Abstract: Provided in one example is a method of manufacturing a flowcell that includes: forming a core layer, the core layer disposed between a substrate and a nanowell layer, the nanowell layer having nanowells to receive a sample, the core layer having a higher refractive index than the substrate and the nanowell layer; and forming a grating to couple light to the core layer.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a spatial light modulator, etc., the spatial light modulator being capable of dynamically controlling the phase distribution of light, and provided with a structure having a smaller pixel arrangement period and suitable for high-speed operation. The spatial light modulator includes a substrate. The substrate has a front surface, a back surface, and through-holes arranged one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally and penetrating between the front surface and the back surface. The spatial light modulator further includes layered structures each covering the inner walls of the through-holes. Each layered structure includes a first electroconductive layer on the inner wall, a dielectric layer on the first electroconductive layer and having optical transparency, and a second electroconductive layer on the dielectric layer and having optical transparency. At least one of the first and second electroconductive layers is electrically isolated for each group including one or more through-holes.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention describe apparatuses, optical systems, and methods related to utilizing optical cladding layers. According to one embodiment, a hybrid optical device includes a silicon semiconductor layer and a III-V semiconductor layer having an overlapping region, wherein a majority of a field of an optical mode in the overlapping region is to be contained in the III-V semiconductor layer. A cladding region between the silicon semiconductor layer and the III-V semiconductor layer has a spatial property to substantially confine the optical mode to the III-V semiconductor layer and enable heat dissipation through the silicon semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A display device includes a display panel and a light guide unit. The display panel includes a plurality of display units, and the plurality of display units generates a plurality of display light beams with different wavelengths, respectively. The light guide unit receives the display light beams from the plurality of display units. The light guide unit includes a plurality of input diffraction regions which change traveling directions of the display light beams, respectively, a light guide region that guides the display light beams with the changed traveling directions, and an output diffraction region which directs the guided display light beams to a predetermined direction.

Abstract: An apparatus including a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) antenna of an optical phased array includes a silicon-on-insulator substrate including a silicon wire waveguide embedded within the substrate and a grating layer disposed over the substrate. The grating layer includes a silicon nitride layer coating the silicon-on-insulator substrate and including a plurality of etchings formed in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the optical phased array and a silicon oxynitride layer coating the silicon nitride layer and filling the etchings. The etchings are relatively thin in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the optical phased array at a first end of the optical antenna and are relatively thick in the direction of the longitudinal axis at a second end. The etchings gradually increase in thickness between the first end of the optical phased array and the second end of the optical antenna.

Abstract: Integrated-optics systems are presented in which an active-material stack is disposed on a coupling layer in a first region to collectively define an OA waveguide that supports an optical mode of a light signal. The coupling layer is patterned to define a coupling waveguide and a passive waveguide, which are formed as two abutting, optically coupled segments of the coupling layer. The lateral dimensions of the active-material stack are configured to control the shape and vertical position of the optical mode at any location along the length of the OA waveguide. The active-material stack includes a taper that narrows along its length such that the optical mode is located completely in the coupling waveguide where the coupling waveguide abuts the passive waveguide. In some embodiments, the passive layer is optically coupled with the OA waveguide and a silicon waveguide, thereby enabling light to propagate between them.

Abstract: A waveguide display includes light sources, a source waveguide, an output waveguide, and a controller. Light from each of the light sources is coupled into the source waveguide. The source waveguide includes gratings with a constant period determined based on the conditions for total internal reflection and first order diffraction of the received image light. The emitted image light is coupled into the output waveguide at several entrance locations. The output waveguide outputs expanded image lights at a location offset from the entrance location, and the location/direction of the emitted expanded image light is based in part on the orientation of the light sources. Each of the expanded image light is associated with a field of view of the expanded image light emitted by the output waveguide.

Abstract: A waveguide illuminator includes an input waveguide, a waveguide splitter coupled to the input waveguide, and a waveguide array coupled to the waveguide splitter. The waveguide array includes an array of out-couplers out-coupling portions of the split light beam to form an array of out-coupled beam portions for illuminating a display panel. Locations of the array of out-couplers are coordinated with locations of individual pixels of the display panel, causing each light beam portion to propagate through a corresponding pixel of the display panel, thereby improving efficiency of light utilization by the display panel.

