Thermo-optical switch

US6282335A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• ALCATEL · FR

Inventors

• Kurt Losch · Stuttgart, DE
• Carl-Michael Weinert · Berlin, DE
• Norbert Keil · Berlin, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 25, 1999
• Grant date: Aug 28, 2001
• Expiry date: Oct 25, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02F2202/022
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

In accordance with the invention, a plurality of glass waveguides (GWL1 . . . GWL4) are arranged in a first plane. In an overlying plane there is arranged at least one polymer waveguide (PWLA) which forms an acute angle with the glass waveguides. Vertical coupling regions are formed where the polymer waveguide intersects the underlying glass waveguides. The coupling properties can be selectively influenced with the aid of heating electrodes (EA1 . . . EA4; EB1 . . . EB4). To switch over light from one glass waveguide into another, the temperature of the vertical coupling regions is set such that light is coupled up from the one glass waveguide into the polymer waveguide, is guided therein, and is coupled down into the desired glass waveguide in another coupling region.