Realization of polarization-reconfigurable optical interconnections using VCSELs and polarization selective diffractive optical elements

We show how the polarization properties of VCSELs can be exploited usefully in order to realize reconfigurable optical interconnects. We present three set-ups in which the VCSEL light output falls on a polarization-selective diffractive optical element (PSDOE): polarization switching by current modulation, polarization switching by optical injection, and the use of two independent orthogonally polarized VCSELs. A PS-DOE was designed to generate a different spot array for each of the two orthogonal linear polarization states.