Free space WDM signal detector

1. A detector system for a wavelength division multiplexed optical signal, the detector comprising:

an array of detectors of a plurality of types, each of the detectors being capable of detecting light having a frequency corresponding to the type of the detector and excluding detection of light having a frequency corresponding to another of the types of the detectors, wherein the detectors tile an entire area of the array and are arranged so that any incident area of the wavelength multiplexed optical signal on the array provides a detectable amount of light to only a subset of the detectors in the array, the subset including at least one detector of each type; and

a plurality of units of channel electronics, wherein each of the units of channel electronics corresponds to one of the types of the detectors and is connected to all of the detectors of the corresponding type.

2. The detector system of claim 1 , wherein the types of detectors consist of n 2 types for an integer n, and the array of detectors is tiled with square groups of n 2 adjacent detectors with each square group containing one detector of each of the types.

3. The detector system of claim 1 , wherein the types of detectors consist of n(n−1) types for an integer n, and the array of detectors is tiled with rectangular groups of n(n−1) adjacent detectors with each rectangular group containing one detector of each of the types.

4. The detector system of claim 1 wherein the types of detectors consist of N types, and the array of detectors is tiled with L-shaped groups of N adjacent detectors, where each L-shaped group consists of one detector of each of the types.

5. The detector system of claim 1 , wherein each of the detectors comprises a photodiode and a filter, wherein a wavelength of light passed through the filter depends on the type of the detector.

6. The detector system of claim 1 , wherein each of the detectors comprises a photodiode having an active area that is patterned to create interference effects that control which frequencies of light that the detector detects.

7. The detector system of claim 1 , wherein each of the units of the channel electronics comprises a node to which output terminals of all of the detectors of the corresponding type are connected.

8. The detector system of claim 1 , wherein each of the units of the channel electronics comprises active circuitry connected to select from among the detectors of the corresponding type, a set of the detectors from which an output signal is generated.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the array of detectors is tiled with groups of adjacent detectors, wherein each group covers an area smaller than the incident area of the wavelength multiplexed optical signal on the array and contains at least one detector of each of the types.

10. A system comprising:

a transmitter that produces an optical signal having a plurality of carrier frequencies; and

a receiver separated from the transmitter by free space through which the optical signal propagates, wherein:

the receiver comprises an array of detectors of multiple types, each of the types including a plurality of detectors in the array, each of the detectors being capable of detecting light having one of the carrier frequencies that corresponds to the type of that detector and excluding detection of another of the carrier frequencies in the optical signal;

an incident area where the optical signal is incident on the array is smaller than the array of detectors and has a location that depends on a misalignment of the receiver relative to the transmitter; and

the detectors tile an entire area of the array and are arranged so that at least one detector of each of the types detects light from the optical signal regardless of the location of the incident area on the array.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the misalignment has a magnitude greater than a width of the incident area.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the detector array has a width greater than a maximum magnitude expected for the misalignment.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the optical signal is a wavelength division multiplexed signal representing data.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the system comprises a server system including a first blade on which the transmitter resides and a second blade on which the receiver resides.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the optical signal is a wavelength division multiplexed signal that conveys data from the first blade to the second blade.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the array of detectors is tiled with groups of adjacent detectors, wherein each group covers an area smaller than an area of the detector array illuminated by the optical signal and contains at least one detector of each of the types.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the types of detectors consist of n(n−1) types for an integer n, and the array of detectors is tiled with rectangular groups of n(n−1) adjacent detectors with each rectangular group containing one detector of each of the types.

18. The system of claim 10 , wherein the types of detectors consist of N types, and the array of detectors is tiled with L-shaped groups of N adjacent detectors, where each L-shaped group consists of one detector of each of the types.

19. The system of claim 10 , wherein each of the detectors comprises a photodiode having an active area that is patterned to create interference effects that control which frequencies of light that the detector detects.

20. A process comprising:

transmitting an optical signal having a plurality of carrier frequencies through free space from a transmitter to a receiver containing a detector array, wherein the detector array includes detectors of a plurality of types, each of the types including a plurality of detectors in the array, each of the detectors being capable of detecting light having a carrier frequency corresponding to the type of that detector and excluding detection of light having another of the carrier frequencies;

receiving the optical signal at an incident area on the detector array, wherein the incident area is smaller than the array and has a location that depends on a misalignment of the receiver relative to the transmitter; and

detecting each of the carrier frequencies with at least one of the detectors capable of detecting the carrier frequency, where the detectors tile the array and are arranged so that at least one detector of each of the types receives light from the optical signal regardless of the location of the incident area on the array.

21. The process of claim 20 , wherein transmitting the optical signal comprises transmitting the optical signal from a first blade in a server system to a second blade in the server system, wherein the optical signal conveys data from the first blade to the second blade.

22. The process of claim 20 , wherein each of the detectors comprises a photodiode having an active area that is patterned to create interference effects that control which frequencies of light that the detector detects.

23. The process of claim 20 , wherein the detector array is tiled with groups of adjacent detectors, wherein each group covers an area smaller than an area of the detector array illuminated by the optical signal and contains at least one detector of each of the types.

24. The process of claim 20 , wherein the types of detectors consist of n(n−1) types for an integer n, and the array of detectors is tiled with rectangular groups of n(n−1) adjacent detectors with each rectangular group containing one detector of each of the types.

25. The process of claim 20 , wherein the types of detectors consist of N types, and the array of detectors is tiled with L-shaped groups of N adjacent detectors, where each L-shaped group consists of one detector of each of the types.