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US 12,113,259 B2Granted
Terahertz waveguide switches
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorsGoutam Chattopadhyay, Robert H. Lin, Sven L. Van Berkel, Sofia Rahiminejad
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Abstract
Low-loss terahertz switches with nanometer resolution positioning and feedback are disclosed. In one embodiment, the switch uses a U-bend waveguide surrounded by an electromagnetic band gap and is implemented in a fully metal-machined fashion in combination with a piezo-electric motor and an optical linear encoder. In another embodiment, the switch comprises a MEMS device.
Claims21
A waveguide integrated switch, comprising:
- an actuator comprising a switching body coupled to one or more waveguides, the actuator actuating the switching body to open or close transmission of an electromagnetic wave to the one or more waveguides and the one or more waveguides configured and dimensioned to guide the electromagnetic wave having a frequency in a range of 100 gigahertz (GHz) to 1000 terahertz (THz);
- and
- wherein the actuator is configured to position the switching body relative to the waveguides with an accuracy in a range of 1-10 nanometers.
A method of making a waveguide integrated switch, comprising:
- coupling a switching body to one or more waveguides using an actuator, the actuator actuating the switching body to open or close transmission of an electromagnetic wave to the one or more waveguides and the one or more waveguides each configured and dimensioned to guide the electromagnetic wave having a frequency in a range of 100 gigahertz (GHz) to 1000 terahertz (THz);
- and
- wherein the actuator is configured to position the switching body relative to the waveguides with an accuracy in a range of 1-10 nanometers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.