Patent ID: 8023782

Claim:
A method for demultiplexing a plurality of optical signals transmitted over an optical fiber into a silicon substrate and to a plurality of detectors, the silicon substrate having a first surface, a second surface spaced apart from the first surface, and a diffractive element disposed adjacent to the second surface, each of the plurality of optical signals corresponding to one of a plurality of wavelengths, the method comprising: directing the plurality of optical signals into the silicon substrate along a path through the first surface to be incident on the diffractive element, wherein: the path is oriented normal with the diffractive element; and the diffractive element angularly separates the plurality of optical signals such that each of the plurality of wavelengths traverses through the silicon substrate in a wavelength-dependent direction towards the first surface; and steering each of the plurality of optical signals from the first surface towards the second surface, wherein: a first of the plurality of wavelengths is subsequently incident on a first optical element that directs the first of the plurality of wavelengths normal to the first surface and/or to the diffractive element and incident on a first of the plurality of detectors; a second of the plurality of wavelengths is subsequently incident on a second optical element different from the first optical element that directs the second of the plurality of wavelengths normal to the first surface and incident on a second of the plurality of detectors; and the first of the plurality of wavelengths is different from the second of the plurality of wavelengths.