Optical switching element and switching arrangement

US6345132B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignees

• Institut für Mikrotechnik Mainz GmbH · DE
• Controlware GmbH Kommunikationssysteme · DE

Inventors

• Antoni Picard · Eltville am Rhein, DE
• Martin Schmidt · Brookline, US
• Klaus-Peter Kamper · Roetgen, DE
• Jane Schulze · Mainz, DE
• Michel Neumeier · Mandelbachtal, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 17, 1999
• Grant date: Feb 5, 2002
• Expiry date: Sep 17, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B6/3572
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The invention relates to an optical switching element for altering the propagation direction of at least one light beam, comprising a transparent base body (21), said base body being provided with a recess (20) for forming at least one boundary surface (19) between an optically denser medium and an optically more translucent medium. The incident light strikes this boundary surface (19). The recess (20) is filled partly with a liquid (26) and contains a moveable body (16). The liquid (26) and the moveable body (16) have approximately the same refractive index as the transparent base body. To switch the switching element (15) to a transmitting switching state, the moveable body is positioned in the recess in such a way that the gap between the boundary surface and the surface of the moveable body is filled completely with the liquid. If the moveable body is positioned in the recess in such a way that the boundary surface is free of the liquid, the incident light is reflected on said boundary surface. The switching element has low optical damping and is therefore economical to produce. Its compact construction means that larger switching arrangements with a large number of optical inp…