Patent ID: 7444048

Claim:
An optical device, comprising: a free space region having a zero order band and an edge, such that a line extending through the zero order band and substantially perpendicularly intersecting the edge divides the zero order band into substantially equal first and second portions, a first portion of the edge of the free space region extends along the first portion of the zero order band and a second portion of the edge of the free space region extends along the second portion of the zero order band; and a plurality of waveguides coupled to the first portion of the zero order band of the free space region, each of the plurality of optical waveguides being configured to couple optical energy from a respective one of a plurality of optical channels to the first portion of the zero order band, each of the plurality of optical channels having a corresponding one of a plurality of wavelengths, wherein the second portion of the zero order band does not receive optical energy output from a laser source through the second portion of the edge of the free space region from the plurality of waveguides.