Optical shutter assembly
US6757094B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 29, 2003 |
| Grant date | Jun 29, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 29, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F1/31
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention pertains to an optical shutter comprising an photon-absorbing layer and a surface layer in a transparent state on at least one side of the photon-absorbing layer, wherein the optical shutter is characterized by the absorption of photons to change the photon-absorbing layer to an opaque state and to change the surface layer to a reflective state. The optical shutter is reversibly imageable between these transparent and reflective states. The optical shutter may comprise a metallized layer on at least one side of the photon-absorbing layer. Preferably, the optical shutter comprises an organic free radical compound, such as a salt of an aminium radical cation, in the photon-absorbing layer. Also provided are optical switch devices and optical buffers comprising such optical shutters and methods of switching an optical signal utilizing such optical shutters and switch devices.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.