Spatial routing of optical beams through time-domain spatial-spectral filtering

We propose a novel new method of temporal-waveform-controlled high-speed passive spatial routing of optical beams. The method provides for the redirection of optical signals contained within a single input beam into output directions that are specified entirely by temporal information encoded on the waveform of each incident signal. The routing is effected by means of deflection from spectrally structured spatial gratings that may be optically programmed into materials with or without intrinsic frequency selectivity.