JP6630098B2 - Optical signal processing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical signal processing device used for an optical communication network.

  Due to the explosive spread of data communication networks such as the Internet, demands for large capacity optical communication networks are increasing. In order to cope with such an increase in network demand, wavelength division multiplex communication has been put to practical use.

  In recent years, in order to cope with a further increase in capacity, a demand for a wavelength selective switch (WSS: Wavelength Selective Switch) that enables path switching for each wavelength of an optical signal without converting the optical signal into an electric signal is also increasing. It is getting. The configuration of a node using the wavelength selective switch is called a ROADM (Reconfigurable Optical add / drop multiplexer) system.

  On the other hand, in recent years, research on space division multiplexing communication has been active, and research on optical communication using a multicore fiber (MCF) in which a plurality of cores are included in one optical fiber has been performed. In order to perform switching even in communication using MCF, a wavelength selective switch (MCF-WSS) for MCF has been studied (see Non-Patent Document 1).

MD Feuer, LE Nelson, K. Abedin, X. Zhou, TF Taunay, JF Fini, B. Zhu, R. Isaac, R. Harel, G. Cohen, and DM Marom, "ROADM System for Space Division Multiplexing with Spatial Superchannels , "OFC / NFOEC 2013, PDP5B.8, March 17-21, 2013, Anaheim.

  However, in the conventional MCF-WSS, switching for each core cannot be performed, and it is only possible to route all the cores of the MCF to one route at a time.

  FIG. 4 schematically shows the configuration of a conventional MCF-WSS. The optical signal group input from the input MCF 401 is separated into individual single-core fibers for each core by the MCF demultiplexer 402 and then input to the input fiber group 403 of the MCF-WSS 407. The input optical signal group reaches the same location of the beam deflection device 406 installed in the MCF-WSS 407.

  The beam deflecting device 406 is a device that steers the angle of an incident signal, and deflects an input optical signal group in one direction. Therefore, the input signal group is collectively routed to one of the output fiber groups 404 and 405. For example, when the signal is routed to the output fiber group 404, the signal is output to the output MCF 408 via the MCF multiplexer 410.

  As described above, in the conventional MCF-WSS, it is not possible to individually route each core to a different route, but only to route all the cores collectively in one direction.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an optical signal that can individually route optical signals transmitted from a plurality of cores included in an input MCF in different directions. A signal processing device is provided.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is an optical signal processing device, comprising a plurality of input / output means including a plurality of optical waveguides, and a plurality of optical circuits to which the plurality of input / output means are respectively connected. An optical waveguide substrate including the plurality of optical circuits for emitting optical signals input from the input / output means in different directions of space according to the respective optical waveguides; and an orthogonal to an emission end face of the optical waveguide substrate. A first optical element having optical power only in the first direction, with a direction (x) orthogonal to both the direction (z) and the thickness direction (y) of the optical waveguide substrate as a first direction; Spatial light modulating means for deflecting the optical signal in a desired spatially different direction for each region different in the first direction, wherein the optical signal deflected by the spatial light modulating means Connect to the input / output means different from the entry / output means. And wherein the input to the optical circuits.

The invention according to claim 2 is an optical signal processing device, comprising: a plurality of input / output means including a plurality of optical waveguides; and a plurality of optical circuits to which the plurality of input / output means are respectively connected. An optical waveguide substrate including the plurality of optical circuits for emitting an optical signal input from the writing / outputting unit in different directions according to the respective optical waveguides; and a direction (z) orthogonal to an emission end face of the optical waveguide substrate. A direction (x) orthogonal to both the thickness direction (y) and the thickness direction (y) of the optical waveguide substrate as a first direction , a first optical element having optical power only in the first direction, and the first direction A spatial light modulator for deflecting the optical signal in a desired spatially different direction for each different region; a wavelength dispersive element for dispersing the optical signal emitted from the optical waveguide substrate into space; the optical waveguide substrate to the direction perpendicular The thickness direction (y) as the second direction, the second optical element having an optical power in a second direction, with the optical signal deflected by the spatial light modulation means, filled before input The spatial light modulating means is input to the optical circuit connected to the input / output means different from the output means, and the spatial light modulating means changes the optical signal into a desired spatially different region in each of the different regions in the second direction. It is characterized in that it is deflected in the direction.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the optical signal processing device of the first or second aspect, the input / output means includes a multi-core fiber having a plurality of cores in a single optical fiber.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the optical signal processing device according to the third aspect, the input / output means includes a multi-core demultiplexer or a multi-core multiplexer for connecting the input / output means and the optical waveguide substrate. Features.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the optical signal processing device of the first or second aspect, the input / output means is a ribbon fiber composed of a plurality of optical fibers.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the optical signal processing device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the optical circuit includes a slab waveguide and an arrayed waveguide having the same optical path length of all waveguides. It is characterized by the following.

