Photoelastic optical switch and optical systems employing the op

Details Photoelastic optical switch and optical systems employing the op Photoelastic optical switch and optical systems employing the op

1989-11-20

1991-05-21

Ullah, Akm

350 9614, G02B 610, G02B 626, G02B 642

Patent

active

050169572

ABSTRACT:
An optical switch which comprises a photoelastic, optically transparent material whose index of refraction is changed by mechanical stress and which propagates an optical beam or beams from an inlet window to an outlet window in the material, with the inlet window adapted to receive an optical beam from an optical source and the outlet window adapted to pass an optical beam from the photoelastic material to an optical output receptor, and a means of applying a stress gradient to said photoelastic material to change the index of refraction and hence, the optical path of the optical beam between a normal, unstressed optical beam path and a bent, stressed optical beam path. Optical systems are described in which the optical switch is employed to receive an optical beam from a source and to switch a beam after passing it through the photoelastic optical material to and from an optical receptor. The disclosure also includes a method of optically switching an optical beam between normal and stressed optical beam positions by applying a predetermined mechanical force to a photoelastic optically transparent material to form a mechanical stress gradient within the optical transparent photoelastic material which provides an index of refraction gradient therein and causes the switching of the optical beam.

REFERENCES:
patent: 4684215 (1987-08-01), Shaw et al.
patent: 4735485 (1988-04-01), Fesler
patent: 4792207 (1988-12-01), Shaw et al.
patent: 4793676 (1988-12-01), Risk

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