WSS with high port isolation and close spaced ports

1. A method for operating a wavelength selective switch (WSS) having M inputs, N outputs and a phased array switching engine (PASE), the method comprising:

receiving an optical signal at one of the M inputs;

spatially separating one or more wavelength channels from the received optical signal;

directing the spatially separated wavelength channels to cells of the PASE;

steering a wanted diffraction order of each spatially separated wavelength channel from each cell at an angle within a concentrated angular region relative to the PASE;

steering all unwanted diffraction orders of spatially separated wavelength channels from all cells at angles outside the concentrated angular region; and

directing each wanted diffraction order to one of the N outputs in accordance with the steering of the wanted diffraction orders.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the concentrated angular region is defined by a largest steering angle relative to a zero order reflection of the spatially separated wavelength channels from the PASE and a smallest steering angle relative to the zero order reflection wherein the largest steering angle is a margin less than twice the smallest steering angle.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the margin is approximately 0.2°.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the largest steering angle is less than approximately 10°.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising: closely spacing consecutive output ports of the N outputs such that each output port has an output port angle within the concentrated angular region.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein closely spacing consecutive output ports further comprises: spacing apart consecutive output ports by a spacing approximately equivalent to a minimum spacing necessary to avoid channel crosstalk.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising closely spacing the M inputs proximate to the N outputs by aligning the PASE at an angle between approximately 0.1° to approximately 2.0° relative to incident light.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting the PASE from the group consisting of a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) PASE and a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) mirrors PASE.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising programmatically controlling the steering angle imparted by each cell of the PASE.

10. A wavelength selective switch (WSS) comprising:

M inputs for receiving an optical signal; optics for spatially separating and directing one or more wavelength channels from the optical signal;

a phased array switching engine (PASE) comprising cells for imparting a phase shift or tilt to each wavelength channel,

a controller programmed for configuring the phase shift or tilts imparted by each cell for steering a wanted diffraction order of each spatially separated wavelength channel from each cell at an angle within a concentrated angular region relative to the PASE, and for steering all unwanted diffraction orders of spatially separated wavelength channels from all cells at angles outside the concentrated angular region; and

optics for directing each wanted diffraction order to one of the N outputs in accordance with the steering of the wanted diffraction orders by the PASE.

11. A wavelength selective switch (WSS) comprising:

M inputs for receiving an optical signal; optics for spatially separating and directing one or more wavelength channels from the optical signal;

a phased array switching engine (PASE) comprising cells, for steering a wanted diffraction order of each spatially separated wavelength channel from each cell at an angle within a concentrated angular region relative to the PASE, and for steering all unwanted diffraction orders of spatially separated wavelength channels from all cells at angles outside the concentrated angular region; and

optics for directing each wanted diffraction order to one of the N outputs in accordance with the steering of the wanted diffraction orders by the PASE;

wherein the concentrated angular region is defined by a largest steering angle relative to a zero order reflection of the spatially separated wavelength channels from the PASE and a smallest steering angle relative to the zero order reflection wherein the largest steering angle is a margin less than twice the smallest steering angle.

12. The WSS of claim 11 wherein the margin is approximately 0.2°.

13. The WSS of claim 12 wherein the largest steering angle is less than approximately 10°.

14. The WSS of claim 11 , wherein the N outputs comprise closely spaced consecutive output ports, each output port having an output port angle within the concentrated angular region.

15. The WSS of claim 14 wherein the closely spaced consecutive output ports further comprise output ports spaced apart by a spacing approximately equivalent to the minimum spacing necessary to avoid channel crosstalk.

16. The WSS of claim 11 , wherein the M inputs comprise M closely spaced inputs proximate to the N outputs and the PASE comprises a PASE aligned at an angle between approximately 0.1° and approximately 2.0° relative to the spatially separated wavelength channels.

17. The WSS of claim 11 , wherein the PASE is selected from the group consisting of a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) PASE and a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) mirrors PASE.

18. The WSS of claim 11 , further comprising a control signal for programmatically controlling the steering angle imparted by each cell of the PASE.

19. The WSS of claim 10 , wherein the concentrated angular region is defined by a largest steering angle relative to a zero order reflection of the spatially separated wavelength channels from the PASE and a smallest steering angle relative to the zero order reflection wherein the largest steering angle is a margin less than twice the smallest steering angle.

20. The WSS of claim 19 , wherein the margin is approximately 0.2°; and wherein the largest steering angle is less than approximately 10°.