THREE DIMENSIONAL OPTICAL PATH CONTROL BY INTEGRATING ROTATED STRUCTURES

摘要

An integrated optical device (17) comprises a first optical component (5) formed from a plurality of layers of material and a second optical component (11) formed from a plurality of layers of material. A first optical path (4) is defined in the first optical component (5) and a second optical path (12) is defined in the second optical component (11). The first optical path (4) is coupled to the second optical path (12). The first optical component (5) is arranged relative to the second optical component (11) such that there is a non-zero angle, particularly a right angle, between the layers of the first optical component (5) and the layers of the second optical component (11). The second optical path (12) directs light from the first optical path (4) in a direction substantially normal to the layers of the first optical component (5) or in a direction having at least a component normal to the layers of the first optical component (5). In this way, light can be coupled out of the plane of the first optical component (5) in a relatively simple manner.