Apparatus for modulating one or both of spectral phase and amplitude of an optical signal
First Claim
1. An apparatus for modulating spectral phase and spectral amplitude of a received optical signal, comprising:
- a spatial dispersion mechanism for spatially dispersing a received optical signal;
a modulating mechanism comprising a plurality of modulating components, associated ones of the modulating components operable for adapting relative phases of respective portions of the spatially dispersed optical signal, the phase-adapted portions of the spatially dispersed optical signal being adapted for modulating spectral phase of the received optical signal; and
a spatial filtering mechanism adapted for destructively interfering the phase-adapted portions of the spatially dispersed optical signal for modulating spectral amplitude of the received optical signal.
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Abstract
The invention includes a method and apparatus for modulating one or both of spectral phase and amplitude of a received optical signal. The apparatus includes a spatial dispersion mechanism for spatially dispersing the received optical signal to enable optical communication of the received optical signal to an array of modulators. The apparatus includes a modulating mechanism having a first modulating component and a second modulating component. A first portion of the spatially dispersed optical signal is incident on the first modulating component and a second portion of the spatially dispersed optical signal is incident on the second modulating portion. The apparatus further includes a controller coupled to the modulating mechanism. The controller is adapted for moving the first and second modulating components in a direction normal to their planes for modulating one or both of phase and amplitude of the received optical signal.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for modulating spectral phase and spectral amplitude of a received optical signal, comprising:
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a spatial dispersion mechanism for spatially dispersing a received optical signal;
a modulating mechanism comprising a plurality of modulating components, associated ones of the modulating components operable for adapting relative phases of respective portions of the spatially dispersed optical signal, the phase-adapted portions of the spatially dispersed optical signal being adapted for modulating spectral phase of the received optical signal; and
a spatial filtering mechanism adapted for destructively interfering the phase-adapted portions of the spatially dispersed optical signal for modulating spectral amplitude of the received optical signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus, comprising:
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an array of optical reflector sets, each optical reflector set having a plurality of optical reflectors, wherein each optical reflector in each optical reflector set is normally disposed in a substantially co-planar manner with respect to an incident optical signal, wherein each optical reflector in each optical reflector set is controllably moveable in a direction normal to its plane to adapt thereby a relative phase of respective portions of the incident optical signal, wherein the phase-adapted portions of the incident optical signal are adapted for modulating spectral phase of the incident optical signal; and
a spatial filtering mechanism adapted for destructively interfering the phase-adapted portions of the incident optical signal for modulating the spectral amplitude of the incident optical signal. - View Dependent Claims (10, 12, 13, 14)
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11. The apparatus of clam 9, further comprising:
a spatial combination mechanism for spatially combining the phase-adapted portions of the incident optical signal.
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15. An apparatus for modulating one or both of spectral phase and spectral amplitude of a received optical signal, comprising:
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a spatial dispersion mechanism for spatially dispersing the received optical signal; and
modulating mechanism comprising a plurality of modulating component arrays having respective pluralities of modulating components, respective portions of the spatially dispersed optical signal being incident on associated ones of the modulating components;
whereinthe associated ones of the modulating components are adjacent in a direction normal to a dispersion direction of the spatially dispersed optical signal; and
the associated ones of the modulating components are operable for adapting respective phases of the incident portions of the spatially dispersed optical signal, the phase-adapted portions of the spatially dispersed optical signal adaptable for modulating one or both of spectral phase and spectral amplitude of the received optical signal. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification