Patent ID: 8203691

Claim:
An optical device configured to perform high extinction ratio switching of an input beam to an active output port, comprising: a beam polarization unit positioned in an optical path of the input beam and a residual component of the input beam; an optical element for reducing an intensity of the residual component of the input beam that reaches an inactive output port, based on a polarization state of the residual component; a beam steering unit for directing a primary component of the input beam along a first optical path and the residual component of the input beam along a second optical path; a beam reflecting element positioned in the first optical path and the second optical path to cause the primary component of the input beam to pass through the beam polarization unit a second time and to cause the residual component of the input beam to pass through the beam polarization unit a second time; and a quarter wave plate positioned between the beam steering unit and the beam reflecting element, wherein the beam polarization unit comprises a liquid crystal (LC) pixel through which the input beam, the primary component of the input beam and the residual component of the input beam pass.