Patent ID: 8463093
Filing Date: 2013-06-11
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. An optical device, comprising: a light-transmitting medium positioned on a base, the light-transmitting medium at least partially defining a free propagation region through which light signals travel; and a reflective grating including stepped reflecting surfaces positioned such that light signals that travel through the free propagation region are received by the reflecting surfaces, the reflecting surfaces being configured to reflect the light signal back into the free propagation region, the reflecting surfaces reflecting the light signals such that the light signals associated with different wavelengths separate as the light signals travel through the free propagation region, at least a portion of the reflecting surfaces each including an overlapped region and un-overlapped region, at least a portion of the reflecting surfaces each including an overlapping region that overlaps one of the overlapped regions such that a plane that is perpendicular to the base and perpendicular to the overlapping region can extend through both the overlapping region and the overlapped region that is overlapped by the overlapping region,