# US 11,909,437 B2 · Optic for multi-pass optical channel monitor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,909,437 B2 - Document ID: US11909437B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/301,260 - Filed: 2021-03-30 - Published: 2022-06-30 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2020-12-28 - Assignees: Lumentum Operations LLC - Applicants: Lumentum Operations LLC - Inventors: Paul Colbourne - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11909437B2 ## CPC - H04B 10/07957: {Monitoring or measuring wavelength} - G01J 3/021: {using plane or convex mirrors, parallel phase plates, or particular reflectors} - G01J 3/0229: {using masks, aperture plates, spatial light modulators or spatial filters, e.g. reflective filters} - G01J 3/0291: {Housings; Spectrometer accessories; Spatial arrangement of elements, e.g. folded path arrangements} - G01J 3/14: using refracting elements, e.g. prisms (G01J3/18, G01J3/26 take precedence {prisms per se G02B5/04}) - G01J 3/18: using diffraction elements, e.g. grating (gratings per se G02B) - G01J 2003/1208: {Prism and grating} - H04B: TRANSMISSION - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) ## Abstract An optical device may include a dispersion element. The optical device may include a reflective optic to reflect an optical beam with a fixed offset perpendicular to a dispersion direction of the dispersion element and with a negative offset in the dispersion direction of the dispersion element. The reflective optic may be aligned to the dispersion element to offset an optical beam with respect to the dispersion element and to cause the optical beam to pass through the dispersion element on a plurality of passes, offsetting the optical beam on each of the plurality of passes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical device, comprising: a dispersion element; a reflective optic to reflect an optical beam with a fixed offset perpendicular to a dispersion direction of the dispersion element and with a negative offset in the dispersion direction of the dispersion element, wherein the reflective optic is aligned to the dispersion element to offset an optical beam with respect to the dispersion element and to cause the optical beam to pass through the dispersion element on a plurality of passes, offsetting the optical beam on each of the plurality of passes; and a reflective tuning element in an optical path of the dispersion element and the reflective optic. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical device of claim 1, wherein the negative offset in the dispersion direction is configured to cause a spectral inversion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical device of claim 1, wherein the optical device is at least one of an optical channel monitor or a spectrometer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optical device of claim 1, wherein the dispersion element comprises a diffraction grating. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The optical device of claim 1, wherein the reflective tuning element is a microelectromechanical system tilting mirror. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The optical device of claim 1, wherein the reflective optic comprises a reflective prism. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The optical device of claim 1, wherein the reflective optic comprises a plurality of reflective prisms. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The optical device of claim 1, wherein the reflective optic comprises a prism with refractive faces. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The optical device of claim 1, further comprising: a lens in an optical path of the dispersion element and the reflective optic. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The optical device of claim 1, wherein the reflective optic is configured to cause beam offsets in a perpendicular direction to cancel on successive reflections of the reflective optic. ### Claim 11 A method, comprising: receiving, at an input port of an optical channel monitor, an optical beam; directing, by a reflective optic of the optical channel monitor, the optical beam through a dispersion element of the optical channel monitor and a reflective tuning element of the optical channel monitor for a plurality of passes, wherein each pass is offset in accordance with a fixed perpendicular offset of the reflective optic; and determining, by the optical channel monitor, a characteristic of the optical beam based on directing the optical beam through the dispersion element for the plurality of passes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein directing the optical beam through the dispersion element and the reflective tuning element comprises: directing the optical beam through the dispersion element and the reflective tuning element on a first pass of the plurality of passes; reflecting the optical beam with the fixed perpendicular offset using the reflective optic based on directing the optical beam through the dispersion element and the reflective tuning element on the first pass; and directing the optical beam through the dispersion element and the reflective tuning element on a second pass, of the plurality of passes, based on reflecting the optical beam with the fixed perpendicular offset. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the reflective optic comprises a plurality of component reflective optics corresponding to the plurality of passes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein directing the optical beam through the dispersion element and the reflective tuning element comprises: reflecting the optical beam with the fixed perpendicular offset using a first component reflective optic, of the plurality of component reflective optics, for a first pass of the plurality of passes; and reflecting the optical beam with the fixed perpendicular offset using a second component reflective optic, of the plurality of component reflective optics, for a second pass of the plurality of passes. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein directing the optical beam through the dispersion element and the reflective tuning element comprises: inverting a spectrum of the optical beam for a second pass, of the plurality of passes, through the dispersion element and the reflective tuning element relative to the optical beam for a first pass of the plurality of passes. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the reflective tuning element is a microelectromechanical system mirror. ### Claim 17 A reflective optic, comprising: a plurality of prism faces, wherein the plurality of prism faces are angled with respect to each other to cause, in an optical path, a fixed perpendicular offset in at least one optical path through the reflective optic with respect to at least one other optical path through the reflective optic, wherein a size of the fixed perpendicular offset is independent of an incident position of an optical beam on a prism face of the plurality of prism faces, and wherein the plurality of prism faces are angled with respect to each other to cause, in the at least one optical path, a spectral inversion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The reflective optic of claim 17, wherein the at least one optical path through the reflective optic comprises at least one internal reflection within the reflective optic. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The reflective optic of claim 17, wherein the plurality of prism faces are formed from at least one of a glass material, a plastic material, or a semiconductor material. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The reflective optic of claim 17, wherein the at least one optical path comprises a plurality of optical paths alignable to a plurality of positions on a dispersion element.