Optical hybrid switch with electroptically active waveguide structure formedfrom an NLO polymer

US5465310A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Alcatel N.V. · NL

Inventors

• Peter Kersten · Leonberg, DE
• Klaus-D. Matthies · Asperg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 15, 1994
• Grant date: Nov 7, 1995
• Expiry date: Apr 15, 2014

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02F1/3135
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An optical hybrid switch is indicated, which guides a voltage-controlled light flux supplied by an incoming passive optical waveguide (1), to at least one of two outgoing passive optical waveguides (1, 1a). The hybrid switch according to the invention preferably uses a NLO-polymer as the electro-optically active elements. The increased attenuation linked to the use of NLO-polymer is kept low by extending the incoming optical waveguide (1) without interruption as one of the outgoing optical waveguides. To steer the light flux to the other outgoing optical waveguide (1a), the light is coupled out from an electro-optically active waveguide structure (5) by an adjustable coupler (6), and coupled to the other outgoing passive waveguide (1a) through another fixed adjustment coupler (8).