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A system for a re-configurable optical de-multiplexer, multiplexer or add/drop multiplexer is provided. A re-configurable de-multiplexer system comprises a wavelength selective switch having an input port, an output port and an internal port; a wavelength division de-multiplexer (WDM) optically coup

A system for a re-configurable optical de-multiplexer, multiplexer or add/drop multiplexer is provided. A re-configurable de-multiplexer system comprises a wavelength selective switch having an input port, an output port and an internal port; a wavelength division de-multiplexer (WDM) optically coupled to the internal port and a plurality of dropped-channel ports optically coupled to the WDM. The wavelength selective switch receives a plurality of input wavelength-division multiplexed channels from the input port and routes a first subset of the channels to the output port and a second subset of channels to the internal port and then to the WDM. The WDM separates each of the dropped channels to a different respective one of the channel ports.

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We claim: 1. A re-configurable optical de-multiplexer, comprising: a wavelength selective switch having an input port for receiving a plurality of input wavelength-division multiplexed channels λ1-λn, an output port, and an internal port, the wavelength selective switch routing a first su

We claim: 1. A re-configurable optical de-multiplexer, comprising: a wavelength selective switch having an input port for receiving a plurality of input wavelength-division multiplexed channels λ1-λn, an output port, and an internal port, the wavelength selective switch routing a first subset in the plurality of input wavelength-division multiplexed channels λ1-λn to the output port, the wavelength selective switch routing a second subset in the plurality of input wavelength-division multiplexed channels λ1-λn to the internal port, wherein the wavelength selective switch is a 1횞2 wavelength selective switch and the wavelength selective switch is re-configurable such that a pathway for each channel can be selected and changed, the wavelength selective switch includes a wavelength dispersive element optically coupled to the input port, the output port and the internal port, a lens optically coupled to the wavelength dispersive element and a polarization steering device having a plurality of independently controlled pixels optically coupled to the lens; and a wavelength division de-multiplexer having an input for receiving the second subset in the plurality of input wavelength-division multiplexed channels λ1-λn and a plurality of output channel ports, the wavelength division de-multiplexer separating each of the second subset in the plurality of input wavelength-division multiplexed channels λ1-λn to a different respective one of the plurality of output channel ports. 2. The de-multiplexer of claim of 1, wherein the wavelength division de-multiplexer is capable of separating channels within more than one wavelength range. 3. The de-multiplexer of claim 1, wherein the wavelength division de-multiplexer comprises a plurality of interleaved channel separators in a parallel cascade configuration. 4. The de-multiplexer of claim 3, wherein at least one of the plurality of interleaved channel separators is a switchable interleaved channel separator. 5. The de-multiplexer of claim 1, wherein the first subset in the plurality of input wavelength-division multiplexed channels λ1-λn comprises a plurality of express channels. 6. The de-multiplexer of claim 1, wherein the second subset in the plurality of input wavelength-division multiplexed channels λ1-λn, comprises a plurality of dropped channels. 7. The de-multiplexer of claim 1, wherein each pixel routes a respective channel according to a polarization of the channel. 8. The de-multiplexer of claim 1, wherein the polarization steering device comprises: a polarization modulator configured to rotate polarization of incident beams; a birefringent polarization beam displacer; and an angled reflector. 9. The de-multiplexer of claim 8, wherein the birefringent polarization beam displacer is a planar parallel uni-axial crystal plate with an optic axis inclined in an x-z plane. 10. A re-configurable optical multiplexer, comprising: a wavelength division multiplexer having a plurality of input channel ports for receiving a different respective added channel to each of the plurality of input channel ports; and a wavelength selective switch having a first port for receiving a first plurality of wavelength-division multiplexed channels, an internal port for receiving a second plurality of wavelength-division multiplexed channels comprising the added channels from the wavelength division multiplexer, the wavelength selective switch combining the first and second pluralities of wavelength-division multiplexed channels thereby producing a resulting composite signal and routing the resulting composite signal to a second port, wherein the wavelength selective switch is re-configurable such that a pathway for each channel can be selected and changed, the wavelength selective switch includes a wavelength dispersive element optically coupled to the first port, the second port and the internal port, a lens optically coupled to the wavelength dispersive element and a polarization steering device having a plurality of independently controlled pixels optically coupled to the lens. 11. The multiplexer of claim 10, wherein the wavelength division multiplexer is capable of combining channels within more than one wavelength range. 12. The multiplexer of claim 10, wherein the wavelength selective switch is a 1횞2 wavelength selective switch. 13. The multiplexer of claim 10, wherein the first plurality of wavelength-division multiplexed channels comprises a plurality of express channels. 14. The multiplexer of claim 10, wherein the second plurality of wavelength-division multiplexed channels comprises a plurality of added channels. 15. A re-configurable optical add/drop multiplexer, comprising: a first wavelength selective switch having an input port for receiving a plurality of input wavelength-division multiplexed channels λ1-λn, an output port, and an internal port, the wavelength selective switch routing a first subset (λ쨌exp) in the plurality of input wavelength-division multiplexed channels λ1-λn to the output port, the wavelength selective switch routing a second subset (λdrop) in the plurality of input wavelength-division multiplexed channels λ1-λn to the internal port, the first wavelength selective switch includes a wavelength dispersive element optically coupled to the input port, the output port and the internal port, a lens optically coupled to the wavelength dispersive element and a polarization steering device having a plurality of independently controlled pixels optically coupled to the lens; a wavelength division de-multiplexer having an input for receiving the second subset in the plurality of input wavelength-division multiplexed channels λ1-λn, and a plurality of output channel ports, the wavelength division de-multiplexer separating each of the second subset in the plurality of input wavelength-division multiplexed channels λ1-λn to a different respective one of the plurality of output channel ports; a wavelength division multiplexer having a plurality of input channel ports for receiving a different respective added channel to each of the plurality of input channel ports; and a second wavelength selective switch having a port for receiving the first subset (λ쨌exp) in the plurality of input wavelength-division multiplexed channels λ1-λn from the output port of the first wavelength selective switch, an internal port for a receiving a plurality of input wavelength-division multiplexed channels (λ') comprising the added channels from the wavelength division multiplexer, the wavelength selective switch combining the first subset (λ쨌exp) of the plurality of input wavelength-division multiplexed channels λ1-λn and the plurality of input wavelength-division multiplexed channels (λ') to produce a resulting composite signal and routing the resulting composite signal (λ쨌exp+λ') to a port, wherein the second wavelength selective switch is re-configurable such that a pathway for each channel can be selected and changed. 16. The multiplexer of claim 15, wherein the wavelength division de-multiplexer is capable of separating channels within more than one wavelength range. 17. The multiplexer of claim 15, wherein the wavelength division de-multiplexer comprises a plurality of a plurality of interleaved channel separators in a parallel cascade configuration. 18. The multiplexer of claim 17, wherein at least one of the plurality of interleaved channel separators is a switchable interleaved channel separator. 19. The multiplexer of claim 15, wherein the first wavelength selective switch is a 1횞2 wavelength selective switch. 20. The multiplexer of claim 15, wherein the second wavelength selective switch is a 1횞2 wavelength selective switch. 21. The multiplexer of claim 15, wherein the first subset in the plurality of input wavelength-division multiplexed channels λ1-λn comprises a plurality of express channels. 22. The multiplexer of claim 15, wherein the second subset in the plurality of input wavelength-division multiplexed channels λ1-λn comprises a plurality of dropped channels.