Electrically controlled integrated optical switch
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
InventorsRichard A. Soref, Joseph P. Lorenzo
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Abstract
An electrically controlled integrated optical switch having a body made up entirely of crystalline silicon. More specifically, the body has a pair of channel waveguides intersecting in an X-like configuration forming therein an intersection crossover region. A first electrode is positioned on the intersection crossover region and a second electrode is positioned on the bottom of the body opposite the intersection crossover region. A controllable current/voltage source is electrically connected to the electrodes in order to alter the index of refraction of the intersection crossover region in order to change the amount of optical cross coupling of light between the intersecting waveguides.
Claims8
An electrically-controlled integrated optical switch, comprising:
- a body made up entirely of crystalline silicon,
- an X-like channel waveguide structure having a first leg and a second leg formed within said silicon body, said first and said second legs intersecting to form an intersection crossover region of predetermined size;
- and
- means associated with said body for altering the index of refraction of said silicon body and therefore changing the cross-coupling of light between said first leg and said second leg of said X-like channel waveguide structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.