| 摘要 |
High resolution fiber-optic attenuation beam control modules are based on unique parallel, serial, and serial-parallel optical controls architectures using a mixed control mode spatially multiplexed processing (SMP) techniques with actively controlled macro-pixels. The mixed-mode SMP macro-pixel method involves multiple device pixels per beam where some pixels are controlled in a digital mode and some pixels are controlled in an analog mode. Some pixels can be designed to be inactive or in a dead-mode. This mixed-mode SMP macropixel device consists of an array of individually controlled pixels where each pixel has its specific location, shape, size, and electrical drive signal format. The mixed-mode SMP control method provides a robust and highly accurate technique for amplitude and routing controls of an input optical beam. In one embodiment, the mixed-mode SMP macropixel approach is implemented for optical beams being coupled in and out of the versatile beam processing module for gain controls via fiber-optics coupled to fiber lenses. The mixed-mode device may consist of micromirrors fabricated via optical microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. In a digital-mode, the micromirror pixel has two positional states such as two tilt states. In an analog-mode, the micromirror pixel has more than two positional states such as N angular tilt states. Other embodiments of the mixed mode SMP macropixel include polarization control pixels such as made from liquid crystals. The serial cascade of one or more mixed-mode SMP macropixel devices sandwiched between fiber-optics can form a high resolution variable fiber-optical attenuator with coarse and fine optical power controls. The SMP devices and pixels can be designed to function in independent roles as coarse and fine power control mechanisms for the light beams. Extensions of the serial, parallel, and parallel-serial architectures to 1xN switch applications is also possible where built-in on demand gain controls for each output port is provided using a dead pixel concept.
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