Patent ID: 7162115
Filing Date: 2007-01-09
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. An optical switch comprising one or more input and one or more output ports structured to be able to receive and transmit multi-wavelength optical signals; a diffractive element structured and arranged to be able to spread the wavelengths of incoming optical signals from the one or more input ports in a wavelength-spreading direction and to combine the wavelengths of outgoing optical signals traveling to the output ports; an angular-beam directing device structured and positioned to be able to selectively alter, in an angular-directing direction optically orthogonal to said wavelength-spreading direction, an angle of beams transmitted from said angular-beam directing device; and an anamorphic optical system so structured and arranged such that a multi-wavelength input signal, arriving at one of said one or more input ports, is transformed by said anamorphic optical system so as to provide, after diffraction by said diffractive element, at said angular beam-directing device, for a portion of said signal corresponding to a selected wavelength of that signal, an elliptical Gaussian-beam waist having a larger waist in the angular-directing direction of the beam-directing device than in the wave-length spreading direction of the diffractive element.