Abstract: A waveguide illuminator includes adjacent linear and slab waveguide areas. An input light beam is guided in a linear waveguide, is split into a plurality of sub-beams to propagate in individual linear waveguides to a slab waveguide area and form an output light beam in the slab waveguide area. An array of out-couplers is disposed in the slab waveguide area. The array of out-couplers out-couples portions of the output light beam forms an array of out-coupled beam portions for illuminating a display panel. Locations of the array of out-couplers are coordinated with locations of individual pixels of the display panel, thereby improving efficiency of light utilization by the display panel.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for expanding the eyebox of a wearable heads-up display are described. A light guide with an expanded eyebox includes a light guide material, an in-coupler, an outcoupler, and a gradient refractive index (GRIN) material. The in-coupler and the out-coupler may comprise a GRIN material. An eyeglass lens with expanded eyebox includes a light guide with expanded eyebox. A wearable heads-up display includes an eyeglass lens including a light guide with an expanded eyebox.

Abstract: A waveguide illuminator for illuminating a display panel includes an input waveguide, a waveguide splitter coupled to the input waveguide, and a waveguide array coupled to the waveguide splitter. The waveguide array includes an array of out-couplers out-coupling portions of the split light beam to form an array of out-coupled beam portions for illuminating a display panel. The out-coupled beam portions undergo optical interference and form a Talbot pattern of illumination correlated with pixel array of the display panel, enabling an optical throughput increase by centering individual Talbot peaks on the display panel pixels.

Abstract: An optical apparatus includes an image source, a relay optical system, and an optical processing system. The image source is configured to display an image. The relay optical system is configured to project the image displayed by the image source to the optical processing system, and to image at infinity. The optical processing system is configured to project incident light from the relay optical system in a same direction to at least two preset directions sequentially.

Abstract: Various embodiments of waveguide devices are described. A debanding optic may be incorporated into waveguide devices, which may help supply uniform output illumination. Accordingly, various waveguide devices are able to output a substantially flat illumination profile eliminating or mitigating banding effects.

Abstract: An electronic device may have a display system that produces images. The display system may have one or more pixel arrays such as liquid-crystal-on-silicon pixel arrays. Images from the display system may be coupled into a waveguide by an input coupler and may be coupled out of the waveguide using an output coupler. The input and output couplers may be formed from volume phase holographic gratings. An additional grating may be used to shift light that would otherwise pass above or below the user's field of view towards the viewer. Holographic gratings in the waveguide may have fringes with constant pitch and variable period. The period at a given portion of the grating may be Bragg-matched to maximize diffraction efficiency for light of a given incident angle.

Abstract: An optical element has a quarter-wave plate formed on the X-Y plane and laminated in the Z-axis direction in three-dimensional space X, Y, Z. The groove in the wave plate is curved, and the angle relative to the Y-axis varies continuously in the range of 0° to 180°. The optical element separates and converts incoming circularly polarized light into light passing therethrough and circularly polarized light reversely rotating a given angle toward the X axis from the Z axis, and outputs the light.

Abstract: An optical system is provided which includes a light source which outputs light; a first waveguide; a transmissive reflective layer provided on a top surface of the first waveguide and configured to reflect some light and transmit the remaining light incident thereon; a second waveguide provided on a top surface of the transmissive reflective layer; an in-coupler provided on the first waveguide and configured to allow the light output by the light source to enter the first waveguide; and an out-coupler provided on one of the first waveguide and the second waveguide and configured to emit light from the optical system.

Abstract: A device includes one or more light guides. The device also includes a first in-coupling element configured to couple a first light having a first input field of view (“FOV”) into a first light guide, and a second in-coupling element configured to couple a second light having a second input FOV into a second light guide. The device also includes a first out-coupling element configured to couple the first light out of the first light guide as a first output light having a first output FOV, and a second out-coupling element configured to couple the second light out of the second light guide as a second output light having a second output FOV substantially non-overlapping with the first output FOV. A combination of the first output FOV and the second output FOV is larger than at least one of the first output FOV or the second output FOV.

