Fast optical switch having reduced light loss
US5090824A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 31, 1990 |
| Grant date | Feb 25, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 31, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F1/31
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An electrically controlled optical switch uses an electro-optic crystal of the type having at least one set of fast and slow optical axes. The crystal exhibits electric field induced birefringence such that a plane of polarization oriented along a first direction of a light beam passing through the crystal may be switched to a plane of polarization oriented along a second direction. A beam splitting polarizer means is disposed at one end of the crystal and directs a light beam passing through the crystal whose plane of polarization is oriented along the first direction differently from a light beam having a plane of polarization oriented along the second direction. The electro-optic crystal may be chosen from the crystal classes 43m, 42m, and 23. In a preferred embodiment, the electro-optic crystal is a bismuth germanium oxide crystal or a bismuth silicon oxide crystal. In another embodiment of the invention, polarization control optics are provided which transmit substantially all of the incident light to the electro-optic crystal, substantially reducing the insertion loss of the switch.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.