Optical switch having equalized beam spreading in all connections
US6473544B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 3, 2000 |
| Grant date | Oct 29, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 3, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/3546
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical crossbar switch having refractive or reflective components for equalizing beam spreading and diffraction in all the connections. The optical fibers or waveguides coupled to the switch are not staggered, but are parallel as in a conventional fiber array. The refractive component is disposed between the switch and the input optical fibers. Preferably, a similar refractive component is disposed between the output optical fibers and the switch. The refractive component can be a stairstep block made of glass, silicon or silica. Light from each input fiber travels through a well-defined thickness of the stairstep block. Since the block has a refractive index greater than the surrounding atmosphere, the wavelength in reduced within the block, and beam spreading and diffraction are reduced.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.