Reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexers with servo control and dynamic spectral power management capabilities

An optical apparatus comprising:

• a) an array of fiber collimators, providing an input port for a multi-wavelength optical signal and a plurality of output ports including a pass-through port and drop ports;
• b) a wavelength-separator, for separating said multi-wavelength optical signal from said input port into multiple spectral channels;
• c) a beam-focuser, for focusing said spectral channels into corresponding spectral spots;
• d) an array of channel micromirrors positioned such that each channel micromirror receives a unique one of said spectral channels, said channel micromirrors being individually and continuously controllable to reflect said spectral channels into selected ones of said output ports, whereby a subset of said spectral channels is directed to said pass-through port to provide pass-through spectral channels;
• e) an array of collimator-alignment mirrors, for adjusting an alignment of said multi-wavelength optical signal from said input port and directing said reflected spectral channels into said output ports;
• and
• an optical combiner, for combining said pass-through spectral channels with one or more add spectral channels.

A method of performing dynamic add and drop functions in a WDM optical network, comprising:

• a) receiving a multi-wavelength optical signal from an input port;
• b) separating said multi-wavelength optical signal into multiple spectral channels;
• c) focusing said spectral channels onto an array of corresponding beam-deflecting elements, whereby each beam-deflecting element receives a unique one of said spectral channels;
• d) dynamically and continuously controlling said beam-deflecting elements so to direct said spectral channels into a pass-through port and one or more drop ports, whereby a subset of said spectral channels are directed into said pass-through port to provide pass-through spectral channels;
• and
• e) combining said pass-through spectral channels with one or more add spectral channels.