Patent · US Expired

Bubble stability in an optical switch

US6798939B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
14References
33Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 14, 2002
Grant dateSep 28, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 5, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B6/3576
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Bubble stability within an optical switch is enhanced by controlling the expansion or movement of a bubble from a liquid-containing trench into available adjacent spacing. Typically, the adjacent spacing is formed between an optical waveguide substrate and a heater substrate, where the heater substrate includes a microheater for forming the bubble. The bubble enhancement is provided by intentionally altering surface features along at least one of the substrates.

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