Systems and methods for edge wavelength selective switching
A wavelength selective switch includes a first optical pathway for carrying first and second wavelengths to and from a first direction, a second optical pathway for carrying at least one wavelength to and from a second direction, a first add/drop port in communication with at least one of the first and second optical pathways over a third optical pathway, a first tunable wavelength topology coupled with the third optical pathway and one of the first and second optical pathways for optical transport of the first wavelength from the first direction to the first add/drop port, a second tunable wavelength topology coupled with the third optical pathway and one of the first and second optical pathways for optical transport of the second wavelength from the first add/drop port to the first direction. The first and second tunable wavelength topologies are configured to dynamically re-tune to a third wavelength.
1 . A wavelength selective switch (WSS), comprising:
a first optical pathway configured to carry a plurality of optical wavelengths, including a first optical wavelength and a second optical wavelength, to and from a first direction;
a second optical pathway configured to carry at least one optical wavelength of the plurality of optical wavelengths to and from a second direction different from the first direction;
a first add/drop port in communication with at least one of the first and second optical pathways over a third optical pathway;
a first tunable wavelength topology (i) coupled with the third optical pathway and at least one of the first and second optical pathways, (ii) configured to optically transport signal energy of the first optical wavelength from the first direction to the first add/drop port, and (iii) including multiple ring resonators of a plurality of serially-coupled ring resonators; and
a second tunable wavelength topology (i) coupled with the third optical pathway and at least one of the first and second optical pathways, (ii) configured to optically transport signal energy of the second optical wavelength from the first add/drop port to the first direction, and (iii) including multiple ring resonators of the plurality of serially-coupled ring resonators;
wherein at least one of the first and second tunable wavelength topologies is configured to, using a heating element, dynamically re-tune to a third optical wavelength different from the first and second optical wavelengths, wherein the heating element is configured to generate a plurality of temperature states that affects a ring diameter of at least one ring resonator of the plurality of serially-coupled ring resonators.
2 . The WSS of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second tunable wavelength topologies further comprises a control element configured to tune the plurality of serially-coupled ring resonators to (i) be on resonance with a particular wavelength of the plurality of optical wavelengths, and (ii) exclude signal energy of wavelengths different than the particular wavelength.
3 . The WSS of claim 2 , wherein the control element comprises the heating element.
4 . The WSS of claim 1 , wherein each temperature state of the plurality of temperature states includes a first temperature sub-state for enabling optical communication between the first add/drop port and the first direction, and a second temperature sub-state for enabling optical communication between the first add/drop port and the second direction.
5 . The WSS of claim 2 , wherein the control element is further configured to dynamically control a ring diameter of the plurality of serially-coupled ring resonators according to an electrolytic effect configured to dynamically change the ring diameter.
6 . The WSS of claim 2 , wherein the control element is further configured to control an index of refraction of the plurality of serially-coupled ring resonators.
7 . The WSS of claim 1 , further comprising;
a third tunable wavelength topology (i) coupled with the third optical pathway and at least one of the first and second optical pathways, and (ii) configured to optically transport signal energy of a fourth optical wavelength from the second direction to the first add/drop port; and
a fourth tunable wavelength topology (i) coupled with the third optical pathway and at least one of the first and second optical pathways, and (ii) configured to optically transport signal energy of a fifth optical wavelength from the first add/drop port to the second direction.
8 . The WSS of claim 7 , wherein the fourth optical wavelength is different than the first, second, and third optical wavelengths.
9 . The WSS of claim 7 , wherein the fourth optical wavelength is the same as the first optical wavelength.
10 . The WSS of claim 7 , wherein the third tunable wavelength topology is further configured for dynamic re-tuning to enable coupling, via resonance, of the signal energy of the first optical wavelength to the first add/drop port.
11 . The WSS of claim 1 , further comprising an optical crosspoint connecting the third optical pathway to one of the first and second optical pathways.
12 . The WSS of claim 1 , wherein the first optical pathway is contiguous with the second optical pathway.
13 . The WSS of claim 1 , wherein the first optical pathway is separate from the second optical pathway.
14 . The WSS of claim 13 , further comprising an interleaver disposed between the first optical pathway and the second optical pathway.
15 . A flexible optical wavelength-selective architecture, comprising:
a directional optical pathway connecting a first optical direction to a second optical direction, and configured for carrying a plurality of optical wavelengths;
a first add/drop optical pathway connecting to a first add/drop port;
a first plurality of ring structures (i) coupling the directional optical pathway with the first add/drop optical pathway, and (ii) configured for carrying one or more optical wavelengths of the plurality of optical wavelengths between the first direction and the add/drop port; and
a second plurality of ring structures (i) coupling the directional optical pathway with the first add/drop optical pathway, and (ii) configured for carrying one or more optical wavelengths of the plurality of optical wavelengths between the second direction and the add/drop port;
wherein each of the first and second plurality of ring structures includes:
a plurality of ring resonators having a ring diameter capable of being on resonance with at least one optical wavelength of the plurality of optical wavelengths; and
a heating element configured to dynamically alter a size of the ring diameter of one or more ring resonators of the plurality of ring resonators to enable the respective ring structure to dynamically tune from a first signal energy of a first wavelength of the plurality of optical wavelengths to a second signal energy of a second, different wavelength of the plurality optical wavelengths;
the heating element being configured to generate a plurality of temperature states that affects a ring diameter of at least one ring resonator of the plurality of ring resonators.
16 . The architecture of claim 15 , wherein the first plurality of ring structures contains an odd number of ring resonators, and wherein the second plurality of ring structures contains an even number of ring resonators.
17 . The architecture of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of temperature states affects respective ring diameters of multiple ring resonators of the plurality of ring resonators.
18 . The architecture of claim 15 , further comprising a processor in electrical communication with the heating element and configured to control the heating element to generate the plurality of temperature states.
19 . The WSS of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of temperature states affects respective ring diameters of multiple ring resonators of the plurality of serially-coupled ring resonators.
20 . The WSS of claim 1 , further comprising a processor in electrical communication with the heating element and configured to control the heating element to generate the plurality of temperature states.