Optical switch having a phase change region therein
US5016958A · kind A · utility
18Cited by
12References
26Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 7, 1989 |
| Grant date | May 21, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 7, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F2202/022
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical switch for switching light from one leg of an optical circuit to another leg is characterized by an arrangement for altering the index of refraction of one of the legs with respect to the other leg. This results in a disparity in light velocity and a change in phase relationship for the light being propagated through the legs. When the legs are brought into a coupling region, there occurs a predetermined transfer of light from one leg to the other, depending upon the magnitude of the alteration in phase relationship between the light propagated in the legs.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.