Patent ID: 7209621
Filing Date: 2007-04-24
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. An optical apparatus for providing optical interconnections among a plurality N of electronic components, N being at least three, the optical apparatus comprising: a slab waveguide having a top surface, and a core layer that enables light beams to propagate in a plurality of directions within the core layer, and that enables light beams to cross one another without substantial interference to one another; a plurality of N reception ports, each reception port being assigned to serve a respective electronic component; and a plurality of N transmission ports, each transmission port being associated with a respective reception port and assigned to serve the same electronic component as its associated reception port, each transmission port being configured to receive a plurality of light beams from its assigned electronic component and to transmit each received light beam onto the slab waveguide along an optical path to a reception port, the transmission ports providing a plurality of such optical paths in the slab waveguide; and wherein each reception port is constructed to receive from the slab waveguide a plurality of optical signals transmitted from at least two different transmission ports; and wherein at least two optical paths cross one another.