Self-routing wavelength switches

A wavelength routing switch structure for applications of dense wavelength division-multiplexing (DWDM) network is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. This innovative structure integrates both wavelength filtering and spatial routing functions into a compact device. The versatile filter design provides a prescribed wavelength transmission function and maintains low optical channel crosstalks. Liquid crystal technology is implemented in the device to perform the spatial routing function. Several these DWDM routing switches have been constructed. The insertion loss of <-3 dB and channel crosstalks of <-30 dB are achieved for all these switches. A two-channel self-routing DWDM system based on these wavelength switches has been demonstrated. In this optical self-routing demonstration, the data signals are carried by 1533 nm and 1549 nm optical channels and the routing information is coded at 1310 nm wavelength.