Optical switch with moveable holographic optical element

A holographic optical element for use with an optical substrate, wherein an incident light signal is propagating within the substrate in a primary direction of propagation reflecting off a top surface of the substrate under total internal reflection, comprising:

• a plurality of spaced-apart strips formed of an optically transparent material and disposed above the top surface of the substrate such that the strips collectively receive a first portion of the light signal and produce an output signal phase shifted from a second portion of the light signal reflected off the top surface of the substrate to produce a diffraction pattern within the substrate;
• and
• a suspension member adjacent to the plurality of strips and disposed for allowing movement of the strips from a first position in which the incident light signal is altered by the holographic optical element and a second position in which the incident light signal is unaltered by the holographic optical element.

A 1×N optical switch comprising:

• a substrate for transmitting an optical signal within the substrate, where said optical signal propagates in the substrate in a first direction along a first plane and under total internal reflection;
• and
• N diffractive optical elements disposed above a top surface of the substrate and each individually moveable relative to the substrate between a first position substantially out of evanescent field coupling with the optical signal, such that the optical signal continues to travel in the first direction, and a second position within evanescent field coupling with the optical signal to alter the propagation of the optical signal into a second direction along a second plane that forms an acute angle with the first plane, where N is an integer greater than θ1.

An optical switch for use with a substrate, the optical switch comprising:

• a plurality of strips disposed above a top surface of the substrate for movement relative to the substrate, each strip being spaced apart a spacing distance and having a strip width, whereby the sum, ‘a’, of the spacing distance and the strip width is chosen such that a light signal traveling within the substrate under total internal reflection along a first plane and incident upon an area of the top surface below said strips is reflected into a first diffracted order propagating within the substrate in a reflected direction of propagation along a second plane defining an acute angle, θp, with respect to the first plane and propagating within the substrate under total internal reflection.