MEMS optical switch with a cantilever coupler

US11300852B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Robert Bosch GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Ning Wang · Shanghai, CN
• Alexander Huebel · Leonberg, DE
• Christoph Schelling · Stuttgart, DE
• Jan Niklas Caspers · Stuttgart, DE
• Hartmut Kueppers · Reutlingen, DE
• Stefan Pinter · Reutlingen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 2, 2020
• Grant date: Apr 12, 2022
• Expiry date: Jul 2, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S5/0071
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An optical switch includes a bus waveguide supported by a substrate, a coupling waveguide suspended over the bus waveguide, a reaction electrode coupled with, and adjacent to, the coupling waveguide, an actuation electrode supported by the substrate and configured to control a position of the coupling waveguide relative to the bus waveguide via the reaction electrode, and an optical antenna coupled with the coupling waveguide and disposed at a fixed distance from the bus waveguide. When a voltage difference between the reaction electrode and the actuation electrode is less than a lower threshold, the coupling waveguide is positioned a first distance from the bus waveguide, when the voltage difference between the reaction electrode and the actuation electrode is greater than an upper threshold, the coupling waveguide is positioned a second distance from the bus waveguide, and the second distance is less than the first distance.