1982-09-30
1987-03-10
Sikes, William L.
350 9614, G02B 610
Patent
active
046486879
ABSTRACT:
An optical switching device for switching the transmission of light waves is provided. The main feature of the present invention is the usage of a light-transmitting, crystalline material having a temperature dependent index of refraction. That is, the light transmission condition is altered by controlling the temperature of such a material. In one form of the present invention, a main waveguide and a branched waveguide are provided and light waves are switched between the main and branched waveguides by controlling the temperature of a particlar portion of the intersection region. In another form of the present invention, a pair of waveguides is oppositely arranged in an end-to-end relation with a gap therebetween, and a switching region is defined in the gap. When the switching region is heated, the waveguides are optically connected; whereas, they are optically disconnected at normal temperature condition.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3819250 (1974-06-01), Kibler
patent: 3883220 (1975-05-01), Taylor
patent: 4127320 (1978-11-01), Li
patent: 4236156 (1980-11-01), Eden
"Temperature Dependence of the Optical Properties of Feroelectric LiNbo.sub.3 and LiTao.sub.3 ", By Miller et al., Applied Physics Letters, vol. 9, #4, Aug. 15, 1966.
"High-Speed Cutoff Modulator Using a Ti-diffused LiNbo.sub.3 Channel Waveguide" by Neyer et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 35(3) Aug. 1, 1979.
"Optical Bistability in LiNbo.sub.3 Using a Monolithically Integrated Directional Coupler and Detector" by Gaglielmi, Integrated Optics, London, pp. 61-62, Sep. 1981.
Haruna Masamitsu
Koyama Jiro
Mori Masaaki
Yoshida Taizo
Ricoh & Company, Ltd.
Shoup Guy W.
Sikes William L.
Ullah Akm E.
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