Patent ID: 6999639

Claim:
An integrated optical filter device including: an optical inlet including an input strip optical waveguide arranged to receive an entering optical beam and a beam distributor in association with said optical inlet to divide the entering optical beam into beamlets each having a portion of the energy thereof; a processing array including a multiplicity of discrete optical channels arranged in association with said beam distributor so that each of said optical channels receives one beamlet of the optical beam therefrom and wherein each of said optical channels includes a substantially straight, tuning strip optical waveguide and a phase shift arrangement to selectably induce a preselected phase shift in optical waves as they traverse said optical channel; at least one optical outlet, each said optical outlet including a beam consolidator to combine beamlets of an optical beam from said channels of said array into an output optical beam and an output strip optical waveguide in association with said beam consolidator to receive the output optical beam therefrom and to direct it outwards; wherein said beam distributor and said channels of said processing array, together with said beam consolidator of one of said at least one optical outlet, are so arranged to cause superposition of the phase-shifted optical waves of beamlets of an optical beam from said channels of said processing array in said output strip optical waveguide of one of said at least one optical outlet, said superposition, as a result of said phase shifts induced in the optical waves by said phase shift arrangement, selecting portions of the optical beam having wavelengths within a predetermined range and combining them into an output optical beam in said output strip optical waveguide of one of said at least one optical outlet.