Patent ID: 7057796

Claim:
An optical apparatus comprising: multiple fiber elements providing an input port for a multi-wavelength optical signal and a plurality of output ports, wherein the input port and plurality of output ports are mutually distinct; a wavelength-separator that separates the multi-wavelength optical signal by wavelength into multiple spectral channels; an array of channel micromirrors positioned such that each channel micromirror receives a unique one of the spectral channels, the channel micromirrors being individually controllable to reflect the spectral channels into selected output ports; a micromirror position sensing unit which is disposed between the output ports and the channel micromirrors, the position sensing unit being adapted to receive portions of the reflected spectral channels for monitoring the position of the channel micromirrors; and a beam splitter which is adapted to divert portions of the reflected spectral channels to the micromirror position sensing unit.