M×N wavelength selective switch for high degree count
A wavelength selective switch (WSS) may include a first set of ports, each to launch a respective beam of a first set of beams, wherein the first set of beams is provided to a first position on a focal plane, and wherein a first set of wavelength channel sub-beams, included in a beam of the first set of beams, is to be incident on a particular section of a switching array. The WSS may include a second set of ports, each to launch a respective beam of a second set of beams, wherein the second set of beams is provided to a second position on the focal plane, wherein the second position is different from the first position, and wherein a second set of wavelength channel sub-beams, included in a beam of the second set of beams, is to be incident on the particular section of the switching array.
1. A wavelength selective switch (WSS), comprising:
a first set of ports, each to launch a respective beam of a first set of beams,
wherein the first set of beams is provided to a first position on a focal plane associated with the WSS, and
wherein a first set of wavelength channel sub-beams, included in a beam of the first set of beams, is to be incident on a particular section of a switching array of the WSS; and
a second set of ports, each to launch a respective beam of a second set of beams,
wherein the second set of beams is provided to a second position on the focal plane associated with the WSS,
wherein the second position is different from the first position, and
wherein a second set of wavelength channel sub-beams, included in a beam of the second set of beams, is to be incident on the particular section of the switching array.
2. The WSS of claim 1 , wherein the first set of ports is offset from the second set of ports in a direction that is parallel to a switching direction of the switching array and in a direction that is perpendicular to the switching direction of the switching array.
3. The WSS of claim 1 , wherein the first set of ports and the second set of ports are included in separate port arrays.
4. The WSS of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first lens to direct the first set of beams to the first position on the focal plane, and
a second lens to direct the second set of beams to the second position on the focal plane.
5. The WSS of claim 1 , wherein the switching array is a second switching array, and
wherein the WSS further comprises a first switching array including:
a first element arranged at the first position on the focal plane associated with the WSS; and
a second element arranged at the second position on the focal plane associated with the WSS,
wherein the second element and the first element are separate elements.
6. The WSS of claim 1 , wherein the first set of ports and the second set of ports are included in a single port array.
7. The WSS of claim 6 , further comprising a lens array including:
a first set of lenses to direct the first set of beams at a first angle for focusing at the first position on the focal plane, and
a second set of lenses to direct the second set of beams at a second angle for focusing at the second position on the focal plane,
wherein the first angle and the second angle are different angles.
8. The WSS of claim 6 , wherein the first set of ports is interleaved with the second set of ports in the single port array.
9. The WSS of claim 8 , further comprising:
a planar lightwave circuit to reduce spacing between a pair of beams including a particular beam, included in the first set of beams, and a particular beam included in the second set of beams.
10. The WSS of claim 8 , wherein the switching array is a second switching array, and
wherein the WSS further comprises a first switching array including a single element arranged at the first position on the focal plane associated with the WSS and the second position on the focal plane associated with the WSS.
11. The WSS of claim 1 , wherein the first position and the second position are adjacent positions on the focal plane associated with the WSS.
12. A wavelength selective switch (WSS), comprising:
P (P>1) sets of ports,
wherein each of a first set of ports, of the P sets of ports, is to launch a respective beam in a first set of beams,
wherein the first set of beams is to be provided to a first position on a focal plane, and
wherein a first set of wavelength channel sub-beams, included in a beam of the first set of beams, is to be incident on a particular section of a switching array of the WSS; and
wherein each of a second set of ports, of the P set of ports, is to launch a respective beam of a second set of beams,
wherein the second set of beams is to be provided to a second position on the focal plane,
wherein the second position is different from the first position, and
wherein a second set of wavelength channel sub-beams, included in a beam of the second set of beams, is to be incident on the particular section of the switching array; and
the switching array to steer the first set of wavelength channel sub-beams and the second set of wavelength channel sub-beams using the particular section of the switching array.
13. The WSS of claim 12 , wherein the first set of ports is offset from the second set of ports in a direction that is parallel to a switching direction of the switching array and in a direction that is perpendicular to the switching direction of the switching array.
14. The WSS of claim 12 , wherein the first set of ports and the second set of ports are included in separate port arrays.
15. The WSS of claim 12 , wherein the switching array is a second switching array, and
wherein the WSS further comprises a first switching array including:
a first element arranged at the first position on the focal plane; and
a second element arranged at the second position on the focal plane,
wherein the second element and the first element are separate elements.
16. The WSS of claim 12 , wherein the first set of ports and the second set of ports are included in a single port array.
17. The WSS of claim 16 , wherein the first set of ports is interleaved with the second set of ports in the single port array.
18. The WSS of claim 16 , further comprising:
a planar lightwave circuit to reduce spacing between a pair of beams including a particular beam, included in the first set of beams, and a particular beam included in the second set of beams.
19. The WSS of claim 16 , wherein the switching array is a second switching array, and
wherein the WSS further comprises a first switching array including a single element arranged at the first position on the focal plane and the second position on the focal plane.
20. A wavelength selective switch (WSS), comprising:
a first set of ports, each to receive a respective beam of a first set of beams,
wherein the first set of beams is to be received via a first position on a focal plane associated with the WSS, and
wherein a first set of wavelength channel sub-beams, included in a beam of the first set of beams, is to be incident on a particular section of a switching array of the WSS; and
a second set of ports, each to receive a respective beam of a second set of beams,
wherein the second set of beams is to be received via a second position on the focal plane associated with the WSS,
wherein the second position is different from the first position, and
wherein a second set of wavelength channel sub-beams, included in a beam of the second set of beams, is to be incident on the particular section of the switching array.