Variable blazed grating based signal processing

• US 7,339,714 B1
• Filed: 02/25/2005
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cheetah Omni LLC
• Original Assignee: Cheetah Omni LLC
• Inventors: Islam, Mohammed N.
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMPSON, TIMOTHY J
• Application Number:
  US11/066,846
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 359/291, 359/290, 359/224, 359/223, 359/295, 359/634, 353/31, 353/98, 353/99
• US Class Current: 359/291
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0808 by means of one or more diffracting elements

Abstract

A light processing system includes an array of optical signal processing devices. The array of processing devices are operable to receive at least some of a first signal part and to modulate the first signal part based at least in part on a control signal received from a controller. At least some of the processing devices include a plurality of at least partially reflective mirrors that are disposed outwardly from an inner conductive layer and are operable to receive at least some of the first signal part. In one particular embodiment, at least some of the mirrors are operable to undergo a partial rotation in response to the control signal. The partial rotation resulting in a reflection of the at least some of the first signal part in one direction.

Claims

1. A light processing system, comprising:

an optical divider operable to receive an unmodulated optical signal and to separate the unmodulated optical signal into a first signal part and a second signal part;

a light pipe operable to communicate at least the first signal part for processing;

a moveable reflector operable to receive at least a portion of the first signal part and to reflect that portion of the first signal to an array of optical signal processing devices, the array of optical signal processing devices located on one or more semiconductor substrates, the array of optical signal processing devices operable to receive at least some of the portion of the first signal part and to modulate that portion of the first signal part based at least in part on a control signal received from a controller, at least some of the optical signal processing devices comprise;

an inner conductive layer comprising an at least substantially conductive material; and

a plurality of at least partially reflective mirrors disposed outwardly from the inner conductive layer and operable to receive at least some of the portion of the first signal part, wherein at least some of the mirrors are operable to undergo a partial rotation in response to the control signal, the partial rotation resulting in a reflection of the at least some of the portion of the first signal part, and wherein a majority of the reflected signal is communicated in one direction; and

an optical reflector operable to receive at least some of the modulated first signal part and to communicate the at least some of the modulated first signal part to an output interface.

2. The light processing system of claim 1, wherein the optical divider is a reflective surface that reflects at least some of the unmodulated optical signal.

3. The light processing system of claim 1, wherein at least a part of the inner conductive layer comprises a substantially continuous layer disposed outwardly from the one or more semiconductor substrates.

4. The light processing system of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of at least partially reflective mirrors are operable to undergo a maximum rotation that is greater than ten (10) degrees in magnitude from a normal perpendicular to the inner conductive layer.

11. The light processing system of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of at least partially reflective mirrors have a width less than 10.6 microns.

12. The light processing system of claim 1, further comprising a second moveable reflector to receive at least some of the portion of the first signal part from the array of optical signal processing devices and to reflect that portion of the first signal part to the optical reflector.

15. The light processing system of claim 1, wherein the optical reflector comprises a plurality of mirrors.

5. A method of processing one or more optical signals, the method comprising:

separating an optical signal into a first signal part and a second signal part;

receiving at least a portion of the first signal part at a moveable reflector and reflecting the first signal part to an array of optical signal processing devices;

receiving at least the portion of the first signal part at the an array of optical signal processing devices, the array of optical signal processing devices located on one or more semiconductor substrates and comprising a plurality of at least partially reflective mirrors disposed outwardly from an inner conductive layer, the inner conductive layer comprising an at least substantially conductive material;

performing an optical signal processing operation on at least the portion of the first signal part, the optical signal processing operation comprising;

receiving at least some of the portion of the first signal part at the at least partially reflective mirrors; and

rotating at least some of the mirrors in response to one or more control signals, the partial rotation resulting in a reflection of the at least some of the portion of the optical signal, wherein a majority of the reflected optical signal is communicated in one direction; and

communicating at least some of the processed first portion of the first signal part to an output interface.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein at least some of the plurality of at least partially reflective mirrors are operable to undergo a maximum rotation that is greater than ten (10) degrees in magnitude from a normal perpendicular to the inner conductive layer.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein at least a portion of the inner conductive layer comprises a substantially continuous layer disposed outwardly from the one or more semiconductor substrates.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein at least some of the plurality of at least partially reflective mirrors each have a width less than 10.6 microns.

13. The method of claim 5, further receiving at a second moveable reflector at least some of the first portion of the first signal part from the array of optical signal processing devices and reflecting that portion of the first signal part.

16. The method of claim 5, wherein communicating at least some of the processed first portion of the first signal part to an output interface comprises at least reflecting at least some of the processed first portion of the first signal part from a plurality of mirrors.

