Micromirror wavelength equalizer

• US 20020081070A1
• Filed: 11/13/2001
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Tew, Claude E.
• Application Number:
  US10/008,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20020081070A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/39
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2931 Diffractive element operating in reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/29391 Power equalisation of different channels, e.g. power flattening
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/29395 configurable, e.g. tunable or reconfigurable switching G02B6/35
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3516 the reflective optical element moving along the beam path, e.g. controllable diffractive effects using multiple micromirrors within the beam
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/356 in an optical cross-connect device, e.g. routing and switching aspects of interconnecting different paths propagating different wavelengths to (re)configure the various input and output links switching polarized beams G02B6/3594; power equalizers G02B6/356 and G02B6/3594; path selecting means H04Q11/0001
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3588 of the processed beams, i.e. controlling during switching of orientation, alignment, or beam propagation properties such as intensity, size or shape
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3594 Characterised by additional functional means, e.g. means for variably attenuating or branching or means for switching differently polarized beams

Abstract

A wavelength equalizer and method. The wavelength equalizer comprises an input waveguide (302), an output waveguide (322), a wavelength separation device (3 10), and a micromirror array (314). The wavelength separation device (310) divides the input beam of light into sub-beams. A first sub-array of the micromirrors in the micromirror array (314) are operable between a first and second position. The first position directing light in the sub-beam to the output waveguide (322), and the second position excluding the light in the sub-beam from the output waveguide (322). The method of equalizing a plurality of components of an optical input signal comprises: separating the components, directing each component to a sub-array of a micromirror array, positioning micromirrors in each sub-array such that micromirrors in a first position direct incident light to an output waveguide and micromirrors in a second position do not, and combining the sub-beams into an output beam of light.

Claims

1. A wavelength equalizer comprising:

an input waveguide for providing a beam of light along a first light path;

an output waveguide;

a wavelength separation device for dividing said beam of light into sub-beams; and

a micromirror array in the path of said sub-beam, a sub-array of said micromirrors in said micromirror array operable between a first and second position, said first position directing light in said sub-beam to said output fiber, and said second position excluding said light in said sub-beam from said output fiber.

2. The wavelength equalizer of claim 1, further comprising:

a fixed mirror for receiving light from said micromirrors in said first position and reflecting such light to said micromirrors in said first position; and

a light separation device to separate input light traveling a first direction from light traveling to said output waveguide.

3. The wavelength equalizer of claim 2, wherein said light separation device is a circulator.

4. The wavelength equalizer of claim 1, further comprising:

a first optic for focusing said beam of light prior to said wavelength separation device.

5. The wavelength equalizer of claim 1, further comprising:

a first optic for collimating said beam of light prior to said wavelength separation device.

6. The wavelength equalizer of claim 1, said wavelength separation device comprising:

a diffraction grating.

7. The wavelength equalizer of claim 1, said wavelength separation device comprising:

a prism.

8. The wavelength equalizer of claim 1, further comprising:

a light trap for absorbing light from said mirrors in said second position.

9. The wavelength equalizer of claim 1, further comprising:

a detector of measuring light from said micromirrors in said second position.

10. The wavelength equalizer of claim 1, further comprising:

a second optic for directing light from said wavelength separation device to said micromirror array.

11. The wavelength equalizer of claim 1, further comprising:

a wavelength combiner for recombining said sub-beams into an output beam.

12. The wavelength equalizer of claim 11, wherein said wavelength combiner is said wavelength separation device.

13. The wavelength equalizer of claim 1, said micromirrors in said first sub-array divided into at least two regions, further comprising:

a retro-reflector for receiving light reflected by micromirrors in a first region of said sub-array and directing incident light to micromirrors in a second region of said subarray.

14. The wavelength equalizer of claim 13, said micromirrors in said first region of said subarray deflected in a first position to direct light to said retro-reflector.

15. The wavelength equalizer of claim 14, further comprising:

a light trap for absorbing light from micromirrors in said first region deflected in a second position.

16. The wavelength equalizer of claim 14, further comprising:

a detector for detecting light from micromirrors in said second region deflected in a second position.

18. The wavelength equalizer of claim 17, further comprising:

a fixed mirror for receiving light from said spatial light modulator elements in said first position and reflecting such light to said elements in said first position; and

a light separation device to separate input light traveling a first direction from light traveling to said output waveguide.

19. The wavelength equalizer of claim 18, wherein said light separation device is a circulator.

20. The wavelength equalizer of claim 19, further comprising:

a first optic for focusing said beam of light prior to said wavelength separation device.

21. The wavelength equalizer of claim 17, further comprising:

a first optic for collimating said beam of light prior to said wavelength separation device.

22. The wavelength equalizer of claim 17, said wavelength separation device comprising:

a diffraction grating.

23. The wavelength equalizer of claim 17, said wavelength separation device comprising:

a prism.

24. The wavelength equalizer of claim 17, further comprising:

a light trap for absorbing light from said elements in said second position.

25. The wavelength equalizer of claim 17, further comprising:

a detector of measuring light from said elements in said second position.

26. The wavelength equalizer of claim 17, further comprising:

a second optic for directing light from said wavelength separation device to said spatial light modulator.

27. The wavelength equalizer of claim 17, further comprising:

a wavelength combiner for recombining said sub-beams into an output beam.

28. The wavelength equalizer of claim 27, wherein said wavelength combiner is said wavelength separation device.

29. The wavelength equalizer of claim 17, wherein said sub-beams directed to said output waveguide pass through said first optic after being directed by said spatial light modulator.

30. The wavelength equalizer of claim 17, said elements in said first sub-array divided into at least two regions, further comprising:

a retro-reflector for receiving light reflected by elements in a first region of said sub-array and directing incident light to elements in a second region of said sub-array.

31. The wavelength equalizer of claim 30, said elements in said first region of said sub-array deflected in a first position to direct light to said retro-reflector.

32. The wavelength equalizer of claim 31, further comprising:

a light trap for absorbing light from elements in said first region deflected in a second position.

33. The wavelength equalizer of claim 31, further comprising:

a detector for detecting light from elements in said second region deflected in a second position.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

separating said input beam and said output beam using a light separation device.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

separating said input beam and said output beam using an optical circulator.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein separating said components comprises separating said components using a diffraction grating.

38. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

detecting at least a portion of said light from said mirrors in said second position.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein said positioning said micromirrors is determined by the amount of light detected from said mirrors in said second position.

17. A wavelength equalizer comprising:

an input waveguide for providing a beam of light along a first light path;

an output waveguide;

a wavelength separation device for dividing said beam of light into sub-beams; and

a spatial light modulator in the path of said sub-beam, a sub-array of elements of said spatial light modulator operable between a first and second position, said first position directing light in said sub-beam to said output waveguide, and said second position excluding said light in said sub-beam from said output waveguide.

34. A method of equalizing a plurality of components of an optical input signal, said method comprising:

separating said components;

directing each said component to a sub-array of a micromirror array;

positioning micromirrors in each said sub-array such that micromirrors in a first position direct incident light to an output fiber and micromirrors in a second position do not; and

combining said sub-beams into an output beam of light.