Optical signal processing apparatus and optical signal processing method

An optical signal processing apparatus comprising:

• an optical waveguide;
• first means for equally distributing an output of said optical waveguide;
• an arrayed waveguide comprising an aggregate of optical waveguides changing in optical length by a constant interval for optically dividing the output light;
• second means for focusing the optical output of said arrayed waveguide;
• and
• a phase spatial modulation device for receiving incident light focused by said second means and distributing the incident light on a straight line and for modulating the incident light into a desired amplitude or phase according to the position on the straight line, said phase spatial modulation device also being configured to reflect said incident light back to said second means.

An optical signal processing apparatus comprising:

• a substrate having an optical input side for receiving a signal light;
• an optical fiber having an optical circulator disposed in the course of the optical fiber and having an input end and an output end, the input end being optically connected to the optical input side of the substrate;
• an optical waveguide optically connected to the output end of the optical fiber;
• a first slab waveguide disposed on the substrate and being optically connected to the optical waveguide, the first slab waveguide being configured to equally distribute the signal light from the optical waveguide;
• an arrayed waveguide disposed on the substrate and being optically connected to the first slab waveguide, the arrayed waveguide being formed from a plurality of optical waveguides gradually increasing in waveguide length for generating phase difference by differing the optical length of the equally distributed light of the signal light passed from the first slab waveguide;
• a second slab waveguide disposed on the substrate and being optically connected to the arrayed waveguide, the second slab waveguide having an optical output side;
• and
• a phase spatial modulation device optically connected to the optical output side of the second slab waveguide, the phase spatial modulation device comprising a lens, a spatial filter, and reflection means for returning the signal light back through the second slab waveguide to the optical circulator.

A method of optical signal processing comprising the steps of:

• passing an input signal light through an optical circulator;
• applying the input signal light exiting the optical circulator to an optical waveguide;
• equally distributing the input signal light exiting the optical waveguide to individual waveguides as part of an arrayed waveguide containing a plurality of individual waveguides via a first slab waveguide;
• modifying the input signal light via the arrayed waveguide according to the optical length difference of each individual waveguide in the array;
• transforming the modified input signal light exiting the arrayed waveguide via a second slab waveguide;
• phase modulating the modified input signal light from the second slab waveguide via a spatial filter through a lens;
• and
• returning the modified input signal light by reflection off a mirror back through the spatial filter, the second slab waveguide, the arrayed waveguide, the first slab waveguide, the optical waveguide, and into the optical circulator, thereby generating an output signal light from the modified input signal light;
• and
• retrieving the output signal light from the optical circulator.