阅读说明：本技术 用于波长选择开关的复曲面形微透镜阵列 (Toroidal shape microlens array for wavelength-selective switches ) 是由 M·E·哈勒 于 2018-03-02 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种光学设备包括用于接收多个光束的多个光学端口。所述光学装置还包括多个复曲面微透镜,每个微透镜接收来自所述多个光学端口中的一个相应光学端口的光束。一色散元件设置成用于在色散平面上将光束在空间上分开成多个波长分量。至少一个聚焦元件设置成用于聚焦所述多个波长分量。一可编程光学相位调制器还设置成用于接收所述聚焦的多个波长分量。所述调制器配置为选择性地将所述多个波长分量引导到所述多个光学端口中的预定的光学端口。所述多个复曲面透镜将正功率赋予多个端口平面中的所述多个光束并将负功率赋予与端口平面正交的平面上的所述多个光束。(A kind of optical device includes multiple optical ports for receiving multiple light beams.The Optical devices further include multiple double-curved surface lenticules, and each lenticule receives the light beam of a respective optical port in the multiple optical port.One dispersion element is arranged in dispersive plane light beam is spatially separated at multiple wavelength components.At least one concentrating element is arranged for focusing the multiple wavelength component.One programmable optical phase-modulator is also configured to multiple wavelength components for receiving the focusing.The modulator is configured to the scheduled optical port being selectively directed to the multiple wavelength component in the multiple optical port.The multiple toric lens assigns positive to the multiple light beam in multiple port planes and negative power is assigned to the multiple light beam in the plane orthogonal with port plane.)

1. a kind of optical device, comprising:

Multiple optical ports for being used to receive multiple light beams；

Multiple double-curved surface lenticules, each lenticule receive a respective optical port in the multiple optical port Light beam；

One dispersion element, in dispersive plane that light beam is spatially separated at multiple wavelength components；

At least one concentrating element, for focusing the multiple wavelength component；And

The modulator of one programmable optical phase, for receiving multiple wavelength components of the focusing, the modulator configuration For the predetermined optical port that multiple wavelength components are selectively directed to the multiple optical port, wherein the multiple multiple Toroidal lens assigns positive to the multiple light beam in the plane of port and assigns negative power to orthogonal with port plane put down The multiple light beam on face.

2. optical device as described in claim 1, wherein the multiple toric lens is aspheric toric lens.

3. optical device as described in claim 1, wherein the multiple double-curved surface lenticule connects from it respectively relative to light beam The multiple optical port received is located so that with a tight waist be projected onto of the multiple light beam in that orthogonal direction is more than described The focal length of multiple double-curved surface lenticules.

4. optical device as described in claim 1, wherein each of the multiple optical port includes an optical fiber.

5. optical device as described in claim 1, wherein the programmable optical phase-modulator includes one based on liquid crystal Phase-modulator.

6. optical device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the phase-modulator based on liquid crystal is a LCoS equipment.

7. optical device as described in claim 1, wherein the dispersion element is selected from diffraction grating and prism.

8. a kind of optical launcher, comprising:

One fiber array；And

One microlens array, each lenticule are aligned with an optical lens, in each lenticule and aligned therewith corresponding Light beam is coupled between optical fiber, each lenticule is a toric lens, and the toric lens makes through the toric lens Light beam in one plane has one to girdle the waist, this is with a tight waist with a tight waist dimensionally different from orthogonal plane.

9. optical launcher as claimed in claim 8, wherein the toric lens is aspheric toric lens.

