Patsamanis, G.; Ketzaki, D.; Chatzitheocharis, D.; Vyrsokinos, K. Optical Design of a Wavelength Selective Switch Utilizing a Waveguide Frontend with Beamsteering Capability. Photonics2024, 11, 381.
Patsamanis, G.; Ketzaki, D.; Chatzitheocharis, D.; Vyrsokinos, K. Optical Design of a Wavelength Selective Switch Utilizing a Waveguide Frontend with Beamsteering Capability. Photonics 2024, 11, 381.
Patsamanis, G.; Ketzaki, D.; Chatzitheocharis, D.; Vyrsokinos, K. Optical Design of a Wavelength Selective Switch Utilizing a Waveguide Frontend with Beamsteering Capability. Photonics2024, 11, 381.
Patsamanis, G.; Ketzaki, D.; Chatzitheocharis, D.; Vyrsokinos, K. Optical Design of a Wavelength Selective Switch Utilizing a Waveguide Frontend with Beamsteering Capability. Photonics 2024, 11, 381.
Abstract
Wavelength selective switches (WSSs) are essential elements for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical networks, as they offer cost-effective, high port-count and flexible spectral channel switching. This work proposes a new hybrid WSS architecture that leverages the beam shaping and steering features of uniform silicon nitride (SiN) based end-fire optical phased arrays (OPAs). By introducing beamforming to a WSS system, the spectral channels on the liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) panel can be tailored and arranged properly, depending on the optical configuration, using the beam control capabilities of OPAs. Combining 3D-FDTD and ray tracing simulations, the study shows that by reducing the input beam dimensions with proper sizing of the OPAs, the WSS design with the null-steering OPAs layout and 4×No switch size features increased spectral resolution. This extensive beamforming study on the steering-enabled layout reveals the acquirement of an even higher input channel number, achieving up to the 8×No WSS scheme with flexible channel routing on the LCoS panel. Such implementation of beamsteerers can unlock an extra degree of freedom for the switching capabilities of hybrid WSS devices. The results show great promise for the introduction of OPAs in WSS systems and provide valuable insight for the design of future wireless communication links and WDM systems.
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
