Configurable aperiodic grating device

Optical waveguide device comprising:

• a waveguide layer adapted to propagate electromagnetic radiation;
• and
• a configurable aperiodic grating device disposed on said optical waveguide layer so as to interact with radiation propagating in the optical waveguide, said aperiodic grating device comprising:
• a plurality of grating elements having a characteristic attribute, said grating elements being arranged so as to produce an actual first spectral response of the aperiodic grating device that matches a desired first spectral response;
• and
• a plurality of actuating elements formed on said aperiodic grating device that generates the first spectral response, said plurality of actuating elements capable of altering the actual first spectral response to produce at least one second actual spectral response that matches a desired second spectral response.

Method of producing a configurable aperiodic grating device having a plurality of grating elements, comprising:

• defining a cost function representing a goodness of fit between a desired spectral response and an actual spectral response of the grating device;
• defining a desired first spectral response of the grating device;
• assigning to each grating element of the grating device at least one characteristic attribute;
• generating an initial arrangement of the grating elements;
• iteratively modifying at least one characteristic attribute of at least one of the grating elements and computing for each iteration a first cost function;
• if the computed first cost function for an iteration is less than a first predetermined value, selecting a corresponding arrangement of the grating elements as an optimal arrangement of the grating elements;
• defining a desired second spectral response of the optimal arrangement of the grating elements;
• iteratively selecting different ones of the optimally arranged grating elements and modifying a refractive index of the selected grating elements;
• computing a second cost function for each arrangement of the selected grating elements having the modified refractive index;
• and
• if the computed second cost function for an iteration is less than a second predetermined value, selecting a corresponding arrangement of the selected grating elements as an optimal arrangement of the selected grating elements to provide said second spectral response.