Optical path control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9606296-B2
Application number	US-201614994670-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2016
Priority date	Jul 17, 2013
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

In an optical path control device, a light input section 1 forms optical apertures 61 a, 61 b to output dispersed beams L 2 a , L 2 b , respectively, so that propagation angles of the dispersed beams L 2 a , L 2 b in an YZ plane are different from each other, at a focal position on the dispersive element 5 side of an optical power element 6 . The dispersed beams L 2 a , L 2 b propagating at their respective angles different from each other in the YZ plane are individually coupled to optical deflectors 7 a, 7 b , respectively.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical path control device comprising first to thirteenth elements,
wherein the first element includes a first input port to which a first wavelength-multiplexed beam is input and a second input port to which a second wavelength-multiplexed beam is simultaneously input,
wherein the second element is comprised of the third and fourth elements and is an anamorphic converter configured to convert an aspect ratio of beam spots of the first and second wavelength-multiplexed beams input from the first and second input ports,
wherein the third element includes first and second optical power elements arranged in juxtaposition in propagation directions of the first and second wavelength-multiplexed beams and configured to converge the first and second wavelength-multiplexed beams in a plane spanned by the propagation directions of the first and second wavelength-multiplexed beams and a first direction,
wherein the fourth element includes a third optical power element configured to collimate the first and second wavelength-multiplexed beams in a plane spanned by a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and the propagation directions of the wavelength-multiplexed beams,
wherein the fifth element is a first dispersive element configured to rotate a propagation direction of light of each wavelength included in each of the first and second wavelength-multiplexed beams around an axis along the first direction depending upon the wavelength, in a plane spanned by the propagation directions of the first and second wavelength-multiplexed beams output from the second element and the second direction, thereby to generate each of a plurality of first dispersed beams and a plurality of second dispersed beams characterized by wavelengths,
wherein the sixth element includes a fourth optical power element configured to converge each of the first and second dispersed beams and align propagation directions of the first and second dispersed beams with each other, in a plane spanned by the propagation directions of the first and second dispersed beams output from the fifth element and the second direction,
wherein the seventh element is first and second optical deflectors configured to rotate each of the first and second dispersed beams around an axis along a third direction perpendicular to the first direction, in a plane spanned by the propagation directions of the first and second dispersed beams output from the sixth element and the first direction, the first and second optical deflectors being provided in juxtaposition in the first direction,
wherein the eighth element includes a fifth optical power element configured to rotate each of the first and second dispersed beams output from the seventh element around an axis along a fourth direction perpendicular to the third direction depending upon the wavelength, in a plane spanned by the propagation directions of the first and second dispersed beams output from the seventh element and the third direction,
wherein the ninth element is a second dispersive element configured to multiplex each of the first and second dispersed beams, in a plane spanned by the propagation directions of the first and second dispersed beams output from the eighth element and the third direction, to generate first and second multiplexed beams,
wherein the tenth element is comprised of the eleventh and twelfth elements and is an anamorphic converter configured to convert an aspect ratio of beam spots of the first and second multiplexed beams,
wherein the eleventh element includes sixth and seventh optical power elements configured to converge the first and second multiplexed beams in a plane spanned by propagation directions of the first and second multiplexed beams and the fourth direction,
wherein the twelfth element includes an eighth optical power element configured to converge the first and second multiplexed beams in a plane spanned by the propagation directions of the first and second multiplexed beams and the third direction,
wherein the thirteenth element includes first and second output ports configured to output the first and second multiplexed beams, respectively, output from the tenth element,
wherein the first element forms first and second optical apertures to output the first and second dispersed beams, respectively, so that propagation angles of the first and second dispersed beams are different from each other in a second plane spanned by the propagation directions of the first and second dispersed beams and the first direction, at a focal position on the fifth element side of the sixth element, and
wherein the first and second dispersed beams having propagated at the respective angles different from each other in the second plane are individually coupled to the first and second optical deflectors, respectively.

2. The optical path control device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first and second input ports are arranged in juxtaposition in the first direction, and
wherein the first element forms third and fourth optical apertures to output the first and second wavelength-multiplexed beams, respectively, so that propagation angles of the first and second wavelength-multiplexed beams are different from each other in a second plane spanned by the propagation directions of the first and second wavelength-multiplexed beams and the first direction, at a focal position on the first element side of the third element.

3. The optical path control device according to claim 2 ,
wherein optical axes of the first and second wavelength-multiplexed beams intersect with each other, between the third and fourth optical apertures and the first and second input ports in the propagation directions of the first and second wavelength-multiplexed beams.

4. The optical path control device according to claim 1 ,
wherein a focal position of the first element in the propagation directions of the first and second wavelength-multiplexed beams is coincident with a focal position on the first element side of the first optical power element in the directions, and
wherein the first element makes the first and second wavelength-multiplexed beams propagate at respective angles different from each other in the plane spanned by the propagation directions of the first and second wavelength-multiplexed beams and the first direction.

5. The optical path control device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first element further includes a tenth optical power element configured to adjust beam diameters of the first and second dispersed beams at the first and second optical apertures.

6. The optical path control device according to claim 1 ,
wherein each of the first and second optical power elements includes a plurality of lenses arranged as divided along the first direction.

7. The optical path control device according to claim 1 ,
wherein each of the sixth to eighth optical power elements includes a plurality of lenses arranged as divided along the fourth direction.

8. The optical path control device according to claim 1 ,
wherein an optical power of the first optical power element and an optical power of the second optical power element are equal to each other.

9. The optical path control device according to claim 1 ,
wherein an optical power of the sixth optical power element and an optical power of the seventh optical power element are equal to each other.

Assignees

• Sumitomo Electric Industries

Inventors

• Ohtsuka Takafumi

Classifications

• G02B6/3512

  the optical element being reflective, e.g. mirror · CPC title

• G02B26/02 Primary

  for controlling the intensity of light {(G02B26/004 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G02B6/356

  in an optical cross-connect device, e.g. routing and switching aspects of interconnecting different paths propagating different wavelengths to (re)configure the various input and output links (switching polarized beams G02B6/3594; power equalizers G02B6/356 and G02B6/3594; path selecting means H04Q11/0001) · CPC title

• G02B6/32

  having lens focusing means {positioned between opposed fibre ends (with lens being an integral part of the single fibre end G02B6/262)} · CPC title

• G02B6/352

  the reflective optical element having a shaped reflective surface, e.g. a reflective element comprising several reflective surfaces or facets that function together · CPC title