Abstract: A diffraction grating that achieves high diffraction efficiency at all polarizations for optical signals at telecommunications wavelengths is provided. The diffraction grating has a substrate and a plurality of reflective faces oriented at respective blaze angles &thgr;b spaced along the substrate surface, with the blaze angles substantially differ from the Littrow condition. Each reflective surface is supported by a support wall connected substantially with the substrate surface. The grating may be used in interference orders greater than first order and may diffract signals with low polarization-dependent losses in addition to high polarization-averaged efficiency.

Abstract: A diffraction grating that achieves high diffraction efficiency at all polarizations for optical signals at telecommunications wavelengths is provided. The diffraction grating has a substrate and a plurality of reflective faces oriented at respective blaze angles &thgr;b spaced along the substrate surface, with the blaze angles substantially differ from the Littrow condition. Each reflective surface is supported by a support wall connected substantially with the substrate surface.

Abstract: A retroreflector is provided with a substrate over which a moveable micromirror is formed. The moveable micromirror is adapted to be tilted into at least two distinct positions. A multimirror stack is also positioned on the substrate. The multimirror stack includes multiple fixed structures bonded together. Each of the fixed structures has a reflective surface, and the multimirror stack is configured with respect to the moveable micromirror to provide retroreflection paths. An optical ray incident at a predetermined angle with respect to the substrate is subjected to retroreflection for at least two distinct positions of the moveable micromirror. Each retroreflection includes a reflection off the moveable micromirror and a reflection off one of the fixed structures.

Abstract: A wavelength router receives light having a plurality of spectral bands at an input port. Subsets of these spectral bands are directed to output ports. The wavelength router includes an optical train and a routing mechanism. The optical train is disposed between the input port and output ports. It provides optical paths for routing the spectral bands and includes a wave plate for rotation polarization components and a dispersive element disposed to intercept light traveling from the input port. The optical train is configured so that light encounters the dispersive element and the wave plate twice before reaching any of the output ports. The routing mechanism has at least one dynamically configurable routing element to direct a given spectral band to different output ports depending on its state. For routing elements that use an odd number of reflections, the wave plate is a quarter-wave plate. For routing elements that use an even number reflections, the wave plate is a half-wave plate.

Abstract: An athermalized wavelength router comprises a base, a fiber optic input and output component, a routing array having a plurality of reflectors and a routing array/input and output mount that mounts the routing array and the input and output component to the base. The router further includes a grating and a grating mount that mounts the grating to the base. A lens is positioned between the input and output component and the grating. The base, the routing array/input and output mount and the grating mount are configured to maintain a generally constant focal length and a pointing angle onto the routing array as the temperature of the router changes.