Patent ID: RE39515

Claim:
An optical apparatus, comprising: fiber collimators providing an input port for a multi-wavelength optical signal and a plurality of output ports; a polarization-displacing unit that decomposes said multi-wavelength optical signal into first and second polarization components; a polarization-rotating unit that rotates a polarization of the second polarization component to be substantially parallel to a polarization of the first polarization component; a wavelength-separator that separates said first and second polarization components by wavelength into first and second sets of optical beams; and an array of channel micromirrors positioned to reflect said first and second sets of optical beams such that said reflected first and second sets of optical beams are recombined by wavelength into reflected spectral channels by said polarization-rotating unit and said polarization-displacing unit; wherein said polarization-displacing unit comprises a polarization-displacing element in optical communication with said input port and said output ports, and wherein said polarization-rotating unit comprises a polarization-rotating element, in optical communication with said polarization-displacing element.