Patent ID: 7224855
Filing Date: 2007-05-29
Classification: G02B,H04J

Abstract:
1. An optical apparatus, comprising: an optical element having at least one set of diffractive elements; and an optical reflector, wherein: the reflector routes, between a first optical port and a second optical port, that portion of an optical signal propagating within the optical element and transmitted by each diffractive element set; each diffractive element set routes, between a corresponding multiplexing optical port and either the first or the second optical port, a corresponding portion of the optical signal that is diffracted by the diffractive element set according to a corresponding set transfer function; and the optical element comprises a planar optical waveguide, the planar optical waveguide substantially confining in one transverse dimension the optical signal propagating in two dimensions therein, and wherein: (a) the diffractive elements of the set are collectively arranged so as to exhibit a positional variation in amplitude, optical separation, or spatial phase over some portion of the set, said positional variation determining at least in part the set transfer function; or (b) (1) each diffractive element is spatially arranged relative to a corresponding diffractive element virtual contour and comprises at least one diffracting region thereof, the diffracting regions having at least one altered optical property so as to enable diffraction of a portion of the incident optical field therefrom, and