Bidirectional optical space switch
US4923269A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 23, 1988 |
| Grant date | May 8, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 23, 2008 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B27/285
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A bidirectional optical space switch for selectively coupling an input signal to a selected output comprises two arrays of inputs (1, 8), two arrays of outputs (5, 9), polarizing beam splitters (2, 4), and a matrix of cells (3) each of which is selectively capable of varying the polarization state of light passing through it in response to an applied control signal. A first optical system (6) couples each of inputs (1) and a corresponding one of outputs (9) with a corresponding column of cells while a second optical system (7) couples each of inputs (8) and a corresponding one of outputs (5) with a corresponding row of cells. One of inputs (1) is switched to one of outputs (5) by activating the appropriate cell so that it rotates the polarization of light passing through it by 90.degree.. This also couples one of inputs (8) to one of outputs (9) thereby providing bidirectional switching. Use of combined beam splitters and polarizers (2, 4) provides bidirectionally at substantially no loss of light additional to that lost on discrimination of the polarization states.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.