The present disclosure provides a MEMS -based variable optical attenuator (VOA) array, sequentially including an optical fiber array, a micro-lens array, and a MEMS-based micro-reflector array to form a VOA array having several optical attenuation units. The MEMS-based micro-reflectors can change the propagation direction of a beam, causing a misalignment coupling loss to the beam and thereby achieving optical attenuation, with a broad range of dynamic attenuation, low polarization dependent loss and wavelength dependent loss, good repeatability, short response time (at the millisecond level), etc. Arrayed device elements are used as assembly units of the present disclosure, and the assembly of arrayed elements facilitates tuning in batches. Accordingly, automation levels are improved, and the production costs are reduced.

A photonic neural network device may include a planar waveguide; a layer having a changeable refractive index adjacent to the planar waveguide; and a plurality of electrodes. Each electrode may be electrically coupled to the layer having the changeable refractive index at a corresponding location of the layer having the changeable refractive index. Each electrode may be configured to apply a corresponding, configurable voltage to the corresponding location to affect a refractive index of the corresponding location of the layer having the changeable refractive index to induce an amplitude modulation or a phase modulation of a light waveform propagating through the photonic neural network device to configure a corresponding neuron of the photonic neural network device in order to perform a computation.

A MEMS element includes a substrate, a fixing portion provided at the substrate, first and second actuators provided at the fixing portion, a drive target member coupled to the first and second actuators, a third actuator provided at the fixing portion, and a restriction member coupled to the third actuator. The first and second actuators drive the drive target member in a direction parallel to or crossing an upper surface of the substrate. The third actuator drives the restriction member in a direction crossing a movement direction of the drive target member to position the restriction member within a movement plane of the drive target member such that the restriction member restricts displacement of the drive target member.

A device for providing a 1D line of an image is disclosed. The device includes a wavelength-tunable light source for providing image light having the angular distribution encoded in optical spectrum. The device further includes a thin slab waveguide having an out-coupler in form of a diffraction grating for out-coupling the image light at an angle dependent on wavelength. The image may be formed by scanning a collimated beam propagating in the slab waveguide when using tunable monochromatic light sources, or by forming the 1D singular distribution of brightness at a same time when using a tunable-spectrum light sources. The device may be used in a near-eye display for forming a 2D image in angular domain.

A device for providing a 1D line of an image is disclosed. The device includes a wavelength-tunable light source for providing image light having the angular distribution encoded in optical spectrum. The device further includes a thin slab waveguide having an out-coupler in form of a diffraction grating for out-coupling the image light at an angle dependent on wavelength. The image may be formed by scanning a collimated beam propagating in the slab waveguide when using tunable monochromatic light sources, or by forming the 1D singular distribution of brightness at a same time when using a tunable-spectrum light sources. The device may be used in a near-eye display for forming a 2D image in angular domain.

A device for providing a 1D line of an image is disclosed. The device is based on a thin slab waveguide coupled to a beam redirecting device such as a tiltable mirror MEMS scanner, a waveguide-based phased array, or a waveguide-based optical switch switching image light between waveguides of a waveguide array coupled to a collimating element formed in the low-mode slab waveguide. The image may be formed by scanning a collimated beam propagating in the slab waveguide, or by forming the 1D singular distribution of brightness at a same time. The device may be used in a near-eye display for forming a 2D image in angular domain.

Switching technology may be incorporated into various systems, components, and/or architectures in a fiber optic network to promote network reconfigurability and design flexibility. A signal access unit comprises an input, an output, an access port, a switch arrangement including a switch, and a controller. The switch optically couples the input to the output and not to the access port when in a first configuration, and optically couples the access port to at least one of the input and the output without optically coupling the input and the output together when in a second configuration. The controller is configured to receive an indication of a selected wavelength and to operate the switch arrangement to change the switch between the first and second configurations based on the indication of the selected wavelength.

An optical switching device (20) includes a substrate (39) and first and second optical waveguides (23, 25) having respective first and second tapered ends (62, 64), which are fixed on the substrate in mutual proximity one to another. A pair of electrodes (36, 38) is disposed on the substrate with a gap therebetween. A cantilever beam (32) is disposed on the substrate within the gap and configured to deflect transversely between first and second positions within the gap in response to a potential applied between the electrodes. A third optical waveguide (21) is mounted on the cantilever beam and has a third tapered end (60) disposed between the first and second tapered ends of the first and second waveguides, so that the third tapered end is in proximity with the first tapered end when the cantilever beam is in the first position and is in proximity with the second tapered end when the cantilever beam is in the second position.

There is provided a small MCS with the number of leads reduced by half as compared with the conventional configuration. A multicast switch according to the present invention is formed on a substrate, comprising: M input ports, N output ports; M×N optical switch units (optical SU); optical waveguides optically connecting the M input ports, M×N optical SU, and N output ports; and leads connected to the respective M×N optical SU. A multicast switch is configured such that by activating one optical SU, an optical signal input to an input port associated with the activated optical SU is output from an output port associated with the activated optical SU. The M×N optical SU include at least a gate switch and a main switch. In each optical SU, the gate switch and the main switch are connected to the common lead.

A device for redirecting light in two dimensions (2D) includes a wavelength-tunable light source for providing light having a spectral component at a first wavelength. A 1D redirector redirects the light in a first plane. A thin waveguide is disposed in the first plane. The thin waveguide includes a slab waveguide portion coupled to the 1D redirector for propagating light redirected by the 1D redirector. The slab waveguide portion includes a wavelength-sensitive out-coupler out-coupling the light in a second plane at an angle dependent on the first wavelength. Thus, the light is redirected in two dimensions. A display device providing image in angular domain may be based on the device for redirecting light in two dimensions.