Adaptive Optical Splitter Employing an Opto-VLSI Processor and a 4-$f$ Imaging System

Abstract

Abstract-A novel adaptive optical splitter structure employing an Opto-VLSI processor and 4-f imaging system is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. By driving the Opto-VLSI processor with computer generated multicasting phase holograms, an input optical signal launched into an input optical fiber port can be split and coupled into many output optical fiber ports with arbitrary splitting ratios. A proof-of-principle 1 2 adaptive optical splitter structure driven by optimized multicasting phase holograms uploaded onto the Opto-VLSI processor is developed, demonstrating an arbitrary splitting ratio over a wavelength range exceeding 50 nm.Index Terms-Adaptive optical splitter, beam splitter, liquid crystal devices, optical communication, opto-VLSI processor.

Reconfigurable optical power splitter/combiner based on Opto-VLSI processing

“…As shown in Fig. 1, an Opto-VLSI processor comprises an array of liquid crystal (LC) cells driven by a Very-Large-Scale-Integrated (VLSI) circuit [17,18], which generates digital holographic diffraction gratings that achieve arbitrary beam deflection/multicasting. A transparent Indium-Tin Oxide (ITO) layer is used as the ground electrode, and a quarter-wave-plate (QWP) layer is deposited between the LC and the aluminum mirror to accomplish polarization-insensitive operation.…”

“…The 0 th order signal was directed to optical spectrum analyzers (OSA), via a circulator, in order to monitor the diffraction efficiency. The input signal from the input port at the fiber array was collimated through a lens, to an optical beam diameter of 5.48 mm, which illuminated around 3046 pixels of the Opto-VLSI processor, leading to a high diffraction efficiency and high optical splitting resolution of 0.01 degree (around 10 times better than the resolution reported in [18]). By driving the Opto-VLSI processor with an optimized multicasting phase hologram, the optical beam illuminating the Opto-VLSI processor was split into four different optical beams (in addition to the 0 th order beam) which propagated along the optimized directions so that they were coupled back into the fiber output ports through the 4-f imaging system.…”

“…Not many dynamic optical splitter/combiner structures have previously been reported [12,13], and none of the reported dynamic optical splitter structures [14][15][16][17][18] have demonstrated the capability of combing optical beams dynamically. In particular, the proof-of-principle 1×2 adaptive optical splitter based on Opto-VLSI processor reported by the authors [18] has low resolution and limited output port counts due to the difficulty in controlling the beam waist.…”

“…In particular, the proof-of-principle 1×2 adaptive optical splitter based on Opto-VLSI processor reported by the authors [18] has low resolution and limited output port counts due to the difficulty in controlling the beam waist.…”

Photonic microwave filter employing an opto-VLSI-based adaptive optical combiner

“…As shown in Fig. 1, an Opto-VLSI processor comprises an array of liquid crystal (LC) cells driven by a Very-Large-Scale-Integrated (VLSI) circuit [13,14] T the LC and the aluminum mirror to accomplish polarization-insensitive operation. The voltage level for each pixel can individually be controlled by using a few memory elements that select a discrete voltage level and apply it, through the electrodes, across the LC cell.…”