Importance

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Abstract

A high resolution, fault tolerant, variable optical attenuator and polarizer module for fiber optical beam control using parallel, serial, and serial-parallel optical control architectures. The module uses mixed control modes to control a macropixel array and includes spatially multiplexed processing techniques. The macropixel array consists of an array of individually controlled pixels, such as a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) mirror array, where each pixel has a specific addressable location in the array, and each pixel can have a unique size, shape and electrical or optical drive format. The module can provide amplitude, routing, and polarization control of an input optical beam. In an embodiment, the module can control the gain of a light beam in fiber optical systems coupled to lenses. In another embodiment, the modules can be cascaded to form a high-resolution fiber optic attenuator. In yet another embodiment, the modules can be used in 1.times.N optical switching applications having on demand gain control.

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First Claim