Background technique

Free space fibre-optical communication equipment is frequently necessary to transmitting optics device in that orthogonal direction with different beam waists Part.For example, it is contemplated that wavelength-selective switches (WSS), the certain wavelength components for allowing WDM optical signal or channel are spatially It separates (dispersion) and is selectively switched to the second optical fiber from the first optical fiber, while other wavelength channels being allowed to pass in the first optical fiber It broadcasts or it allows certain wavelength channels to be switched to third optical fiber.Resolution ratio (band edge acutance (the band edge of switch Sharpness beam waist spot size (the herein referred as dispersion on direction of the focal plane by dispersion)) is being switched by wavelength component Beam waist spot size) it determines, it is equal to beam waist of the transmitting light beam in dispersive plane multiplied by system amplification factor.In order to reach To optimum resolution (most sharp band edge), one small girdle the waist should be generated in dispersive plane by emitting optical element.

On the other hand, the beam waist on the direction (port direction) orthogonal with the switch dispersion direction of focal plane (herein referred as port bundle waist sizes) limit the quantity for the port that switch can be supported.Big is with a tight waist with small angle model It encloses, this allows many ports to be located in given angle switching range and without crosstalk.The port of switch focal plane is with a tight waist to be equal to Emit with a tight waist multiplied by system amplification factor in the port direction of optical device.Therefore, in order to provide high port density or total Port number, it is expected that emitting optical device, to generate big port with a tight waist.

Summary of the invention

According to the one side of subject disclosured, a kind of Optical devices are provided.The Optical devices include multiple for connecing Receive the optical port of multiple light beams.The optical device further includes multiple double-curved surface lenticules, and each lenticule is received from described The light beam of a respective optical port in multiple optical ports.One dispersion element is arranged for light beam in dispersive plane It is spatially separated at multiple wavelength components.At least one concentrating element is arranged for focusing the multiple wavelength component.One Programmable optical phase-modulator is also configured to multiple wavelength components for receiving the focusing.The modulator is configured to select The scheduled optical port being directed to the multiple wavelength component to selecting property in the multiple optical port.The multiple multiple song Face lens assign positive to the multiple light beam in multiple port planes and assign negative power orthogonal with port plane The multiple light beam in plane.

The content of present invention is to introduce the selected of design in simplified form, these designs will be in following specific implementation Mode further describes in part.The content of present invention is not intended to the key feature for marking theme claimed or necessary special Sign, is intended to be used to assist in the range of theme claimed.In addition, theme claimed is not limited to solve The embodiment for any or all disadvantage mentioned in any part of the invention.By reading following specific embodiments portion Divide and relevant drawings, these and various other features will be apparent.

Detailed description of the invention

Figure 1A and Figure 1B is an exemplary top view and the side view of the simplification light device of such as free space WSS respectively Figure.

Fig. 2 can be used as the front view of the LcoS equipment of the spatial light modulator for optical device shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 A and Fig. 3 B respectively illustrate the vertical view of the amplification of the conventional microlens arrays module with multiple cylindrical lenses Figure and side view, conventional microlens arrays module are occasionally used in optical device shown in Figure 1A and Figure 1B.

Fig. 4 A and Fig. 4 B respectively illustrate the example of the arrangement of microlens array according to the present invention using toroidal shape lens Enlarged plan view and side view.

Fig. 5 show for incipient beam of light having a size of the case where 5.2 microns how using double-curved surface lenticule come can subtract The curve graph of the dispersion beam waist of small light beam.

Specific embodiment

Figure 1A and Figure 1B is that the simplification optical device that can be used in combination with the embodiment of the present invention is (such as freely empty respectively Between WSS 10) an exemplary top view and side view.Figure 1A of top view shows the dispersive plane of WSS 10, side view Figure 1B show the port plane of WSS 10.Light passes through the optical waveguide as input port or such as optical fiber of output port Array 101 outputs and inputs WSS 10.As best seen in fig. ib, array 101 includes multiple independent optical fiber 120₁、120₂With 120₃, optical fiber 120₁、120₂With 120₃Multiple light beams are received, multiple light beams are respectively coupled to lenticule 102₁、102₂With 102₃ (" 102 "), lenticule 102₁、102₂With 102₃(" 102 ") be supported on optical module 104 or be formed on optical module 104 or In optical module 104, they limit microlens array component 103 together.In this illustration, from optical fiber 120₁、120₂With 120₃ The light of outgoing is parallel to z-axis.Although illustrating only three optical fiber/lenticules pair in Figure 1B, more generally, any conjunction can be used Optical fiber/lenticule pair of suitable quantity.

