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US 6,445,502 B1Granted
Variable blazed grating
AssigneeCeleste Optics, Inc.
InventorsMohammed N. Islam, Amos Kuditcher
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one aspect of the invention, an apparatus operable to provide optical signal processing includes an inner conductive layer including an at least substantially conductive material and a plurality of at least partially reflective mirror strips disposed outwardly from the inner conductive layer and operable to receive an input optical signal, wherein none of the plurality of strips has a width greater than 40 microns. At least some of the strips are operable to undergo a partial rotation in response to a control signal, the partial rotation resulting in a diffraction of the input optical signal wherein a majority of the diffracted input signal is communicated in one direction.
Claims39
An apparatus operable to provide optical signal processing, the apparatus comprising:
- an inner conductive layer comprising an at least substantially conductive material;
- and
- a plurality of at least partially reflective mirror strips disposed outwardly from the inner conductive layer and operable to receive an input optical signal, wherein none of the plurality of strips has a width greater than 40 microns and wherein at least some of the strips are operable to undergo a partial rotation in response to a control signal, the partial rotation resulting in a diffraction of the input optical signal wherein a majority of the diffracted input signal is communicated in one direction;
- wherein the control signal comprises a voltage operable to create one of a plurality of selectable non-zero voltage differentials between the mirror strips and the inner conductive layer to result in one of a plurality of selectable angles of rotation of the mirror strips, and a corresponding one of a plurality of selectable attenuations of the input signal.
1 more element
A method of processing optical signals using a blazed grating, the method comprising:
- receiving an optical signal at a plurality of at least partially reflective mirror strips residing in a first position outwardly from an inner conductive layer, wherein none of the plurality of strips has a width of more than 40 microns;
- and
- rotating the mirror strips by an angle THETA from the first position in response to a control signal to create a plurality of diffracted signal portions, the majority of the diffracted signal portions being diffracted in one direction;
- wherein the control signal comprises a voltage operable to create one of a plurality of selectable non-zero voltage differentials between the mirror strips and the inner conductive layer to result in one of a plurality of selectable angles of rotation of the mirror strips, and a corresponding one of a plurality of selectable attenuations of the input signal.
1 more element
An apparatus operable to provide optical signal processing, the apparatus comprising:
- an inner conductive layer comprising an at least substantially conductive material;
- and
- a plurality of at least partially reflective mirror strips disposed outwardly from the inner conductive layer and operable to receive an input optical signal, wherein at least some of the strips are operable to undergo a partial rotation of more than two degrees in response to a control signal, the partial rotation resulting in a diffraction of the input optical signal wherein a majority of the diffracted input signal is communicated in one direction;
- wherein the control signal comprises a voltage operable to create one of a plurality of selectable non-zero voltage differentials between the mirror strips and the inner conductive layer to result in one of a plurality of selectable angles of rotation of the mirror strips, and a corresponding one of a plurality of selectable attenuations of the input signal.
1 more element
A method of processing optical signals using a blazed grating, the method comprising:
- receiving an optical signal at a plurality of at least partially reflective mirror strips residing in a first position and disposed outwardly from an inner conductive layer;
- and
- rotating the mirror from the first position in response to a control signal to create a plurality of diffracted signal portions, the majority of the diffracted signal portions being diffracted in one direction, tie strips having a maximum rotation angle that is greater than two degrees;
- wherein the control signal comprises a voltage operable to create one of a plurality of selectable non-zero voltage differentials between the mirror strips and the inner conductive layer to result in one of a plurality of selectable angles of rotation of the mirror strips, and a corresponding one of a plurality of selectable attenuations of the input signal.
1 more element
An apparatus operable to provide optical signal processing, the apparatus comprising:
- an inner conductive layer comprising an at least substantially conductive material;
- and
- a plurality of at least partially reflective mirror strips disposed outwardly from the inner conductive layer and operable to receive an input optical signal, wherein none of the plurality of strips has a width greater than 40 microns and wherein at least some of the strips are operable to undergo a partial rotation in response to a control signal, the partial rotation resulting in a diffraction of the input optical signal wherein a majority of the diffracted input signal is communicated in one direction;
- wherein each of the mirror strips comprises:
- a layer of electrically insulating material;
- a first portion of at least partially reflective and at least substantially conductive material disposed outwardly from a first edge of the insulating layer;
- a second portion of at least partially reflective material disposed outwardly from the insulating layer and separated from the first portion by a channel;
- wherein a voltage differential between the first portion and the inner conductive layer operates to create an electrostatic force between the first portion and the inner conductive layer tending to rotate the first portion toward the inner conductive layer.
5 more elements
An apparatus operable to provide optical signal processing, the apparatus comprising:
- an inner conductive layer comprising an at least substantially conductive material;
- and
- a plurality of at least partially reflective mirror strips disposed outwardly from the inner conductive layer and operable to receive an input optical signal, wherein none of the plurality of strips has a width greater than 40 microns and wherein at least some of the strips are operable to undergo a partial rotation in response to a control signal, the partial rotation resulting in a diffraction of the input optical signal wherein a majority of the diffracted input signal is communicated in one direction;
- wherein each of the mirror strips comprises:
- an inner surface facing the inner conductive layer;
- and
- an outer surface joining the inner surface at an angle, wherein the outer surfaces of two adjacent strips are each operable to receive a portion of an optical input signal and to reflect the received portion at an output angle;
- and
- wherein alternate ones of the mirror strips are operable to move relative to adjacent mirror strips by a selected distance to create a desired phase difference between the reflected beam portions.
6 more elements
A method of processing optical signals using a blazed grating, the method comprising:
- receiving an optical signal at a plurality of at least partially reflective mirror strips residing in a first position, wherein none of the plurality of strips has a width of more than 40 microns;
- and
- rotating the mirror strips by an angle THETA from the first position to create a plurality of diffracted signal portions, the majority of the diffracted signal portions being diffracted in one direction;
- wherein each of the mirror strips comprises:
- a layer of electrically insulating material;
- a first portion of at least partially reflective and at least substantially conductive material disposed outwardly from a first edge of the insulating layer;
- a second portion of at least partially reflective material disposed outwardly from the insulating layer and separated from the first portion by a channel;
- and
- wherein a voltage differential between the first portion and the inner conductive layer operates to create an electrostatic force between the first portion and the inner conductive layer tending to rotate the first portion toward the inner conductive layer.
6 more elements
A method of processing optical signals using a blazed grating, the method comprising:
- receiving an optical signal at a plurality of at least partially reflective mirror strips residing in a first position, wherein none of the plurality of strips has a width of more than 40 microns;
- and
- rotating the mirror strips by an angle THETA from the first position to create a plurality of diffracted signal portions, the majority of the diffracted signal portions being diffracted in one direction;
- wherein each of the mirror strips comprises:
- an inner surface facing the inner conductive layer;
- and
- an outer surface joining the inner surface at an angle, wherein the outer surfaces of two adjacent strips are each operable to receive a portion of an optical input signal and to reflect the received portion at an output angle;
- and
- wherein alternate ones of the mirror strips are operable to move relative to adjacent mirror strips by a selected distance to create a desired phase difference between the reflected beam portions.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.