Claims
- 1. An electro-optic arrayed grating, comprising:
a first coupler; a second coupler; an array providing a plurality of optical paths between the first and second couplers, said array comprising a plurality of electro-optic elements along said optical paths, said electro-optic elements controlling optical path lengths of said optical paths, respectively to multiplex or demultiplex an optical signal.
- 2. The electro-optic arrayed grating of claim 1, wherein said electro-optic elements comprises an electro-optic material interposed between a pair of electrodes.
- 3. The electro-optic arrayed grating of claim 2, wherein the electro-optic material comprises polycrystalline lanthanum-modified lead titanate zirconate (PLZT).
- 4. The electro-optic arrayed grating of claim 2, wherein said electrodes in said pair are disposed proximal opposite ends the electro-optic elements such that an electric field between the electrodes is substantially parallel said optical path.
- 5. The electro-optic arrayed grating of claim 4, wherein at least one of said optical paths extends through the electrodes.
- 6. The electro-optic arrayed grating of claim 5, wherein the electrodes comprise indium tin oxide.
- 7. The electro-optic arrayed grating of claim 4, wherein a first pair of electrodes is disposed on one side of said electro-optic element, said first pair of electrodes including electrical terminals for applying a voltage across said first pair to induce an electric field through said electro-optic material.
- 8. The electro-optic arrayed grating of claim 8, wherein a second pair of electrodes is disposed an opposite side of said electro-optic element, said second pair of electrodes including electrical terminals for applying a voltage across said second pair to inducing an electric field through said electro-optic material.
- 9. The electro-optic arrayed grating of claim 9, wherein said first and second pair of electrodes are on top and bottom of said electro-optic element.
- 10. The electro-optic arrayed grating of claim 2, wherein said pair of electrodes are on top and bottom of said electro-optic element such that an electric field substantially directed from top to bottom can be induced through said electro-optic material.
- 11. The electro-optic arrayed grating of claim 1, wherein the array comprises a plurality of waveguides that provide the plurality of optical paths.
- 12. The electro-optic arrayed grating of claim 1, wherein a plurality of optical of electro-optic elements are included, along one of said optical paths, said electro-optic elements being optically connected together by optical waveguides.
- 13. The electro-optic arrayed grating of claim 1, further comprising a fixed delay element in said optical path, said fixed delay element introducing an amount of phase delay to said optical signal propagating through said optical path.
- 14. The electro-optic arrayed grating of claim 13, wherein the fixed delay element comprises an electro-optic material without electrodes.
- 15. The electro-optic arrayed grating of claim 13, wherein said fixed delay element comprises PLZT.
- 16. The electro-optic arrayed grating of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of fixed delay elements in said optical paths, said fixed delay elements introducing different amounts of fixed delay in different optical paths.
- 17. A method of demultiplexing an optical signal comprised of a plurality of wavelengths, comprising:
distributing said optical signal into a plurality of optical signals, each of which includes said plurality of wavelengths; delaying the plurality of optical signals by propagating said plurality of signals along respective optical paths, at least some of the paths having a different optical path length than other of the paths, said propagating comprising passing said plurality of optical signals through electro-optic material such that each of said plurality of signals is delayed by the electro-optic material; combining the plurality of delayed signals, said combining comprising utilizing the delay of said delayed signals to spatially separate said plurality of wavelengths.
- 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the physical path lengths of the optical paths are substantially equal.
- 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the delaying further comprises providing an electric field in the electro-optic material, the electric field in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of propagation of the optical signal through the electro-optic material.
- 20. The method of claim 19, comprising passing the plurality of optical signals through respective electrodes disposed on opposite sides of the electro-optic material.
- 21. The method of claim 19, wherein each of the delays of the delayed signals is adjustable by adjusting a voltage applied between said electrodes.
- 22. The method of claim 21, comprising altering the spatial separation of wavelengths by altering the voltages applied to the electrodes.
- 23. The method of claim 17, wherein the delaying further comprises providing an electric field in the electro-optic material, the electric field in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the optical signal.
- 24. The method of claim 23, comprising applying a voltage to electrodes disposed on opposite lateral sides of the electro-optic material.
- 25. The method of claim 17, wherein said optical signals are propagated through regions comprising a fixed optical delay and regions for imparting variable phase delay along said respective optical paths, said variable phase delay being imparted by adjusting the electric field through said electro-optic material in said optical path and said fixed optical delay being different for respective optical paths.
- 26. A phase delay device for introducing phase delay into an optical signal, said device comprising:
a plurality of electro-optic elements along a path, said electro-optic elements comprising an electro-optic material interposed between a pair of electrodes, said electro-optic element having dimensions such that said optical signal propagating therethrough is unguided within said electro-optic element; a plurality of optical waveguides optically connecting said electro-optic elements together, said waveguides and electro-optical element together forming an optical path for said optical signal; wherein said electro-optic elements control the optical path lengths of said optical paths and said waveguides limit divergence of said optical signal.
PRIORITY APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/289,207, filed May 7, 2001 and entitled “Electro-Optic Grating”.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60289207 |
May 2001 |
US |