In Figure 1A and Figure 1B, the optical element for influencing light on both axes is indicated by the solid line for biconvex in two views Optical device.On the other hand, the solid line used for optical elements that light is only influenced on an axis is expressed as putting down on impacted axis Convex lens.The optical element that light is only influenced on an axis is also represented by dashed line on the axis that they are not influenced.For example, in Figure 1A In Figure 1B, optical element 108 and optical element 110 are indicated by the solid line in both figures.On the other hand, optical element 107 It is (because they have focus power along y-axis) indicated by the solid line in figure 1A with optical element 109, and dotted line table is used in fig. ib Show (because they keep light beam unaffected along x-axis).Optical element 102 and optical element 105 it is indicated by the solid line in fig. ib (because There is the focus power along x-axis for them), and be represented by dashed line in figure 1A (because they make light beam on the y axis not by shadow It rings).

Optical module 104 in microlens array component 103 allows light to pass through it in unlimited fashion to propagate.Also It is to say, optical module 104 does not provide any waveguide function.In routinely arrangement, the lenticule 102 of lens array component 103₁、 102₂With 102₃It is cylinder (cylindrical) lens, each cylindrical lens assigns positive optical power in the plane of port, and makes light Beam is unaffected in dispersive plane.Lenticule 102₁、102₂With 102₃Beam optical is coupled to collimation lens 107, collimation is saturating Mirror 107 collimated light beam and keeps light beam unaffected in the plane of port in dispersive plane.Then, light beam is from collimation lens optics It is coupled to waveguide dispersive elements 108 (such as diffraction grating or prism), free space beam is separated by waveguide dispersive elements 108 Its wavelength or channel for being combined into.Waveguide dispersive elements 108 for dispersing in different directions on the x-y plane according to the wavelength of light Light.The wavelength component of dispersion from dispersion element 108 is directed into port lens 105.

Port lens 105 keep wavelength component unaffected in dispersive plane and gather wavelength component in the plane of port It is burnt.Frequency lens 109 receive wavelength component from port lens 105.Frequency lens 109 focus wavelength component in dispersive plane And keep wavelength component unaffected in the plane of port.

Frequency lens 109 couple wavelength component, so that it is programmable to focus on wavelength component on two planar now On optical phase modulator, the programmable optical phase-modulator can be for example based on liquid crystal phase-modulator (such as LCoS equipment 110).Wavelength component is dispersed along x-axis, and x-axis is known as wavelength dispersion direction or axis.Each of setted wavelength as a result, Wavelength component focuses on the pixel array extended in the y-direction.As an example, but without limitation, it is shown in tool in Figure 1A Cardiac wave length has λ₁、λ₂And λ₃Three wavelength components indicated focus in LCoS equipment 110 along wavelength dispersion axis (x-axis).

As best seen in Figure 1B, after the reflection of LCoS equipment 110, each wavelength component can pass through frequency lens 109, port lens 105, dispersion element 108 and lens 107 and microlens array module 103 are coupled back fiber array 101 In select an optical fiber 120.

Fig. 2 can be used as the front view of the LCoS equipment 21 of the spatial light modulator for optical device shown in FIG. 1.In In the illustrative example, there are three wavelength component λ for tool₁、λ₂And λ₃Light beam it is spatially separated along wavelength dispersion axis (x-axis) And extend along multiple pixels 19 of LCoS equipment 21.Elongated cross-sectional shape of the wavelength component in spatial light modulator by The difference of the beam waist for the light beam that lenticule 102 controls determines.Although it should be noted that wavelength component be shown as having it is ellipse Circular cross-sectional shape, but more generally, wavelength component can have any cross-sectional shape, including for example crescent Shape.

