Patent ID: 6614573
Filing Date: 2003-09-02
Classification: G02B,G02F,H04J

Abstract:
A switchable interleaved channel separator device, comprising:at least one input port for inputting at least one optical signal in a forward direction; a separating means optically coupled to the at least one input port for separating the at least one optical signal traversing through the separating means in a return direction into a first set of channels and a second set of channels interleaved with the first set of channels, wherein the separating means comprises: a first polarization beam splitter (PBS) optically coupled to the at least one input port, a set of optical rotators optically coupled to the first PBS at a face intersecting a main axis of the device, the set of optical rotators comprising a non-reciprocal optical rotator (NRR) and a reciprocal optical rotator (RR), a second PBS optically coupled to the set of optical rotators at a side opposite to the first PBS, wherein the at least one ANLI is optically coupled to the second PBS at a side opposite to the set of optical rotators, a first optical reflector optically coupled to a face of the first PBS not intersecting the main axis and optically coupled to the first output port, and a second optical reflector optically coupled to a face of the second PBS not intersecting the main axis and optically coupled to a second output port; at least one adjustable non-linear interferometer (ANLI) optically coupled to the separating means, wherein the at least one ANLI in a first state rotates a polarization of the first set of channels, wherein the at least one ANLI in a second state rotates a polarization of the second set of channels, and wherein the at least one ANLI reflects the first and second sets of channels to the separating means in the return direction; a first output port optically coupled to the separating means for outputting the first set of channels when the at least one ANLI is in the first state and the second set of channels when the at least one ANLI is in the second state; and the second output port optically coupled to the separating means for outputting the second set of channels when the at least one ANLI is in the first state and the first set of channels when the at least one ANLI is in the second state.