Patent ID: 6972886

Claim:
A light processing system, comprising: an optical tap operable to receive an unmodulated optical signal and to separate the unmodulated optical signal into a first signal part and a second signal part; a light pipe operable to communicate at least the first signal part for processing; an optical signal separator operable to receive at least the first signal part and to direct a portion of the first signal part for modulation; an array of optical signal processing devices located on one or more semiconductor substrates, the array of optical signal processing devices operable to receive at least some of the portion of the first signal part and to modulate that portion of the first signal part based at least in part on a control signal received from a controller; and an optical reflector operable to receive at least some of the modulated first signal part and to communicate the at least some of the modulated first signal part to an output; wherein at least some of the optical signal processing devices comprise: an inner conductive layer comprising an at least substantially conductive material and a plurality of electrically coupled first conductors; and a plurality of at least partially reflective mirrors disposed outwardly from the inner conductive layer and operable to receive at least some of the first signal part, wherein none of the plurality of mirrors has a width greater than 40 microns and wherein at least some of the mirrors are operable to undergo a partial rotation in response to the control signal, the partial rotation resulting in a reflection of the at least some of the first signal part wherein a majority of the reflected first signal part is communicated in one direction; wherein each of the plurality of electrically coupled first conductors is associated with a separate one of at least some of the plurality of at least partially reflective mirrors and disposed approximately inwardly from a first edge of the associated mirror; wherein each of the plurality of electrically coupled first conductors receives the control signal and is coupled to the same drive source; and wherein the control signal comprises a voltage operable to create one of a plurality of selectable non-zero voltage differentials between the inner conductive layer and at least the first edges of the associated mirrors to create a force tending to rotate the first edges of the mirrors toward the associated first conductor resulting in one of a plurality of selectable angles of rotation of the mirrors.