Abstract: A silicon photonic integrated circuit is provided, which includes a first optical power splitter, a second optical power splitter, a first grating coupler and a second grating coupler. The first optical power splitter has an input, a first output and a second output, in which the input is configured to receive an inputted beam, and the first output is configured to output a returned beam. The second optical power splitter has an input, a first output and a second output, in which the input is coupled to the second output of the first optical power splitter. The first and second grating couplers are respectively coupled to the first and second outputs of the second optical power splitter, and are configured to optically couple two opposite ends of a fiber coil, respectively.

Abstract: A waveguide includes an input area, a multi-layered substrate, and an output area. The multi-layered substrate includes a plurality of layers of at least a substrate and at least one partially reflective layers. The input area in-couples light in a first band into the waveguide. The one or more partially reflective layers are partially reflective to light in the first band. Each of the one or more partially reflective layers are located between respective layers of the plurality of layers of the substrate. The output area out-couples light from the waveguide. The pupil replication density of the out-coupled light is based in part on a number of the one or more partially reflective layers and respective locations of the one or more partially reflective layers in the waveguide.

Abstract: An imaging light guide has waveguide for conveying image-bearing light beams from an image source to an eyebox within which a virtual image can be viewed. First and second in-coupling diffractive optics direct first and second sets of the image-bearing light beams into the waveguide along different first and second paths. First and second turning diffractive optics disposed along the respective paths expand the image-bearing light beams of the first and second sets in a first dimension and direct the expanded image-bearing light beams of the first and second sets to first and second out-coupling diffractive optics. The first and second out-coupling diffractive optics further expand the image-bearing light beams of the two sets in a second dimension and direct the further expanded image-bearing light beams of the two sets from the waveguide toward the eyebox.

Abstract: A HMD device including a display, a first waveguide element and a second waveguide element is provided. The first waveguide element comprises a first light incident surface, a first light emerging surface and a plurality of first light splitting elements. An image beam is incident to the first waveguide element through the first light incident surface, and leaves the first waveguide element through the first light emerging surface. The second waveguide element comprises a second light incident surface, a second light emerging surface and a plurality of second light splitting elements. The image beam is incident to the second waveguide element through the second light incident surface. The image beam leaves through the second light emerging surface and is projected to the projection target. A reflectivity of the Nth one of the second light splitting elements is smaller than or equal to a reflectivity of the (N+1)th one of the second light splitting elements.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed a waveguide having a first waveguide segment that includes a set of first waveguide segment confinement parameters; a second waveguide segment having routing bends and a set of second waveguide segment confinement parameters; and a third waveguide segment having a set of third waveguide segment confinement parameters. The waveguide is configured to guide optical data according to an asymmetric optical-loss performance curve that is a plot of the sets of first, second, and third waveguide segment confinement parameters on a first axis; and a level of optical-loss performance that results from the sets of first, second, and third waveguide segment confinement parameters on a second axis. The sets of first, second, and third waveguide segment confinement parameters are configured to, collectively, maximize a predetermined worst-case optical-loss performance level of the asymmetric optical-loss performance curve within a range of waveguide fabrication tolerances.

Abstract: Examples of eye-imaging apparatus using diffractive optical elements are provided. For example, an optical device comprises a substrate having a proximal surface and a distal surface, a first coupling optical element disposed on one of the proximal and distal surfaces of the substrate, and a second coupling optical element disposed on one of the proximal and distal surfaces of the substrate and offset from the first coupling optical element. The first coupling optical element can be configured to deflect light at an angle to totally internally reflect (TIR) the light between the proximal and distal surfaces and toward the second coupling optical element, and the second coupling optical element can be configured to deflect at an angle out of the substrate. The eye-imaging apparatus can be used in a head-mounted display such as an augmented or virtual reality display.

Abstract: A dynamically actuable diffractive optical element (DOE) includes a substrate and a diffraction grating disposed on a first region of a surface of the substrate. The DOE further includes a quantity of a fluid disposed on a second region of the surface of the substrate, a fluid displacer disposed adjacent the second region of the surface of the substrate, and a drive signal source configured to send an electric signal to the fluid displacer. The fluid displacer is configured to, upon receiving the electric signal in a first state, causing a portion of the quantity of the fluid to be displaced from the second region of the surface into grooves of the diffraction grating, and upon receiving the electric signal in a second state, causing the portion of the quantity of the fluid to retract from the grooves of the diffraction grating to the second region of the surface.

