System and method for dynamic optical switching using a diffractive optical element
US6570681B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 25, 2000 |
| Grant date | May 27, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 25, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04Q2011/0058
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An optical crossbar switch system includes: a mask comprising multiple patterns, wherein at least one of the multiple patterns is a diffractive pattern; and a spatial light modulator positioned to receive at least one optical input beam and selectively couple at least a portion of each of the at least one input beam to one of the patterns of the mask, each coupled portion defining an intermediate beam, wherein each pattern, when selected by the spatial light modulator, is configured to redirect the intermediate beam to one of N targets, where N is an integer greater than two. Further, a method for selectively coupling at least one input beam to one of multiple output channels includes: selectively coupling at least a portion of each of the at least one input beam to one of multiple patterns on a mask; and diffracting at least one of the coupled portions from the mask to one of the output channels.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.