Optical switch using risley prisms

Details Optical switch using risley prisms Optical switch using risley prisms

2005-02-22

2005-02-22

Donovan, Lincoln (Department: 2832)

Electricity: magnetically operated switches, magnets, and electr

Electromagnetically actuated switches

Polarity-responsive

C335S270000, C310S032000, C310S0400MM

Reexamination Certificate

active

06859120

ABSTRACT:
An optical switch using Risley prisms and rotary microactuators to independently rotate the wedge prisms of each Risley prism pair is disclosed. The optical switch comprises an array of input Risley prism pairs that selectively redirect light beams from a plurality of input ports to an array of output Risley prism pairs that similarly direct the light beams to a plurality of output ports. Each wedge prism of each Risley prism pair can be independently rotated by a variable-reluctance stepping rotary microactuator that is fabricated by a multi-layer LIGA process. Each wedge prism can be formed integral to the annular rotor of the rotary microactuator by a DXRL process.

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