Abstract: Systems and methods for assessing strain in structural components are disclosed. Structural components may have geometric patterns of grooves within the structural component, with the grooves in the geometric pattern each having a groove width. The method may include projecting beams of electromagnetic (EM) energy through the structural component to the geometric pattern of grooves to create diffracted beams of EM energy that are reflected from or transmitted through the geometric pattern of grooves and have diffracted wavelengths indicating changes in the groove widths due to strain caused when the structural component is exposed to environmental conditions, detecting the diffracted wavelength of the diffracted beams, and correlating the diffracted wavelengths of the diffracted beams to the strain in the structural components.

Abstract: An eyepiece and waveguide for viewing a projected image in a virtual reality and augmented reality imaging and visualization system. The waveguide may include a substrate for guiding light. The waveguide may also include an incoupling diffractive element disposed within or on the substrate and configured to diffract an incoupled light related to the projected image into the substrate. The waveguide may further include a first grating disposed within or on the substrate and configured to manipulate the diffracted incoupled light from the incoupling diffractive element so as to multiply the projected image and to direct the multiplied projected image to a second grating. The second grating may be disposed within or on the substrate and may be configured to outcouple the manipulated diffracted incoupled light from the waveguide. The first grating and the second grating may occupy a same region of the waveguide.

Abstract: An optical reflective device for pupil equalization including at least one or more grating structures within a grating medium is disclosed. The grating structures may have reflective axes that need not be constrained to surface normal. The grating structures are configured to reflect light about substantially constant reflective axes across a relatively wide range of wavelengths. The optical reflective device may reflect light towards a specific location, such as an exit pupil or eye box. Each grating structure within the device may be configured to reflect light of a particular wavelength at a plurality of incidence angles.

Abstract: A waveguide includes an input area, a multi-layered substrate, and an output area. The multi-layered substrate includes a plurality of layers of at least a substrate and at least one partially reflective layers. The input area in-couples light in a first band into the waveguide. The one or more partially reflective layers are partially reflective to light in the first band. Each of the one or more partially reflective layers are located between respective layers of the plurality of layers of the substrate. The output area out-couples light from the waveguide. The pupil replication density of the out-coupled light is based in part on a number of the one or more partially reflective layers and respective locations of the one or more partially reflective layers in the waveguide.

Abstract: An optical network including an input to receive from an optical network light comprising plural wavelength components. An optical wavelength selective filter, optically connected to the input, extracts a first wavelength component of the plural wavelength components from the light, thereby providing a first optical signal including the first wavelength component and a second optical signal including a remainder of the plural wavelength components a light emitter to provide a modulated broadband optical signal. A first output, optically connected to the optical wavelength selective filter, receives a first portion of the second optical signal for transmission to a light detector and a second output, optically connected to optical wavelength selective filter, receives a second portion of the second optical signal for transmission to the optical network.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed a waveguide having a first waveguide segment that includes a set of first waveguide segment confinement parameters; a second waveguide segment having routing bends and a set of second waveguide segment confinement parameters; and a third waveguide segment having a set of third waveguide segment confinement parameters. The waveguide is configured to guide optical data according to an asymmetric optical-loss performance curve that is a plot of the sets of first, second, and third waveguide segment confinement parameters on a first axis; and a level of optical-loss performance that results from the sets of first, second, and third waveguide segment confinement parameters on a second axis. The sets of first, second, and third waveguide segment confinement parameters are configured to, collectively, maximize a predetermined worst-case optical-loss performance level of the asymmetric optical-loss performance curve within a range of waveguide fabrication tolerances.

Abstract: A system includes a laser, a spatial light modulator with a display, and a controller. The controller includes processing circuitry configured to control the display of the spatial light modulator to reduce image speckle of a projected image responsive to the laser based on a time sequential update of a plurality of phase holograms generated responsive to an input frame received at the controller.

Abstract: An optical reflective device for pupil equalization including at least one or more grating structures within a grating medium is disclosed. The grating structures may have reflective axes that need not be constrained to surface normal. The grating structures are configured to reflect light about substantially constant reflective axes across a relatively wide range of wavelengths. The optical reflective device may reflect light towards a specific location, such as an exit pupil or eye box. Each grating structure within the device may be configured to reflect light of a particular wavelength at a plurality of incidence angles.

