Compositions and devices for thermooptically controlled switching and filtering
US7139463B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 23, 2003 |
| Grant date | Nov 21, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 29, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F2203/48
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The invention relates to polymer compositions which enable thermooptic control of signal attenuation in the ultraviolet, visible and near infrared (NIR) regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, and devices incorporating such compositions. The compositions are derived from polymer mixtures which exhibit a cloud point phase transition at a temperature in the range of a thermooptically controlled device such as a programmable waveguide attenuator, a programmable neutral density filter, or an optically absorbent switch. An especially preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a mixture of a high molecular weight chlorotrifluoroethylene fluid and a wax with an “ON-state” insertion loss of below 0.1 dB/cm and an extinction ratio of 22 dB/cm in the 1550 nm NIR telecommunication band.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.