Optical Processing

• US 20130070320A1
• Filed: 11/15/2012
• Published: 03/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas Swan & Company Limited (Aixtron AG)
• Original Assignee: Thomas Swan & Company Limited (Aixtron AG)
• Inventors: Holmes, Melanie
• Granted Patent: US 8,937,759 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/9
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/06 for controlling the phase of light G02B26/08 takes precedence , measuring optical phase difference G01J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0808 by means of one or more diffracting elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/32 Holograms used as optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/266 the optical element being an attenuator
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/29311 Diffractive element operating in transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/29314 by moving or modifying the diffractive element, e.g. deforming
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2938 for multiplexing or demultiplexing, i.e. combining or separating wavelengths, e.g. 1xN, NxM
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/29391 Power equalisation of different channels, e.g. power flattening
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3512 the optical element being reflective, e.g. mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3534 the optical element being diffractive, i.e. a grating
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3548 1xN switch, i.e. one input and a selectable single output of N possible outputs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3556 NxM switch, i.e. regular arrays of switches elements of matrix type constellation
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1326 Liquid crystal optical waveguides or liquid crystal cells specially adapted for gating or modulating between optical waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13342 Holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1335 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. polarisers or reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/29 for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/291 Two-dimensional analogue deflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/31 Digital deflection, i.e. optical switchingG02F1/33 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/3132 of directional coupler type
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/30 : grating
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/34 : reflector
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/12 : spatial light modulator
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/28 : focussing or defocussing
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/50 : Phase-only modulation
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/0005 : Adaptation of holography to specific applications holographic optical element G02B5/32; holographic scanner G02B26/106; recognition using holographic mask G06V10/88; holographic memories G11B7/0065, G11C13/042
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/02 : Details of features involved during the holographic process; Replication of holograms without interference recording
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/04 : Processes or apparatus for producing holograms G03H1/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/08 : Synthesising holograms, i.e. holograms synthesized from objects or objects from hologramsusing electric digital computers G06F; G06T
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/0866 : Digital holographic imaging, i.e. synthesizing holobjects from holograms
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/0891 : Processes or apparatus adapted to convert digital holographic data into a hologram G03H1/2294 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/2286 : Particular reconstruction light G03H1/24 takes precedence; Beam properties
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/2294 : Addressing the hologram to an active spatial light modulator
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/26 : Processes or apparatus specially adapted to produce multiple sub- holograms or to obtain images from them, e.g. multicolour technique
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/0224 : Active addressable light modulator, i.e. Spatial Light Modulator [SLM] corresponding details, see subgroups of G03H2225/00
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/0491 : by monitoring the hologram formation, e.g. via a feed-back loop
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/261 : in optical contact
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/264 : One hologram being a HOE
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2222/13 : Multi-wavelengths wave with discontinuous wavelength ranges G03H2222/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2222/32 : Unpolarised light
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2223/23 : Diffractive element
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2225/32 : Phase only
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2225/52 : Reflective modulator
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2225/60 : Multiple SLMs
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2226/02 : Computing or processing means, e.g. digital signal processor [DSP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/021 : Reconfigurable arrangements, e.g. reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers [ROADM] or tunable optical add/drop multiplexers [TOADM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0212 : using optical switches or wavelength selective switches [WSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0213 : Groups of channels or wave bands arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0217 : Multi-degree architectures, e.g. having a connection degree greater than two
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0219 : Modular or upgradable architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/022 : For interconnection of WDM optical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/08 : Time-division multiplex systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0005 : Switch and router aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0016 : using wavelength multiplexing or demultiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0028 : using holograms
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0039 : Electrical control

Abstract

A modular routing node includes a single input port and a plurality of output ports. The modular routing node is arranged to produce a plurality of different deflections and uses small adjustments to compensate for wavelength differences and alignment tolerances in an optical system. An optical device is arranged to receive a multiplex of many optical signals at different wavelengths, to separate the optical signals into at least two groups, and to process at least one of the groups adaptively.

Claims

1. An optical processor having a reflective SLM, a dispersion device and a focusing device, wherein the SLM has a two-dimensional array of controllable elements, wherein the SLM is configured such that each controllable element is selectable whereby two-dimensional groups of controllable elements are formed at chosen locations of the SLM;

wherein the processor is configured such that, using the focusing device, light from a common point on the dispersion device is spatially distributed by wavelength across at least one of the two-dimensional groups, and wherein the processor is configured such that each of the two-dimensional groups of controllable elements displays a different hologram at the chosen locations of the SLM where said light is incident, for processing said light.