Patent ID: 7742674
Filing Date: 2010-06-22
Classification: G02B,G03H

Abstract:
1. An apparatus, comprising: a planar optical waveguide, the planar optical waveguide being configured to substantially confine in one transverse spatial dimension an optical signal propagating in the planar optical waveguide; and a set of diffractive elements in the planar optical waveguide, wherein: the planar optical waveguide is arranged so as to support multiple optical transverse modes in the confined transverse dimension; each diffractive element of the set is arranged so as to route, between a corresponding input optical port and a corresponding output optical port, a corresponding diffracted portion of the optical signal propagating in the planar waveguide that is diffracted by the diffractive element; and each diffractive element of the set and the planar optical waveguide are arranged so that the corresponding diffracted portion of the optical signal reaches the corresponding output optical port as a superposition of multiple optical transverse modes supported by the planar optical waveguide.