Abstract:
Using an imaging system, an optical MEMS devices is imaged so that in combination with an actual one or more other optical MEMS devices, or images thereof, a single virtual optical MEMS device is formed that has the size of each of the optical MEMS devices combined. The physical size of the arrangement may be reduced by compacting the optical path, e.g., using appropriate conventional mirrors , and/or employing folded arrangements, i.e., arrangements in which there is only one MEMS device stage that does double duty for both input and output through the use of at least one conventional mirror. The imaging system may reproduce the angle of reflection of the light from the micro mirror, e.g., using a telecentric system. A prism m ay be employed to align the various optical MEMS devices, or images thereof.
Abstract:
The beams between a MEMS device and an input source or an output, e.g., a fiber bundle, are caused to be closer to each other at the MEMS device than at the fiber bundle. This can be achieved in a variety ways. This may be achieved a) when each fiber is associated with a respective micro lens of a micro lens array, by insuring that there is a different distance between the centers of adjacent micro lenses than there is for the centers of their corresponding adjacent fibers, b) when the fibers a re terminated by collimators, the direction of the collimators is adjusted to point the beams in a converging manner and c) by employing an optical system that changes the direction of various ones of the beams may be interposed between a) the fiber bundle and b) the corresponding MEMS device.
Abstract:
An optical filter apparatus for processing an optical signal comprising a spectrum broadening device for spectrally dividing one or more channels of the optical signal into a discrete set of spectral components for each channel, a collector for collecting the spectral components on a discrete number of corresponding light channels, one or more processors for individually processing one or more of the spectral components on the light channels, and a combiner for recombining the spectral components on the light channels.
Abstract:
In an all optical switch an imaging system is optically coupled to the moveable micro mirrors of a MEMS device so as to produce an image of the MEMS device at the end of the imaging system which is not coupled to the MEMS device. The image is substantially in a plane with either input or output of the optical switch. The imaging system may be a telecentric system. The size of the arrangement may be reduced by compacting the optical path, e.g., using appropriate conventional mirrors, and/or employing folded arrangements, i.e., arrangements in which there is only one MEMS device stage that does double duty for both input and output through the use of at least one conventional mirror. The overall system is arranged to account for any inversions introduced.
Abstract:
Using an imaging system, an optical MEMS devices is imaged so that in combination with an actual one or more other optical MEMS devices, or images thereof, a single virtual optical MEMS device is formed that has the size of each of the optical MEMS devices combined. The physical size of the arrangement may be reduced by compacting the optical path, e.g., using appropriate conventional mirrors , and/or employing folded arrangements, i.e., arrangements in which there is only one MEMS device stage that does double duty for both input and output through the use of at least one conventional mirror. The imaging system may reproduce the angle of reflection of the light from the micro mirror, e.g., using a telecentric system. A prism m ay be employed to align the various optical MEMS devices, or images thereof.
Abstract:
A representative embodiment of the invention provides an infrared (IR) imaging system (300) adapted to (i) convert an IR image of an object into mechanical displacements of a plurality of movable plates (304,306), (ii) use the mechanical displacements to impart a corresponding spatial phase modulation pattern onto a beam of visible light, and (iii) apply spatial filtering to convert the spatial phase modulation pattern into a visible image of the object.