Reconfigurable optical interconnects by a combined computer-generated hologram and spatial light modulator method

A new method for implementing electrically addressed dynamic optical interconnects is presented. In this approach a phase spatial light modulator (SLM) is combined with a computer-generated hologram (CGH). The phase SLM is used to change the phase of the wave front that illuminates the CGH. Binary orthogonal phase codes are used to address the SLM. The CGH is designed with iterative discrete on-axis encoding so that different wave fronts direct light to different locations. High efficiency can be achieved because of the large number and the small dimensions of pixels in the CGH. The dynamic aspects result from the use of an SLM that may have a relatively small number of relatively large pixels. In this manner a high-efficiency programmable interconnect system with fast reconfiguration time based on current technology devices may be implemented. The CGH-SLM method yields connection efficiencies significantly higher than previous methods that are based on the use of thin optical elements. Simulation results indicate that for switch sizes in the range from 1 × 2 to 1 × 8, connection efficiencies of higher than 1/ √N (where N is the number of possible destinations) are feasible.