Fig. 3 A and Fig. 3 B respectively illustrate the optical fiber in the optical device that for example can be used for type shown in Figure 1A and Figure 1B 120 and conventional microlens array module 103 amplification top view and side view.As previously mentioned, in order to obtain in orthogonal side Different beam waists, cylindrical microlenses 102 assign positive optical power in the plane of port and make light beam in dispersive plane upwards It is unaffected.If light beam is considered as (treated as) Gaussian beam, it is imaged according to Gaussian beam, in the plane of port Beam waist size is determined by the optical fiber focal length with a tight waist with cylindrical microlenses.Similarly, if optical fiber 120 in fiber array 101 Rear focus on cylindrical microlenses 102, then the beam waist in the plane of port will be formed in the front focus of cylindrical microlenses 102 Place.The position of beam waist can posteriorly or anteriorly be moved by defocusing from the position.Girdling the waist positioned at optical fiber 120 in dispersive plane End and size with a tight waist is determined by used optical fiber.For example, for standard Corning SMF-28 e optical fiber, In Under 1550nm wavelength, the beam waist in dispersive plane is 5.2 μm.

As previously described, it may be desirable to which the port beam waist by the received light beam of optical fiber 120 in fiber array 101 is opposite It is larger, to realize high port number.On the other hand, it is also desirable to be dispersed light beam beam waist it is relatively small, to obtain height Resolution ratio.Desirably it is further reduced in size to dispersion is with a tight waist lower than the size determined by used fiber type, To further increase resolution ratio.Although resolution ratio can be improved by increasing the focal length of collimation lens, to reduce putting for system Big multiple, but which increases the overall dimensions of equipment.

According to an aspect of the present invention, optical device shown in such as Figure 1A and Figure 1B can be by Fig. 3 A and Fig. 3 B Shown in add the negative optical power on dispersion direction to lenticule 102 in traditional array module 103.That is, Fig. 3 A and figure It can be replaced with double-curved surface (toric) lens shown in 3B by the lenticule of cylindrical lens 102, the toric lens is flat in dispersion Negative optical power is assigned on face and positive optical power is assigned in the plane of port.This layout is as shown in Figure 4 A and 4 B shown in FIG., Fig. 4 A and figure 4B respectively illustrates the top view of the amplification of the fiber array 201 and micro-lens array device 104 similar with Fig. 3 A and Fig. 3 B And side view.As shown in Figure 4 A and 4 B shown in FIG., negative power is added to lenticule 202 reduce dispersed light size with a tight waist.It is this to subtract Few generation is because adding the numerical aperture that negative power increases light beam to lenticule 202 in dispersive plane.

Fig. 5 shows for incipient beam of light the case where having a size of 5.2 microns, how to use double-curved surface lenticule that can reduce light The curve graph of the dispersion beam waist of beam.Curve graph shows that the function of the focal length of dispersion beam waist and double-curved surface lenticule closes System.As illustrated on the graph, it is able to achieve that dispersion beam waist is substantially reduced and proportionately (commensurate) is mentioned using the technology High-resolution.

In some embodiments, toroidal shape (toroidal) lenticule can have non-spherical surface, with the light of transmitting Beam quality punishes (penalty) close to perfect condition, to avoid insertion loss.Table 1 is shown using Zemax^TMOptical design is soft One exemplary M square on port and dispersion direction of the fiber array that part calculates/toroidal shape microlens array design (M2) beam quality.The last line of the table gives the beam quality being able to achieve using aspheric toric (toroid).In In this case, value 1 (ideal value of Gaussian beam) of the M squares of beam quality close to port and dispersive plane mulberry.

Table 1

In one embodiment, double-curved surface lenticule is positioned to relative to optical port: defocusing light beam, by port light beam Waist extends to a distance, and light beam is received respectively from the distance, thus light beam be moved in the beam waist of orthogonal direction it is super Cross the point of the focal length of double-curved surface lenticule.