Abstract: MEMS-actuated optical switches can be implemented on photonic chips. These switches are compact, essentially planar, simple to implement and include only one moving MEMS component per switch. The switches exhibit low optical loss, require low power to operate, and are simple to control and easy to integrate with other optical devices. Each switch has two optical waveguides that are optically coupled in an ON switch state and not coupled in an OFF switch state. An end or a medial section of one of the two waveguides may translate between the ON and OFF states to affect the coupling. Alternatively, a coupling frustrator may translate between the ON and OFF states to affect the coupling.

Abstract: Structures that include a Bragg grating and methods of fabricating a structure that includes a Bragg grating. Bragg elements are positioned adjacent to a waveguide. The Bragg elements are separated by grooves that alternate with the Bragg elements. A dielectric layer includes portions positioned to close the grooves to define airgaps. The airgaps are respectively arranged between adjacent pairs of the Bragg elements. The Bragg elements may be used to form the Bragg grating.

Abstract: A contact image sensor having an illumination source; a first SBG array device; a transmission grating; a second SBG array device; a waveguiding layer including a multiplicity of waveguide cores separated by cladding material; an upper clad layer; and a platen. The sensor further includes: an input element for coupling light from the illumination source into the first SBG array; a coupling element for coupling light out of the cores into output optical paths coupled to a detector having at least one photosensitive element.

Abstract: Optical transmission systems and methods are provided herein. The system includes a modulator configured to impress an input radio frequency (RF) signal onto an input optical signal to generate a first modulated optical signal and a second modulated optical signal. The system also includes a signal adjustment controller configured to apply a delay to the first modulated optical signal or the second modulated optical signal, interleave the first modulated optical signal and the second modulated optical signal, and transmit the interleaved first and second modulated optical signals as one optical signal. The system also includes a single optical link coupled to the modulator and configured to carry the interleaved first and second modulated optical signals to a receiver.

Abstract: A hermetic optical fiber alignment assembly includes a ferrule portion having a plurality of grooves receiving the end sections of optical fibers, wherein the grooves define the location and orientation of the end sections with respect to the ferrule portion. The assembly includes an integrated optical element for coupling the input/output of an optical fiber to the opto-electronic devices in the opto-electronic module. The optical element can be in the form of a structured reflective surface. The end of the optical fiber is at a defined distance to and aligned with the structured reflective surface. The structured reflective surfaces and the fiber alignment grooves can be formed by stamping.

Abstract: An optical projector comprises a collimated light source, a pattern generating optical element, and a variable optical element positioned optically between the collimated light source and the pattern generating optical element. The variable optical element is configured to adjust a divergence of a light beam incident on the pattern generating optical element. The pattern generating optical element is configured to emit patterned light when the variable optical element is in a first state, and to emit non-patterned light when the variable optical element is in a second state.

Abstract: An optical device for polarizing light including a polarization altering element operatively coupled to a light path associated with the first light coupling device and the second light coupling device is described. The optical device may further include a first waveguide portion including a first layer having parallel plane surfaces with the first waveguide portion having a first light coupling device. The optical device may also include a second waveguide portion including a second layer having parallel plane surfaces with the second waveguide portion having a second light coupling device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical time domain reflectometer using, as a optical source, a polymer wavelength tunable laser which tunes the wavelength of an optical signal by using polymer grating. The optical time domain reflectometer of the present invention tunes the wavelength of a polymer wavelength tunable laser that outputs a constant optical signal and inspects cutting, reflection, and damage of an optical line by separating an optical signal returning from the optical line by an optical filter having a specific central wavelength. Since a optical source having a constant light intensity is used, the present invention has an effect of reducing the nonlinear effect generated in an optical line.

Abstract: There is provided an illumination device having: a laser; a waveguide including at least first and second transparent lamina; a first grating device for coupling light from the laser into a TIR path in the waveguide; a second grating device for coupling light from the TIR path out of the waveguide; and a third grating device for applying a variation of at least one of beam deflection, phase retardation or polarization rotation across the wavefronts of the TIR light. The first second and third grating devices are each sandwiched by transparent lamina.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for an optical beam-steering device that includes an optical transmitter and/or receiver to transmit and/or receive optical radiation from an optically reflective surface. An array of adjustable plasmonic resonant waveguides is arranged on the surface with inter-element spacings less than an optical operating wavelength. A controller applies a pattern of voltage differentials to the adjustable plasmonic resonant waveguides. The pattern of voltage differentials corresponds to a sub-wavelength reflection phase pattern for reflecting the optical electromagnetic radiation. One embodiment of an adjustable plasmonic resonant waveguide includes first and second metal rails extending from the surface. The metal rails are spaced from one another to form channel therebetween. An electrically-adjustable dielectric is disposed within the channel.