8. A light processing system, comprising:

an optical divider operable to receive an unmodulated optical signal and to separate the unmodulated optical signal into a first signal part and a second signal part;

a light pipe operable to communicate at least the first signal part for processing;

a moveable reflector operable to receive at least a portion of the first signal part and to reflect that portion of the first signal part to an array of optical signal processing devices, the array of optical signal processing devices located on one or more semiconductor substrates, the array of optical signal processing devices operable to receive at least some of the portion of the first signal part and to modulate that portion of the first signal part based at least in part on a control signal received from a controller, at least some of the optical signal processing devices comprise;

an inner conductive layer comprising an at least substantially conductive material, wherein at least a part of the inner conductive layer comprises a substantially continuous layer disposed outwardly from the one or more semiconductor substrates; and

a plurality of at least partially reflective mirrors disposed outwardly from the inner conductive layer and operable to receive at least some of the portion of the first signal part, wherein at least some of the mirrors have a width less than sixteen (16) microns; and

wherein at least some of the mirrors are operable to undergo a partial rotation in response to the control signal and wherein a maximum rotation for the mirrors is greater than ten (10) degrees in magnitude from a normal perpendicular to the inner conductive layer, the partial rotation resulting in a reflection of the at least some of the portion of the first signal part, and wherein a majority of the reflected signal is communicated in one direction; and

an optical reflector operable to receive at least some of the modulated first signal part and to communicate the at least some of the modulated first signal part to an output interface.

9. The light processing system of claim 8, wherein at least some of the plurality of at least partially reflective mirrors have a width less than 10.6 microns.

14. The light processing system of claim 8, further comprising a second moveable reflector to receive at least some of the portion of the first signal part from the array of optical signal processing devices and to reflect that portion of the first signal part to the optical reflector.

17. The light processing system of claim 8, wherein the optical reflector comprises a plurality of mirrors.

18. A light processing system, comprising:

an optical divider operable to receive an unmodulated optical signal and to separate the unmodulated optical signal into a first signal part and a second signal part;

a light pipe operable to communicate at least the first signal part for processing;

an optical signal separator operable to receive at least the first signal part and to direct at least a portion of the first signal part for modulation;

an array of optical signal processing devices located on one or more semiconductor substrates, the array of optical signal processing devices operable to receive at least some of the portion of the first signal part and to modulate that portion of the first signal part based at least in part on a control signal received from a controller, at least some of the optical signal processing devices comprise;

an inner conductive layer comprising an at least substantially conductive material; and

a plurality of at least partially reflective mirrors disposed outwardly from the inner conductive layer and operable to receive at least some of the portion of the first signal part, wherein at least some of the mirrors are operable to undergo a partial rotation in response to the control signal, the partial rotation resulting in a reflection of the at least some of the portion of the first signal part, and wherein a majority of the reflected signal is communicated in one direction; and

a moveable reflector operable to receive at least some of the portion of the first signal part from the array of optical signal processing devices and to reflect that portion of the first signal part to an optical reflector, the optical reflector operable to receive at least some of the modulated first signal part and to communicate the at least some of the modulated first signal part to an output interface.

19. A method of processing one or more optical signals, the method comprising:

separating an optical signal into a first signal part and a second signal part;

separating the first signal part into at least a first portion and a second portion;

receiving at least the first portion of the first signal part at an array of optical signal processing devices, the array of optical signal processing devices located on one or more semiconductor substrates and comprising a plurality of at least partially reflective mirrors disposed outwardly from an inner conductive layer, the inner conductive layer comprising an at least substantially conductive material;

performing an optical signal processing operation on at least the first portion of the first signal part, the optical signal processing operation comprising;

receiving at least some of the first portion of the first signal part at the at least partially reflective mirrors;

rotating at least some of the mirrors in response to one or more control signals, the rotation of the at least some of the mirrors resulting in a reflection of the at least some of the portion of the optical signal, wherein a majority of the reflected optical signal is communicated in one direction;

receiving at a moveable reflector at least some of the first portion of the first signal part from the array of optical signal processing devices and reflecting that portion of the first signal; and

communicating at least some of the reflected first portion of the first signal part to an output interface.

20. A light processing system, comprising:

an optical divider operable to receive an unmodulated optical signal and to separate the unmodulated optical signal into a first signal part and a second signal part;

a light pipe operable to communicate at least the first signal part for processing;

an optical signal separator operable to receive at least the first signal part and to direct at least a portion of the first signal part for modulation;

an array of optical signal processing devices located on one or more semiconductor substrates, the array of optical signal processing devices operable to receive at least some of the portion of the first signal part and to modulate that portion of the first signal part based at least in part on a control signal received from a controller, at least some of the optical signal processing devices comprise;

an inner conductive layer comprising an at least substantially conductive material, wherein at least a part of the inner conductive layer comprises a substantially continuous layer disposed outwardly from the one or more semiconductor substrates; and

a plurality of at least partially reflective mirrors disposed outwardly from the inner conductive layer and operable to receive at least some of the portion of the first signal part, wherein at least some of the mirrors have a width less than sixteen (16) microns; and

wherein at least some of the mirrors are operable to undergo a partial rotation in response to the control signal and wherein a maximum rotation for the mirrors is greater than ten (10) degrees in magnitude from a normal perpendicular to the inner conductive layer, the partial rotation resulting in a reflection of the at least some of the portion of the first signal part, and wherein a majority of the reflected signal is communicated in one direction; and

a moveable reflector operable to receive at least some of the portion of the first signal part from the array of optical signal processing devices and to reflect that portion of the first signal part to an optical reflector, the optical reflector operable to receive at least some of the modulated first signal part and to communicate the at least some of the modulated first signal part to an output interface to receive at least some of the portion of the first signal part from the array of optical signal processing devices and to reflect that portion of the first signal part to the optical reflector.