Liquid crystal on silicon element for dual-functionality beam steering in wavelength selective switches

1. An optical device, comprising:

a monolithic beam steering engine; and

a twin M×N wavelength selective switch (WSS) including a first M×N WSS and a second M×N WSS,

the first M×N WSS comprising:

a first panel section of the monolithic beam steering engine to perform first beam steering of first beams,

wherein the first beam steering is add/drop port beam steering, and

wherein the first panel section has a first geometric configuration;

a second panel section of the monolithic beam steering engine to perform second beam steering of second beams,

wherein the second beam steering is common port beam steering, and

wherein the second panel section has a second geometric configuration different from the first geometric configuration; and

a first optical element aligned to the monolithic beam steering engine to direct one of the first beams or the second beams relative to the other of the first beams or the second beams, such that the first beams are directed in a different direction from the second beams, and

the second M×N WSS comprising:

a third panel section of the monolithic beam steering engine to perform third beam steering of third beams,

wherein the third beam steering is add/drop port beam steering, and

wherein the third panel section has the first geometric configuration;

a fourth panel section of the monolithic beam steering engine to perform fourth beam steering of fourth beams,

wherein the fourth beam steering is common port beam steering, and

wherein the fourth panel section has the second geometric configuration; and

a second optical element aligned to the monolithic beam steering engine to direct one of the third beams or the fourth beams relative to the other of the third beams or the fourth beams, such that the third beams are directed in a different direction from the fourth beams.

2. The optical device of claim 1 , wherein the first beams are non-dispersed spectrum beams and the second beams are dispersed spectrum beams.

3. The optical device of claim 1 , wherein the third beams are non-dispersed spectrum beams and the fourth beams are dispersed spectrum beams.

4. The optical device of claim 1 , wherein the first optical element and the second optical element are a same optical element.

5. An M×N wavelength selective switch (WSS), comprising:

a monolithic beam steering engine, comprising:

a first panel section to perform first beam steering of first beams,

wherein the first beam steering is add/drop port beam steering, and

wherein the first panel section has a first geometric configuration;

a second panel section to perform second beam steering of second beams,

wherein the second beam steering is common port beam steering, and

wherein the second panel section has a second geometric configuration different from the first geometric configuration;

a third panel section to perform third beam steering of third beams,

wherein the third beam steering is add/drop port beam steering, and

wherein the third panel section has the first geometric configuration; and

a fourth panel section to perform fourth beam steering of fourth beams,

wherein the fourth beam steering is common port beam steering, and

wherein the fourth panel section has the second geometric configuration; and

at least one optical element aligned to the beam steering engine to:

direct one of the first beams or the second beams relative to the other of the first beams or the second beams, such that the first beams are directed in a different direction from the second beams, and

direct one of the third beams or the fourth beams relative to the other of the third beams or the fourth beams, such that the third beams are directed in a different direction from the fourth beams.

6. The M×N WSS of claim 5 , wherein the at least one optical element is aligned to the first panel section to direct the first beams in a first direction that is different from a second direction of the second beams.

7. The M×N WSS of claim 5 , wherein the at least one optical element is aligned to the second panel section to direct the second beams in a second direction that is different from a first direction of the first beams.

8. The M×N WSS of claim 5 , wherein the first panel section includes areas for receiving the first beams that are larger relative to areas on the second panel section for receiving the second beams.

9. The M×N WSS of claim 5 , wherein an optical path between the monolithic beam steering engine and the at least one optical element is direct.

10. The M×N WSS of claim 5 , wherein the at least one optical element is at least one of a mirror or a prism.

11. The M×N WSS of claim 5 , wherein the monolithic beam steering engine is a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) panel.

12. The M×N WSS of claim 5 , further comprising:

a set of add ports aligned to the first panel section; and

a set of drop ports aligned to the first panel section.

13. The M×N WSS of claim 5 , further comprising:

a set of common ports aligned to the second panel section.

14. The M×N WSS of claim 5 , further comprising:

an optical path for a dispersed spectrum beam, comprising:

a first path section from a common port to the second panel section,

a second path section from the second panel section to one or more optical components,

a third path section from the one or more optical components to the first panel section, and

a fourth path section from the first panel section to an add port or drop port.

15. The M×N WSS of claim 14 , wherein the at least one optical element is disposed in one of the second path section or the third path section.

16. The M×N WSS of claim 5 , wherein the M×N WSS is one of:

a twin M×N WSS,

a triple M×N WSS, or

a quad M×N WSS.

17. A method of controlling an M×N wavelength selective switch (WSS), comprising:

configuring, by a device, a first panel section of a monolithic beam steering engine to perform first beam steering of first beams,

wherein the first panel section has a first geometric configuration;

configuring, by the device, a second panel section of the monolithic beam steering engine to perform second beam steering of second beams,

wherein the second panel section has a second geometric configuration different from the first geometric configuration, and

wherein one of the first panel section or the second panel section is aligned to at least one optical element to separate a direction of the first beams from the second beams;

configuring, by the device, a third panel section of the monolithic beam steering engine to perform third beam steering of third beams,

wherein the third panel section has the first geometric configuration; and

configuring, by the device, a fourth panel section of the monolithic beam steering engine to perform second beam steering of second beams,

wherein the fourth panel section has the second geometric configuration, and

wherein one of the third panel section or the fourth panel section is aligned to the at least one optical element to separate a direction of the third beams from the fourth beams.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein configuring the first panel section comprises:

configuring pixels of a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) panel.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein configuring the second panel section comprises:

configuring pixels of a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) panel.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the monolithic beam steering engine is configured to at least one of:

have steering angles less than a threshold angle, or

perform beamforming for less than a threshold quantity of ports.