  The present invention can realize a wavelength selective switch (MCF-WSS) that can individually route signals of each core included in an input MCF to a different output path.

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of an optical signal processing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. (A), (b) is a figure which shows the example of a phase distribution set to LCOS7. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a configuration of an optical signal processing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a conventional MCF-WSS.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 schematically shows the configuration of the optical signal processing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The optical signal processing device 100 disclosed in the present invention includes input / output MCFs 1 and 8a to 8d, an MCF demultiplexer (or MCF multiplexer) 2, an optical waveguide substrate 3, a diffraction grating 4, cylinder lenses 5, 6, and an optical deflector 7. Consists of

  As the optical deflector 7, a mirror array using MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) or LCOS (Liquid Crystal On Silicon) arranged two-dimensionally can be applied. Here, an example using LCOS will be described. .

  Further, as the MCF demultiplexer 2, a fiber type, a laminated waveguide type, or a multi-core fan-in fan-out by laser drawing can be used.

  In FIG. 1, an optical signal group input from an input MCF 1 is separated for each core by an MCF demultiplexer 2 and input to an optical waveguide group 110 of an optical waveguide substrate 3. Next, the optical signal group input to the optical waveguide group 110 propagates to an SBT (Spatial Beam Transformer) 113 including a slab waveguide 111 and an array waveguide 112.

  In the SBT 113, the group of optical waveguides 110 is connected to the slab waveguide 111, and the group of optical signals diffuses in the slab waveguide 111 and is emitted to the space via the array waveguide 112 having the same optical path length. You. At this time, of the input optical signal group, the optical signal passing through the optical waveguide 10a is emitted in the direction of a light beam 10b represented by a solid line on the space side, and the optical signal passing through the optical waveguide 11a is represented by a dotted line on the space side. It is emitted in the direction of the light beam 11b shown. That is, the optical signal group input from the input MCF1 is emitted in different directions in the spatial optical system for each optical waveguide that has propagated.

  In the spatial optical system, the optical signal group passes through a diffraction grating 4, a cylinder lens 5 having an optical power in the x-axis direction and having a focal length of f1, and a cylinder lens 6 having an optical power in the y-axis direction and having a focal length of f2. To enter the LCOS 7.

  At this time, the cylinder lens 5 is installed at a position of f1 from the optical waveguide substrate 3 and the LCOS 7, respectively. Accordingly, in the xz plane, the optical system from the optical waveguide substrate 3 to the LCOS 7 is a 2f optical system, and the emitted optical signal group is vertically incident on the LCOS 7 and is directed to the spatial optical system. Each time, it is incident on a different position. For example, an optical signal propagating in the light beam 10b enters the region α, and an optical signal propagating in the light beam 11b enters the region β.

  Further, the optical signal group is wavelength-demultiplexed by the diffraction grating 4, the angle is converted by the cylinder lens 6 installed at the position of f 2 from the diffraction grating 4 and the LCOS 7, and different positions in the y-axis direction on the LCOS 7 for each wavelength. Incident on. By this operation, a wavelength selection operation is performed.

  As described above, on the LCOS 7, the optical signal group is distributed and input to a region different in the x-axis direction for each core included in the input MCF1 and to a region different in the y-axis direction for each wavelength constituting the optical signal group. I do.

  The LCOS 7 is a spatial phase modulation element that deflects the reflection direction of the optical signal by spatially modulating the phase of the incident optical signal. Therefore, by imparting a sawtooth-shaped phase distribution in the x-axis direction, light can be deflected to any of the input / output ports of the optical waveguide substrate 3 arranged in the x-axis direction.

  2A and 2B show examples of the phase distribution set in the LCOS 7. FIG. In FIG. 2, different irradiation areas α, β, and γ are set for each irradiation area for each of the four wavelengths, and different sawtooth-shaped phase distributions are set. FIG.

  For example, for the cross section AA ′, the region is divided into two sawtooth phase patterns in the region α, the region is divided into four sawtooth phase patterns in the region β, and the two sawtooth phase patterns are divided in the region γ. The pattern which deflects after being divided into the above phase patterns is shown. Similarly, patterns can be set for B-B ', C-C', and D-D 'so as to realize desired switching.

  The optical signal group input to the LCOS 7 is deflected and reflected according to the phase distribution of the irradiated area, and passes through the cylinder lens 6, the cylinder lens 5, and the diffraction grating 4 to any one of the optical waveguide substrates 3. Connect to I / O port. The light propagates on the optical waveguide substrate 3 via the SBT having the same layout as the slab waveguide 111 and the arrayed waveguide 112 connected to the optical waveguide group.

