Optical multiplexor switch for free space optical communication

An optical device for optically switching a plurality of optical input signals comprising:

• a plurality of input fibers for receiving the plurality of optical input signals, wherein one or more of the optical input fibers represent multiple channels at different channel frequencies;
• an anamorphic lens for spreading the received plurality of optical input signals;
• a collimator for collimating the spread plurality of optical input signals;
• a dispersing element for dispersing the collimated optical signals so that signals of different wavelength are separated by different angles;
• a focusing element for focusing the optical signals separated by different angles, wherein the light from a channel on a single input fiber is spread over multiple microelements of the light switch;
• a light switch having a plurality of microelements arranged in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction for receiving the focused signals, wherein the collimator collimates the spread plurality of optical input signals to a portion of the rows of the microelements of the light switch via the dispersing element, wherein the light switch comprises of a single beam steering array having a plurality of microelements arranged in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction;
• and
• a controller for issuing a control signal to tilt a portion of the plurality of the elements to direct one or more of the optical signals separated by different angles to one or more output fibers for multicasting of the optical input signals, and for addressing the microelements to tailor a precise spectral limits of the channel and to send a fraction of the incident light to each output fiber, and performing noise filtering by altering a region on the light switch that act together for each multiple channel, wherein each of said one or more output fibers accepts optical inputs from any row and column of the light switch.