Abstract:
Bidirectional optical multiplexing employs a high contrast grating as one or both of a beam-forming lens and a relay mirror. A bidirectional optical multiplexer includes the beam-forming lens to focus light. The light is one or both of a light beam internal to and another light beam external to the bidirectional optical multiplexer. The bidirectional optical multiplexer further includes an optical filter and the relay mirror. The optical filter is to selectively pass a portion of the internal light beam at a first wavelength and to reflect portions of the internal light beam at other wavelengths. The relay mirror is to reflect the internal light beam along a zigzag propagation path between the optical filter and the relay mirror.
Abstract:
A system employs a flexible optical media (210), two connectors (220, 240), and a mechanism such as a magnet (226) that brings the connector (220, 240) together when the connectors are close to each other. The optical media (210) is able to guide optical signals, and one connector (220) is attached to an end of the optical media (210). Each connector (210, 240) also has alignment features (224, 244) and provides paths (222, 242) for the optical signals. The alignment features (224) of each connector are shaped to mate with the alignment features (244) of the other connector and to shift the connectors (220, 240) relative to each other as the mechanism (226) pushes the connector (220, 240) together. The alignment features (224, 244) further have seated positions at which the paths (222) in one connector are aligned with the paths (242) in the other connector and separated by a free space gap (230).