Electrochromic optical switch

A method comprising:

• providing at least two electrochromic components, wherein the at least two electrochromic components have colored states with light transmittances that, in combination, are able to block light transmission between optical fibers;
• providing a first optical fiber aligned with a second optical fiber;
• providing at least one voltage source;
• and
• assembling an optical transistor that includes the at least two electrochromic components, the first optical fiber, and the second optical fiber, wherein, in the assembled optical transistor:
• a first electrochromic component of the at least two electrochromic components is positioned in a first space, wherein the first space is between a tip of the first optical fiber and a tip of the second optical fiber and has a width not exceeding a maximum working distance of the tip of the first optical fiber;
• the at least two electrochromic components are connected to the at least one voltage source;
• and
• the at least one voltage source is configured to cause the at least two electrochromic components to selectively switch between the colored states and bleached states to respectively block or allow signal transmission from the first optical fiber to the second optical fiber.

An article of manufacture, comprising:

• an optical transistor, comprising:
• a first optical fiber;
• a second optical fiber optically aligned with the first optical fiber;
• at least two electrochromic components optically aligned with the first and second optical fibers, wherein:
• the at least two electrochromic components comprise a first electrochromic component positioned in a first space, wherein the first space is between a tip of the first optical fiber and a tip of the second optical fiber and has a width not exceeding a maximum working distance of the tip of the first optical fiber;
• and
• the at least two electrochromic components have colored states with light transmittances that, in combination, are able to block light transmission between the first and second optical fibers;
• and
• a voltage source configured to cause the electrochromic component to selectively switch between the colored states and bleached states to respectively block or allow signal transmission from the first optical fiber to the the second optical fiber.