Patent · US Expired

Optical switching device and method utilizing fluid pressure control to improve switching characteristics

US6188815A · kind A · utility

20Cited by
5References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 7, 1999
Grant dateFeb 13, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 7, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B6/3596
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A switching device includes a substrate, a first waveguide segment, a second waveguide segment, a heating device, a liquid, and a pressure controlling mechanism. The substrate is coupled to the first waveguide segment and the second waveguide segment, and the substrate includes a chamber that separates the first waveguide segment from the second waveguide segment. The liquid is disposed in the chamber and is responsive to the heating device. The pressure controlling mechanism controls a pressure in the chamber such that inadvertent bubbles are prevented from forming between the first waveguide segment and the second waveguide segment.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.