Patent ID: 6947627

Claim:
An optical switch comprising: at least two directing elements, a first directing element including at least two sections, a first section of said first directing element capable of receiving and transmitting a first section input beam, said first section also being capable of controllably deviating said first section input beam in a first direction, and, a second section of said first directing element capable of receiving and transmitting a second section input beam, said second section also being capable of the controllably deviating said second section input beam in a second direction; and, a second directing element including at least two sections a first section of said second directing element capable of receiving and transmitting a second element first section incident beam, said second directing element first section incident beam being one of the first directing element transmitted beams, said first section of the second directing element also being capable of controllably deviating in a second directing element first direction said second directing element first section incident beam, and, a second section of said second directing element capable of receiving and transmitting a second directing element second section incident beam, said second directing element second section incident beam being another one of the first directing element transmitted beams, said second section of the second directing element also being capable of deviating in a second directing element second direction said second directing element second section incident beam; the first section input beam, the second section input beam, the at least two first element transmitted beams, and at least second two second element transmitted beams being substantially in a same plane, wherein each one of said at least two sections of each one said at least two directing elements includes a switchable volume grating, said first direction corresponding to a blazing state of a first section first directing element switchable volume grating, said second direction corresponding to a blazing state of a second section directing element switchable volume grating, said second directing element first direction corresponding to a blazing state of a first section second directing element switchable volume grating, said second directing element second direction corresponding to a blazing state of a second section second directing element switchable volume grating.