Controllably deformed elastic waveguide elements
US4294507A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 25, 1980 |
| Grant date | Oct 13, 1981 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 25, 2000 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B26/08
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An elastic two dimensionally guiding waveguide is controllably stretched between two or more different configurations, the different configurations being such that wave energy takes different paths through the waveguide at each of the two or more different configurations. The paths are different because wave energy which propagates along and between two parallel boundary surfaces or which follows a surface travels along a geodesic path and the geodesic path can be changed by stretchably deforming the surface shape in a suitable manner. In one embodiment an optically transparent sheet of rubber-like material is stretched into a depression or hole within a substrate using controlled pneumatic forces. Many different active functions may be implemented using this principle, including switching, variable focussing, modulation, scanning and deflection.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.