Patent ID: 8452137
Filing Date: 2013-05-28
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. An optical backplane comprising: at least one electrical-to-optical (E/O) converter configured to receive an electrical signal and to convert the electrical signal into a light beam having a primary wavelength, the light beam being emitted from the E/O converter; a first optics system configured to collimate the light beam emitted by the E/O converter and to steer the collimated light beam; a slab of material that is transparent to at least the primary wavelength, the slab having at least first and second side walls, a first entrance facet, and a first exit facet, the first and second side walls being at least substantially parallel to one another, the first entrance and exit facets being located at or near opposite ends of the slab, the slab being positioned relative to the first optics system such that the first entrance facet is generally aligned with the first optics system; at least one optical relay element disposed on or in at least one of the first and second side walls, said at least one optical relay element being configured to perform reflection and refocusing operations on a light beam received thereby, and wherein the first optics system couples the collimated light beam into the slab through the first entrance facet, wherein the collimated light beam is reflected at least once off of at least one of the first and second side walls and is incident on said at least one optical relay element, wherein said at least one optical relay element reflects and refocuses the collimated light beam to guide the collimated light beam and prevent the collimated light beam from diverging as the collimated light beam propagates in the slab from the entrance facet to the exit facet; a second optics system generally aligned with the first exit facet, wherein the second optics system is configured to receive the collimated light beam propagating out of the first exit facet and to focus the collimated light beam; and an optical-to-electrical (O/E) converter configured to receive the focused collimated light beam output from the second optics system and to convert the focused and collimated light beam into an electrical signal.