Reconfigurable 2 × 2 orbital angular momentum based optical switching of 50-Gbaud QPSK channels

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Optical Communications
• Quantum Information

Background:

• Orbital angular momentum (OAM) multiplexing offers a promising approach to increase data capacity in optical communication systems.
• Efficient and reconfigurable switching is crucial for managing and routing OAM-multiplexed data streams in complex networks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To experimentally demonstrate a novel reconfigurable 2x2 switch designed for orbital angular momentum (OAM) multiplexed optical beams.
• To evaluate the switching performance in terms of state configuration and signal integrity for high-speed data channels.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication and testing of a 2x2 optical switch capable of handling OAM multiplexed beams.
• Configuration of the switch into 'cross' and 'bar' states for individual OAM channels.
• Experimental demonstration using four OAM-multiplexed 50 Gbaud Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) channels.

Main Results:

• Successful demonstration of a reconfigurable 2x2 switch for OAM multiplexed beams.
• The switch operated correctly in five distinct configurations, routing OAM channels.
• Observed an Optical-to-Signal-to-Noise Ratio (OSNR) penalty of less than 2.5 dB for the switched beams.

Conclusions:

• The demonstrated reconfigurable switch is effective for managing OAM multiplexed data.
• The low OSNR penalty indicates the switch's suitability for high-capacity optical communication.
• This technology advances the development of next-generation optical networks utilizing OAM multiplexing.