Apparatus for optical demultiplexing

An apparatus for optical demultiplexing comprising:

• an optical splitter configured for receiving an optical time-domain multiplexed (OTDM) signal and transmitting the OTDM signal separately along a first signal path and a second signal path;
• at least two semiconductor optical elements, comprising a first SOE configured for receiving the OTDM signal from the first signal path and a second SOE configured for receiving the OTDM signal from the second signal path;
• and
• an optical gating line arrangement comprising an input end for coupling to an optical gating source for receiving an optical gating signal, the optical gating line arrangement being optically coupled to each of the at least two SOE's for altering optical transmission properties of the corresponding SOE for the OTDM signal by the optical gating signal;
• wherein a first difference is different from a second difference to facilitate a time delay for demultiplexing the OTDM signal, the first difference corresponding to a difference between an optical distance for the OTDM signal from the optical splitter to the first SOE and an optical distance for the optical gating signal from the input end to the first SOE and the second difference corresponding to a difference between an optical distance for the OTDM signal from the optical splitter to the second SOE and an optical distance for the optical gating signal from the input end to the second SOE;
• and
• wherein each of the at least two SOE's has a length dimension and a width dimension, and each of the at least two SOE's is configured for the OTDM signal to be received along the length dimension of the corresponding SOE and the optical gating signal to be provided across the width dimension of the corresponding SOE.