Optical control of an electrical waveguide switch using a photoconductive patch controlled by optical power supplied by an optical waveguide

A method of switching radio frequency electrical signals, comprising:

• receiving a radio frequency input signal at an input port;
• and
• controlling an electrical conduction of the radio frequency input signal through a photoconductive patch via an optical power carried in an optical waveguide and applied to the photoconductive patch,
• wherein the photoconductive patch electrically connects the input port to an output port providing the radio frequency signal at the output port when a threshold optical power is passed through the optical waveguide, and the photoconductive patch electrically isolates the input port from the output port when less than the threshold optical power is passed through the optical waveguide,
• wherein the optical waveguide extends to another optical waveguide corresponding to another optically controlled electrical switch device.

A method of switching radio frequency electrical signals, comprising:

• receiving a radio frequency input signal at an input port of an electrical waveguide;
• and
• controlling an electrical conduction of the radio frequency input signal through a photoconductive patch via an optical power carried in an optical waveguide and applied to the photoconductive patch,
• wherein the photoconductive patch electrically connects the input port to an output port of the electrical waveguide providing the radio frequency signal at the output port when a threshold optical power is passed through the optical waveguide, and the photoconductive patch electrically isolates the input port from the output port when less than the threshold optical power is passed through the optical waveguide,
• wherein the optical waveguide enters a first side of the photoconductive patch, passes through the photoconductive patch, and exits the photoconductive patch on a second side.

An optically controlled electrical switch device capable of switching microwave or millimeter wave electrical signals, comprising:

• an optical waveguide configured to pass optical power;
• a photoconductive patch optically coupled to the optical waveguide;
• and
• an input port and an output port with an electrical waveguide electrically connecting the input port to the output port,
• wherein a first side of the photoconductive patch is electrically coupled through a first conductor of the electrical waveguide to the input port and a second side of the photoconductive patch is electrically coupled through a second conductor of the electrical waveguide to the output port, and
• wherein the photoconductive patch is configured to electrically connect the first conductor to the second conductor when a threshold optical power is passed through the optical waveguide, and the photoconductive patch is configured to electrically isolate the first conductor from the second conductor when less than the threshold optical power is passed through the optical waveguide, wherein the electrical waveguide including the first conductor and the second conductor is in a ground-signal-ground (GSG) waveguide configuration.

An optically controlled electrical switch device capable of switching microwave or millimeter wave electrical signals, comprising:

• an optical waveguide configured to pass optical power;
• a photoconductive patch optically coupled to the optical waveguide;
• and
• an input port and an output port with an electrical waveguide electrically connecting the input port to the output port,
• wherein a first side of the photoconductive patch is electrically coupled through a first conductor of the electrical waveguide to the input port and a second side of the photoconductive patch is electrically coupled through a second conductor of the electrical waveguide to the output port, and
• wherein the photoconductive patch is configured to electrically connect the first conductor to the second conductor when a threshold optical power is passed through the optical waveguide, and the photoconductive patch is configured to electrically isolate the first conductor from the second conductor when less than the threshold optical power is passed through the optical waveguide, wherein the optical waveguide comprises silicon nitride.