JPH01136494A - Wavelength division optical switch - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To save the hardware remarkably in comparison with conventional technology with the constitution of n-set of mXm optical matrixes for the highway switch by constituting the highway switch in a large capacity wavelength multiplex optical switch by m-set of acoustooptical elements as basic components. CONSTITUTION:The output light of primary optical highways 3-1-3-m is collimated by collimating lenses 10-1-10-m and inputted to acoustooptical elements 11-1-11-m. The elements 11-1-11-m are driven by a signal being the result of the signal superimposed with electric signals of frequencies f1-fn by a superimposition circuit M. Then the optical signal of wavelengths lambda1-lambdan to be inputted is diffracted in a direction of thetaij=lambdaifj/v (v is sound velocity of acoustooptical medium) independently of the frequencies f1-fn. Thus, the diffracted light is collected by condenser lenses 12-1-12-m, then the light is made incident in an optical channel of waveguide arrays 13-1-13-m.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a small-sized, large-capacity wavelength division optical switch.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 4 shows the configuration of a conventionally proposed large-capacity wavelength division optical switch. The principle of this conventional configuration will be explained with reference to FIG.

The signals of channels 1 to n are wavelength division multiplexed as optical signals of wavelengths λ1 to λn, and the input optical signals are
1 to 1-m. Each input optical highway 1-1
The wavelengths of optical signals with wavelengths λ1 to λn on ~1-m are mutually converted by primary wavelength conversion switches 2-1 to 2-m, and optical signals with wavelengths λ1 to λn on the primary optical highway 3-m are converted into optical signals having wavelengths λ1 to λn.
Output to 1-5-m. Each primary light highway 3-1 to 3
-m is sent to wavelength λ1 by demultiplexers 4-1 to 4-m.
~λn optical signals are collected, and the lights of the same wavelength are inputted to the optical matrix switches 5-1 to 5-n, and switched between the respective highways.

The optical matrix switches 5-1 to 5-n are, for example, the fifth
This can be achieved by placing movable prisms as shown in the figure at four points and inserting/removing them.

Lights from the same output channels of optical matrix switches 5-1 to 5-n are multiplexed by multiplexers 6-1 to 6-mK, respectively, and output to secondary optical highways 7-1 to 7-m. Wavelengths λ1 to λ of optical signals on each secondary optical highway 7-1 to 7-m
n is mutually converted by secondary wavelength conversion switches 8-1 to B-m, and outputted to output light ways 9-1 to 9-m as optical signals having wavelengths λ1 to λY.

In this conventional configuration, the primary wavelength conversion switches 2-1 to 2-m
, secondary wavelength conversion switches 8-1 to 8-m exchange wavelengths on the same optical highway, and optical matrix switches 5-1 to 5-n exchange highways between optical signals of the same wavelength. According to the above, a large-capacity wavelength division optical switch that allows internal blocking can be realized.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

The conventional large-capacity wavelength division optical switch described above has the problem that it requires a large amount of hardware and is large in size.

An object of the present invention is to significantly reduce the amount of required hardware and to provide a compact, large-capacity wavelength division optical switch.

[Means for solving problems]

To achieve the above object, the present invention uses an I/way switch based on m acousto-optic elements in place of the n m x m optical matrix switches used in the conventional configuration. I decided to do so.

[Effect]

The main feature of the present invention is that the highway switch in a large-capacity wavelength division multiplexing optical switch is configured based on m acousto-optic elements.
This makes it possible to significantly reduce the amount of hardware compared to the conventional technology which consists of n optical matrix switches.

〔Example〕

Next, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, 1-1 to 1-m are input optical highways, 2
-1 to 2-m are primary wavelength conversion switches, 3-1 to 3-m
is a primary optical highway, 10-1 to 10-m are premating lenses, 11-1 to 11-m are acousto-optic elements, 1
2-1 to 12-m are condenser lenses, IS-1xIS
-m is an m-channel waveguide array, 6-1 to 6-m are multiplexers, 7-1 to 7-m are secondary optical highways, 8-t-8
-m is a secondary wavelength conversion switch, and 9-1 to 9-m are output light equalizers. The circuit operation of one embodiment of the present invention will be explained below with reference to FIG.

