Abstract: A reflective spatial light modulator (SLM) includes a first substrate, a second substrate and an electro-optic material positioned between the first and second substrates. The first substrate includes a reflective ground layer that acts as a continuous first electrode and the second substrate includes a pixel layer having a plurality of pixel elements formed in a pattern. The pixel elements are formed of a transparent conductive material and are separated by inter-pixel regions formed of a non-conductive material. A transmissivity of the electro-optic material in a vicinity of each of the plurality of pixel elements is controlled by a potential difference applied between the first electrode and a respective one of the pixel elements.

Abstract: A light dispersing device for dispersing a polychromatic input beam into a plurality of narrow-band output beams such that the output beams are directed in a wavelength dependent manner and such that the directions of the output beams are less affected by a change in temperature. The preferred embodiment of the device comprises a diffraction grating mounted to a surface of a prism. The grating and prism have dispersing characteristics that make the output of the device substantially insensitive to a change in temperature. In one embodiment, the device is adapted to reduce the angles between the input beam and the output beams at the grating, and thereby improve throughput efficiency.

Abstract: A multi-fiber optical collimator includes a plurality of optical fibers for carrying optical signals, a first lens and a beam expander. The first lens has first and second sides and a first focal length. The first side of the first lens is positioned a distance of about the first focal length from first ends of the optical fibers. The beam expander has first and second sides and the first side of the beam expander is positioned to face the second side of the first lens. The second side of the beam expander provides collimated beams associated with the optical signals carried by the optical fibers.

Abstract: A light filtering assembly for filtering an input beam of light having a plurality of desired wavelength components and a plurality of unwanted wavelength components so as to provide an output beam having only the desired wavelength components. The filtering assembly comprises an input section, a filtering section, and an output section. The input section divides the input beam into a plurality of polarized beamlets that travel along a corresponding plurality of spatially separated beam paths. The polarized beamlets comprise a plurality of desired beamlets corresponding to the desired wavelength components of the input beam and a plurality of unwanted beamlets corresponding to the unwanted wavelength components of the input beam. The filtering section is disposed in the paths of the beamlets so that the desired beamlets are passed and the unwanted beamlets are blocked.

Abstract: A reflective spatial light modulator (SLM) includes a first substrate, a second substrate and an electro-optic material positioned between the first and second substrates. The first substrate includes a reflective ground layer that acts as a continuous first electrode and the second substrate includes a pixel layer having a plurality of pixel elements formed in a pattern. The pixel elements are formed of a transparent conductive material and are separated by inter-pixel regions formed of a non-conductive material. A transmissivity of the electro-optic material in a vicinity of each of the plurality of pixel elements is controlled by a potential difference applied between the first electrode and a respective one of the pixel elements.

Abstract: An optical system of the present invention includes a polarization beam separator for receiving an input beam and separating the input beam into a first component that propagates along a first path and a second component a polarization opposite that of the first component, the second component being directed along a second path spatially separated from the first path, a polarization changer provided in the first path for changing the polarization of the first component to the same polarization as the second component, a redirecting optical subsystem for receiving the first and second components and redirecting the first component back in superposition along the second path and the second component back in superposition along the first path, and a polarization beam combiner for combining the redirected first and second components to provide an output beam.

Abstract: An optical system of the present invention includes a reflective liquid crystal device having a plurality of independently activated liquid crystal elements, and an optical element for directing a plurality of input light beams at the reflective liquid crystal device such that each input light beam impinges upon one of the liquid crystal elements. Each liquid crystal element of the reflective liquid crystal device includes a transparent first electrode, a reflective second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, and a liquid crystal medium disposed between the first and second electrodes. The liquid crystal elements are independently operable to change between half-wave and zero retardation states in response to an applied voltage.

Abstract: An optical system according to the present invention includes a beam polarization combiner for receiving first and second sets of input beams, and a reflective spatial light modulator having a plurality of individually activated modulating elements each corresponding to a respective one of the different wavelengths of the input beams. Each input beam is directed at a modulating element of corresponding wavelength with input beams of the first and second sets impinging upon the modulating element from respective first and second incoming paths. Each modulating element selectively changes the input beams such that the outgoing path for each reflected beam of each set is superimposed on the incoming path for the other set. The beam combiner receives the reflected sets of beams and directs them in different directions based upon their polarization. The optical system may be used in a wavelength selective switch or a dynamic spectral equalizer.

Abstract: A light filtering assembly for filtering an input beam of light having a plurality of desired wavelength components and a plurality of unwanted wavelength components so as to provide an output beam having only the desired wavelength components. The filtering assembly comprises an input section, a filtering section, and an output section. The input section divides the input beam into a plurality of polarized beamlets that travel along a corresponding plurality of spatially separated beam paths. The polarized beamlets comprise a plurality of desired beamlets corresponding to the desired wavelength components of the input beam and a plurality of unwanted beamlets corresponding to the unwanted wavelength components of the input beam. The filtering section is disposed in the paths of the beamlets so that the desired beamlets are passed and the unwanted beamlets are blocked.

Abstract: A reconfigurable bi-directional wavelength selective switch and variable optical attenuator is disclosed. It has an optical system that is symmetric about a polarization modulator. The symmetric optical system consists of an input birefringent optical system and output birefringent optical system disposed around polarization modulator. The optical system delivers the wavelength channels that are to be switched as a superimposed wavelength channel incident the polarization modulator. As a result, crosstalk is reduced below −35 dB and greater optical performance is achieved.