Micro machined optical switch

Details Micro machined optical switch Micro machined optical switch

1997-05-15

1999-07-13

Ngo, Hung N.

Optical waveguides

With optical coupler

Switch

385 23, 385 20, G02B 626

Patent

active

059237988

ABSTRACT:
Optical switches utilizing electrostatically-driven actuators formed from micro machined plates are disclosed. Under an applied voltage, a movable plate moves toward a fixed plate or a conductive region of an underlying support. The switches further include a mechanical linkage from the actuator to an optical device. The displacement of the movable plate generated at the actuator is transferred, via the mechanical linkage, to the optical device. The optical device, which is positioned in close proximity to optically-aligned spaced optical fibers, is movable into and out of an optical path defined by the optical cores of the optical fibers by the action of the actuator. An "in-plane" optical switch includes an actuator having two vertically-oriented electrodes, which generates a substantially horizontally-directed displacement of the movable plate and the linked optical device. An "out-of-plane" optical switch includes an actuator having at least one horizontally-disposed suspended above a conductive region of an underlying support. The actuator generates a substantially vertically-directed displacement of the movable plate and the linked optical device.

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