Programmable waveguide devices and methods

Abstract

Programmable waveguide devices and associated methods are described. The waveguide devices can be programmed to operate as an optical switch, an optical attenuator, an interferometer, a mode transformer, an optical computer or other devices. An example programmable waveguide device includes a grid where an electro-optic material is positioned between a plurality of top and bottom electrodes that each form a pair of electrodes as part of a grid element. The programmable waveguide device also includes input ports and output ports; the latter output one or more beams produced from the one or more input beams after propagation through the grid. Each grid element can receive a voltage across the electro-optic material of the grid element, which exhibits different indices of refraction depending on the voltage. The grid elements are thus configurable to produce regions within the grid with varying indices of refraction based on the voltage.