Abstract: Structures that include an optical component, such as a grating coupler, and methods of fabricating a structure that includes an optical component, such as a grating coupler. First and second layers are arranged over the optical component with the first layer arranged between the second layer and the optical component. The first and second layers are each composed of a tunable material having a refractive index that is a function of a bias voltage applied to the first layer and the second layer.

Abstract: A heat transfer system includes a first component formed of a thermally conductive material and a second component including a surface adapted to capture stray photons to provide heat to the electronic device. The first component is secured and thermally coupled with an electronic device. In particular, the first component includes first and second layers. The first component is in superposed relation with the second component.

Abstract: A Photonic Crystal Fiber (PCF) a method of its production and a supercontinuum light source comprising such PCF. The PCF has a longitudinal axis and includes a core extending along the length of said longitudinal axis and a cladding region surrounding the core. At least the cladding region includes a plurality of microstructures in the form of inclusions extending along the longitudinal axis of the PCF in at least a microstructured length section. In at least a degradation resistant length section of the microstructured length section the PCF includes hydrogen and/or deuterium. In at least the degradation resistant length section the PCF further includes a main coating surrounding the cladding region, which main coating is hermetic for the hydrogen and/or deuterium at a temperature below Th, wherein Th is at least about 50° C., preferably 50° C.<Th<250° C.

Abstract: An optical waveguide comprises at least two TIR surface and contains a grating. Input TIR light with a first angular range along a first propagation direction undergoes at least two diffractions at the grating. Each diffraction directs light into a unique TIR angular range along a second propagation direction.

Abstract: Examples are disclosed herein related to reducing binocular rivalry in a near-eye display. One example provides a head-mounted display device having a near-eye display system configured to output a first-eye image to a first eyebox and a second-eye image to a second eyebox. The head-mounted display device is configured to receive an input of a three-dimensional (3D) location of a pupil of a first eye and a 3D location of a pupil of a second eye relative to the near-eye display system, based upon the 3D location of the pupil of the first eye and of the second eye, determine a location at which the pupil of the first eye begins to exit the first eyebox, and attenuate a luminance of the second-eye image at a location in the second-eye image based upon the location at which the pupil of the first eye begins to exit the first eyebox.

Abstract: In an example, the present invention provides an optical engine apparatus. The apparatus has a laser diode device, the laser diode device characterized by a wavelength ranging from 300 to 2000 nm or any variations thereof. In an example, the apparatus has a lens coupled to an output of the laser diode device and a scanning mirror device operably coupled to the laser diode device. In an example, the apparatus has an un-patterned phosphor plate coupled to the scanning mirror and configured with the laser device; and a spatial image formed on a portion of the un-patterned phosphor plate configured by a modulation of the laser and movement of the scanning mirror device.

Abstract: A structure to couple light to a waveguide is described. In an example, a light source of the structure may emit light from an emission point towards a lens of the structure. The light source may be disposed at a location such that the emission point of the light source is offset from a center of the lens. The lens may be integrated in a substrate of a structure comprising the light source. The lens may refract the light emitted from the emission point at an angle. The angle may be based on the offset between the emission point and the center of the lens. The structure may couple the refracted light to a coupler of the waveguide at an incident angle.

Abstract: A steerable optical transmit and receive terminal includes a MEMS-based N×1 optical switching network. Each optical switch in the switching network uses an electrostatic MEMS structure to selectively position a translatable optical grating close to or far from an optical waveguide. In the close (“ON”) position, light couples between the translatable optical grating and the optical waveguide, whereas in the far (“OFF”) position, no appreciable light couples between the translatable optical grating and the optical waveguide. The translatable optical grating is disposed at or near a surface of the optical switching network. Thus, the translatable optical grating emits light into, or receives light from, free space. The steerable optical transmit and receive terminal also includes a lens and can steer a free space optical beam in a direction determined by which port of the N×1 optical switching network is ON.