switch panel for output to selected ports and selectively directs undesired diffraction orders away from the ports and at a desired attenuation level. During operation, the WSS module can retrieve the stored holograms. Interpolation can determine intermediate holograms between parameter values, and a ramp function can be added to the pattern to account for steering adjustments.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for processing an input beam, the apparatus comprising:
a plurality of ports being separated by port spacing, at least one of the ports being configured to transmit the input beam;
a dispersion element arranged in optical communication with the input beam from the at least one port and configured to disperse the input beam into optical channels;
a switch assembly arranged in optical communication with the optical channels from the dispersion element, the switch assembly being liquid crystal based and having a plurality of pixels, the pixels being individually addressable; and
control circuitry arranged in operational communication with the switch assembly, the control circuitry storing a plurality of holograms, each of the holograms associated with a defined parameter, each of the holograms configured to create a reconfigurable phase grating profile of the pixels of the switch assembly, each of the reconfigurable phase grating profiles being configured to selectively direct a portion of one or more diffracted beams of one or more of the optical channels from the switch assembly relative to one or more of the ports, the control circuitry being configured to select at least one of the holograms based on the defined parameter and being configured to control the switch assembly based on the at least one selected hologram;
wherein the defined parameter is selected from the group consisting of a targeted attenuation level for the optical channels, a wavelength range for the optical channels, a geometric alignment of the ports of the apparatus, a steering gradient, and an operating temperature of the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the reconfigurable phase grating profiles include phase values for the pixels having non-uniform steps in a blazing phase pattern.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ports comprise fibers of a fiber array, the port spacing being uniform; wherein the dispersion element comprises a diffraction grating; and wherein the control circuitry comprises one or more processing units in operable communication with memory.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a lens arranged in optical communication with the dispersion element;
a polarization optic arranged in optical communication with the ports; and
an imaging mirror arranged in optical communication between the ports, the dispersion element, and the switch assembly.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the switch assembly comprises a liquid-crystal-on-silicon (LCoS) switch panel having:
a transparent layer having a transparent electrode;
a silicon substrate having electrodes for the individually addressable pixels; and
a liquid crystal material between the transparent layer and the silicon substrate.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein to selectively direct the portion of the one or more diffracted beams of the one or more of the optical channels from the switch assembly relative to the one or more of the ports, each of the reconfigurable phase grating profiles is configured to:
selectively direct at least a first order of the one or more diffracted beams from the switch assembly for output to selected one or more of the ports; and
selectively direct at least a higher order of the one or more diffracted beams from the switch assembly away from the ports.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein to selectively direct the portion of the one or more diffracted beams of the one or more of the optical channels from the switch assembly relative to the one or more of the output ports, each of the reconfigurable phase grating profiles is configured to attenuate the portion to a targeted attenuation level as the defined parameter.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
obtain a current parameter associated with the apparatus;
find at least one of the holograms stored in memory having the defined parameter that is at least associated with the current parameter; and
retrieve the at least one hologram found in memory.

9. A wavelength selective switch for processing an input beam, the wavelength selective switch comprising the apparatus of claim 1 .

10. An apparatus for processing an input beam, the apparatus comprising:
a plurality of ports being separated by port spacing, at least one of the ports being configured to transmit the input beam;
a dispersion element arranged in optical communication with the input beam from the at least one port and configured to disperse the input beam into optical channels;
a switch assembly arranged in optical communication with the optical channels from the dispersion element, the switch assembly being liquid crystal based and having a plurality of pixels, the pixels being individually addressable; and
control circuitry arranged in operational communication with the switch assembly, the control circuitry storing a plurality of holograms, each of the holograms associated with a defined parameter, each of the holograms configured to create a reconfigurable phase grating profile of the pixels of the switch assembly, each of the reconfigurable phase grating profiles being configured to selectively direct a portion of one or more diffracted beams of one or more of the optical channels from the switch assembly relative to one or more of the ports, the control circuitry being configured to select at least one of the holograms based on the defined parameter and being configured to control the switch assembly based on the at least one selected hologram;
wherein the control circuitry comprises an interpolation module being configured to:
select at least two of the holograms having the defined parameters associated on both sides of an intermediate parameter value;
interpolate an intermediate hologram between the at least two selected holograms; and
control the switch assembly based on the intermediate hologram.

11. An apparatus for processing an input beam, the apparatus comprising:
a plurality of ports being separated by port spacing, at least one of the ports being configured to transmit the input beam;
a dispersion element arranged in optical communication with the input beam from the at least one port and configured to disperse the input beam into optical channels;
a switch assembly arranged in optical communication with the optical channels from the dispersion element, the switch assembly being liquid crystal based and having a plurality of pixels, the pixels being individually addressable; and
control circuitry arranged in operational communication with the switch assembly, the control circuitry storing a plurality of holograms, each of the holograms associated with a defined parameter, each of the holograms configured to create a reconfigurable phase grating profile of the pixels of the switch assembly, each of the reconfigurable phase grating profiles being configured to selectively direct a portion of one or more diffracted beams of one or more of the optical channels from the switch assembly relative to one or more of the ports, the control circuitry being configured to select at least one of the holograms based on the defined parameter and being configured to control the switch assembly based on the at least one selected hologram;

wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
obtain a current parameter associated with the apparatus;
find at least one of the holograms stored in memory having the defined parameter that is at least associated with the current parameter; and
retrieve the at least one hologram found in memory;
and wherein the control circuitry comprises an interpolation module being configured to:
select at least two of the stored

Assignees

• Ii Vi Delaware Inc

Inventors

• Fennema Alan A
• Yuan Haijun
• Nanita Wilfredo C
• Correya Oswald
• Kelly Jack R
• Schwartz Thomas J

Classifications

• G02B5/32

  Holograms used as optical elements · CPC title

• H04Q2011/0028

  using holograms · CPC title

• H04Q11/0003 Primary

  Details · CPC title

• G02B27/0012 Primary

  Optical design, e.g. procedures, algorithms, optimisation routines · CPC title