The signals of channels 1 to n are wavelength division multiplexed as optical signals of wavelengths λ1 to λn, and each input optical signal is
It transmits from 1 to 1-mK. Each input optical highway 1-1
The wavelengths of optical signals with wavelengths λ1 to λn on ~1-m are mutually converted by the primary wavelength conversion switches 2-1 to 2-mK, and the same optical signals with wavelengths λ1 to λn are converted to the primary optical highway 3-.
Output to 1-3-m. Each primary optical highway S-1 to 5
-m output light collimating lens 10-1 to 10
-m to make the light parallel, and the acousto-optic elements 11-1 to 11-
Input mK large.

The input wavelength λ1 to λ is driven by the input signal.
The optical signal of n is independently θ1j=λi for f1 to fnK.
f)/V (y: sound speed of the acousto-optic medium).

Therefore, this diffracted light is transmitted through the condensing lenses 12-1 to 12-m.
When the light is focused by , it is possible to make light of any wavelength enter any channel of the waveguide arrays 13-1 to 13-m as shown in FIG. The output lights of the same channel of the waveguide arrays 13-1 to 13-m are multiplexed by multiplexers 6-1 to 6-m, respectively, and output to secondary optical highways 7-1 to 7-m. The wavelengths of the optical signals having wavelengths λ1 to λn on the secondary optical highway are mutually converted by the secondary wavelength conversion switches 8-1 to 8-m, and outputted to the output optical highway as optical signals having the same wavelengths λ1 to λn.

The present invention provides primary wavelength conversion switches 2-1 to 2-m.

The secondary wavelength conversion switches 8-1 to 8-m change the wavelength on the same optical highway, and the acousto-optic element 1
1-1 to 11-mf: A basic highway switch can realize high switching between optical signals of the same wavelength.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, in the present invention, mX
Instead of realizing a highway switch using n optical matrix switches, since the highway switch is realized using m acousto-optic elements, it has the advantage that it requires less hardware and can be made smaller.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the waveguide array light receiving section in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a conventional large-capacity wavelength division optical switch, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing cross points of a highway switch used in a conventional large-capacity wavelength division optical switch. Explanation of symbols 1-1 to 1-m... Input optical highway, 2-1
~2-m...Primary wavelength conversion switch, 3-1~
3-m・・・1st light highway, 4-1~4-m
......Demultiplexer, 5-1 to 5-m...Optical matrix switch, 6-1 to 6-m...Multiplexer, 7-1 to 7- m...Secondary light highway, 8-
1 to 8-m...Secondary wavelength conversion switch, 9-1
~9-m...Output light, 10-1~
10-m... Collimating lens, 11-
1 to 11-m... Acousto-optic element, 12-1 to 1
2-m... Condensing lens, 13-1 to 13-m.
...Waveguide array agent Patent attorney Akira Namiki
Husband's agent Patent attorney Kiyowara Matsuzaki 2 Figure f + fn Rei 3 Figure ↓ Ryo 5 country

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1) Signals of channel 1 to channel n have wavelengths λ_1 to λ_
m input optical highways that wavelength division multiplex and transmit n optical signals, and a primary wavelength conversion switch that converts the wavelengths of the optical signals on each of the above input optical highways and outputs them as optical signals with wavelengths λ_1 to λ_n. m primary optical highways that transmit each output optical signal of the primary wavelength conversion switch; and a highway switch 1 that performs inter-highway switching of optical signals of the same wavelength of the m primary optical highways. m secondary optical highways that transmit the output signal of this highway switch, and a secondary wavelength conversion switch that converts the wavelength of the optical signal on this secondary optical highway and outputs it as an optical signal with wavelengths λ_1 to λ_n. m, and an output optical highway m that transmits the output signal of this secondary wavelength conversion switch.
The highway switch includes m collimating lenses that convert the output lights of the m primary optical highways into parallel lights, and a wavelength division switch that converts each of the output lights of the m collimating lenses into n parallel lights. m acousto-optic elements that diffract light in different types of independent directions; m optical waveguide arrays of channels, m multiplexers that combine the outputs of the same channels of the m waveguide arrays,
A wavelength division optical switch characterized in that it is a highway switch consisting of (where n and m are integers).