  In FIG. 1, an optical signal input from a core in an input MCF1 corresponding to a light beam 10b (optical waveguide 10a) propagates through an optical waveguide 10c and is output to a corresponding core in an output MCF8a. The optical signal input from the core in the input MCF1 corresponding to the light beam 11b (optical waveguide 11a) propagates through the optical waveguide 11c and is output to the core corresponding to the output MCF8b. The optical signal input from the core in the input MCF1 corresponding to the light beam 12b (optical waveguide 12a) propagates through the optical waveguide 12c and is output to the corresponding core of the output MCF8d.

  As described above, in the above-described optical signal processing device, the output can be similarly output to the output MCF 8c. Therefore, by appropriately controlling the phase pattern of the LCOS 7 for each region, each core input from the input MCF 1 can be output. The optical signal group can be arbitrarily routed to any of the different output MCFs 8a to 8d.

  In the first embodiment, the case where light is input from the input MCF1 has been described. On the contrary, the light of the output MCF8a to 8d is input and the light is merged with the input MCF1. Is possible.

  Further, when the input optical signal has a single wavelength, only the routing for each core of the MCF needs to be performed. In such a case, the configuration may be such that the diffraction grating 4 and the cylinder lens 6 are omitted.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 3 shows an outline of the configuration of the optical signal processing device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The optical signal processing device of the second embodiment has substantially the same configuration as that of the first embodiment, except that the input / output MCFs 1 and 8a to 8d in the first embodiment are ribbon fibers. That is, signals of a plurality of fibers included in each of the input and output ribbon fibers 108 and 109a to 109d are connected from the same route or to the same route. Connected to two routes.

  When a large number of cores are required for connection to one path, wiring individual fibers is a very complicated process in terms of the device configuration. In the second embodiment, the fibers connected to the same path are configured as ribbon fibers, thereby simplifying the device configuration even when a large number of cores are required for connection to one path. .

1, 8 MCF
2 MCF demultiplexer 3 Optical waveguide substrate 4 Diffraction grating 5, 6 Cylinder lens 7 LCOS (optical deflector)
108, 109 Input / output ribbon fiber 110 Optical waveguide group 111 Slab waveguide 112 Array waveguide

Claims (6)

A plurality of input / output means including a plurality of optical waveguides;
A plurality of optical circuits to which the plurality of input / output units are respectively connected, wherein the plurality of optical circuits for emitting optical signals input from the input / output units in different directions of space according to the respective optical waveguides; An optical waveguide substrate including:
The direction (x) orthogonal to both the direction (z) orthogonal to the emission end face of the optical waveguide substrate and the thickness direction (y) of the optical waveguide substrate is defined as a first direction, and optical power is applied only in the first direction. A first optical element having:
Spatial light modulation means for deflecting the optical signal in a desired spatially different direction for each region different in the first direction;
Wherein the optical signal deflected by the spatial light modulating means is inputted to the optical circuit connected to the input / output means different from the inputted input / output means. apparatus. A plurality of input / output means including a plurality of optical waveguides;
A plurality of optical circuits to which the plurality of input / output units are respectively connected, wherein the plurality of optical circuits for emitting optical signals input from the input / output units in different directions of space according to the respective optical waveguides; An optical waveguide substrate including:
The direction (x) orthogonal to both the direction (z) orthogonal to the emission end face of the optical waveguide substrate and the thickness direction (y) of the optical waveguide substrate is defined as a first direction, and optical power is applied only in the first direction. A first optical element having:
Spatial light modulation means for deflecting the optical signal in a desired spatially different direction for each region different in the first direction;
A wavelength dispersion element that disperses the optical signal emitted from the optical waveguide substrate into space,
A second optical element having an optical power in the second direction, with a thickness direction (y) of the optical waveguide substrate orthogonal to the first direction as a second direction;
With
The optical signal deflected by the spatial light modulator is input to the optical circuit connected to the input / output unit different from the input / output unit,
The optical signal processing device according to claim 1, wherein the spatial light modulator deflects the optical signal in a desired spatially different direction for each of the different regions in the second direction. The optical signal processing device according to claim 1, wherein the input / output unit includes a multi-core fiber having a plurality of cores in a single optical fiber. The optical signal processing device according to claim 3, wherein the input / output unit includes a multi-core demultiplexer or a multi-core multiplexer that connects the input / output unit and the optical waveguide substrate. The optical signal processing device according to claim 1, wherein the input / output unit is a ribbon fiber including a plurality of optical fibers. The optical signal processing device according to claim 1, wherein the optical circuit includes a slab waveguide and an array waveguide in which all the waveguides have the same optical path length.