Highly stable opto-mechanic switches
US6823102B2 · kind B2 · utility
3Cited by
24References
14Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 22, 2002 |
| Grant date | Nov 23, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 1, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/356
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention provides improved optical switches in which only a spatial beam shifting of a small free space offset is required to direct optical pathways between plural fiber ports. This is achieved by spacing two fibers closely and collimating their beams with one imaging lens for compactness. Advantageously, the inventive switches incorporate beam correcting devices to render the beam propagations parallel, allowing light beams to be efficiently coupled into two fibers that share a single lens with substantially improved stability.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.