Patent ID: 6628882
Filing Date: 2003-09-30
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
A VOA for attenuating an optical signal between two photonic components, the optical signal transmitted via a light beam, by changing an alignment of the light beam between two photonic components in at least two dimensions, the VOA comprising:a. a first photonic component, the first photonic component for emitting the light beam b. a second photonic component, the second photonic component for receiving at least part of the light beam; and c. an actuator, the actuator operatively coupled with an actuated photonic component, where the actuated photonic component is selected form the group consisting of the first photonic component and the second photonic component, and wherein that actuator moves the actuated photonic component within at least two dimensions to cause the light beam to strike the second photonic component along a trajectory of at least two dimensions, wherein the trajectory has a shape selected from the group comprising a circle, an oval, an ellipse and a spiral.