Controllable beam director using poled structure

An optical beam routing device comprising:

• a solid material for passing optical energy;
• at least one input optical axis traversing said solid material along a plane of said solid material;
• at least one output optical axis traversing said solid material along said plane, said output optical axis abutting said input optical axis at an intersection;
• at least a first electrically-conductive material forming a first electrode, said first electrode confronting said solid material at said intersection;
• and
• electronically controllable optical energy redirector means disposed transverse of said intersection and controlled by said first electrode to controllably reflect optical energy from said input optical axis into said output optical axis upon application of an electric field.

A structure for interacting between at least a first type of time-variable energy field and a second type of time-variable energy field comprising:

• a solid inorganic material for containing at least a first propagation path for said first type of time-variable energy field;
• a stable pattern poled region in the solid material, said pattern poled region being formed of alternating domains, at least one domain being of a type which is directionally ordered, said pattern being operative to interact with both said first type of time-variable energy field and said second type of time-variable energy field;
• and
• means disposed adjacent and coupled to said pattern poled region for interacting with said pattern poled region, by means of said second type of time-variable energy field for effectuating transfer of energy between at least two time-variable energy fields within said pattern poled region.

An optical beam directing element comprising:

• a solid material for conveying optical energy;
• at least a first electrically-conductive material forming a first electrode, said first electrode confronting said solid material;
• an input waveguide segment traversing said solid material along a plane of said solid material;
• a plurality of output waveguide segments traversing said solid material along said plane, at least one of said output waveguide segments being transverse to said input waveguide segment in a first intersection region;
• and
• an electrically-controllable optical energy redirector being disposed at said first intersection region, said electrically-controllable optical energy redirector operative to reflect optical energy from said input waveguide segment into said output waveguide segments upon selective application of an electrical field from said first electrode.

An optical beam army structure comprising:

• a solid material for conveying optical energy;
• a distribution waveguide segment traversing said solid material along a plane of said solid material;
• at least one input waveguide segment traversing said solid material along a plane of said solid material and each abutting said distribution waveguide segment at an intersection region;
• a fixed optical energy redirector being disposed at said intersection region, said fixed optical energy redirector operative to reflect a portion of said optical energy from said distribution waveguide segment into said input waveguide segment;
• and
• an optical modulator for each said at least one input waveguide segment for individually modulating said portion of said optical energy.

An optical beam directing element comprising:

• a solid material for conveying optical energy;
• at least a first electrically-conductive material forming a first electrode, said first electrode confronting said solid material;
• an input waveguide segment traversing said solid material along a plane of said solid material;
• a plurality of output waveguide segments traversing said solid material along said plane, at least one of said output waveguide segments being transverse to said input waveguide segment in a first intersection region;
• and
• an electrically-controllable optical energy redirector being disposed at said first intersection region, said electrically-controllable optical energy redirector operative to reflect optical energy from said input waveguide segment into said output waveguide segments upon selective application of an electrical field from said first electrode, said optical energy redirector comprising:
• a first poled region characterized by a first quiescent index of refraction distribution and a first excited index of refraction distribution range inducible in response to application of said electric field from said electrode;
• and
• a second region characterized by a second quiescent index of refraction distribution and a second excited index of refraction distribution range inducible in response to application of said electric field, said second region being juxtaposed to said first poled region along a reflection boundary, said first index changeable differently from change of said second index in order to produce an effective difference in index of refraction across said reflection boundary for selectively redirecting optical energy in an output direction in response to application of said electric field.

An optical beam directing element comprising:

• a solid material for conveying optical energy;
• a first waveguide segment traversing said solid material along a plane of said solid material;
• a second waveguide segment traversing said solid material;
• a first electrically-controllable optical energy redirector being disposed at a first intersection region with said first waveguide segment, said first electrically-controllable optical energy redirector operative to reflect optical energy from said first waveguide segment upon selective application of a first electrical field;
• a second electrically-controllable optical energy redirector being disposed at a second intersection region with said second waveguide segment, said second electrically-controllable optical energy redirector operative to reflect said optical energy into said second waveguide segment upon selective application of a second electrical field, said first and second optical energy redirectors each comprising:
• a first poled region characterized by a first quiescent index of refraction distribution and a first excited index of refraction distribution range inducible in response to application of said electric field from said electrode;
• and
• a second region characterized by a second quiescent index of refraction distribution and a second excited index of refraction distribution range inducible in response to application of said electric field, said second region being juxtaposed to said first poled region along a reflection boundary, said first index changeable differently from change of said second index in order to produce an effective difference in index of refraction across said reflection boundary for selectively redirecting optical energy.

A beam coupling element comprising:

• a solid material for conveying optical energy;
• a first waveguide segment traversing said solid material along a plane of said solid material through a switching region;
• at least one second waveguide segment traversing said solid material along said plane, said second waveguide segment being transverse to said first waveguide segment;
• and
• an eternally-actuable optical energy redirector disposed at an intersection region, said optical energy redirector to couple optical energy between said first waveguide segment and said second waveguide segment upon selective application of an external control field;
• an intermediate region between said intersection region and said second waveguide segment, said intermediate region being responsive to presence of said external control field to define a coupling waveguide segment between a boundary of said first waveguide segment in said intersection region and said second waveguide segment, said coupling waveguide segment having a central axis transverse of said first waveguide segment for enhancing coupling between said first waveguide segment and said second waveguide segment upon application of said external control field.

An optical beam combiner comprising:

• a solid material for conveying optical energy;
• a plurality of input waveguides traversing said solid state material for transporting a plurality of beams;
• an intersection region wherein said input waveguides are in proximity to one another;
• in each said waveguide in said intersection region, an optical beam redirector for redirecting a selectable portion of each of said optical beams transverse to said input waveguides toward a common target;
• and
• an output waveguide coupled to receive output beam from said common target.

An optical beam directing device comprising:

• a solid dielectric material for conveying optical energy;
• at least a first electrically-conductive material forming a first electrode, said first electrode confronting said solid dielectric material;
• an input optical axis along an input beam path in said solid dielectric material;
• an output optical axis along an output beam path traversing said solid dielectric material and intersecting said input optical axis at an intersection region;
• and
• an electrically-controllable optical energy redirector being disposed at said intersection region, said electrically-controllable optical energy redirector operative to reflect optical energy from said input optical axis to said output optical axis upon selective change of an electrical field from said first electrode, said optical energy redirector comprising:
• a first poled region characterized by a first quiescent index of refraction distribution and a first excited index of refraction distribution range inducible in response to application of said electric field from said first electrode;
• and
• a second region characterized by a second quiescent index of refraction distribution and a second excited index of refraction distribution range inducible in response to application of said electric field, said second region being juxtaposed to said first poled region along a reflection boundary passing through said intersection region, said first index changeable differently from change of said second index in order to produce an effective difference in index of refraction across said reflection boundary for selectively redirecting optical energy in an output direction along said output axis in response to a change of said electric field.

An optical beam directing device comprising:

• a solid dielectric material for conveying optical energy;
• at least a first electrically-conductive material forming a first electrode, said first electrode confronting said solid dielectric material;
• an input waveguide segment for input of optical energy along an input beam path in said solid dielectric material;
• an output waveguide segment for output of optical energy along an output beam path traversing said solid dielectric material and intersecting said input beam path at an intersection region;
• an electrically-controllable waveguide stub disposed in said solid dielectric material intersecting and transverse of said input beam path;
• and
• an electrically-controllable optical energy redirector being disposed at said intersection region, said electrically-controllable optical energy redirector operative to reflect optical energy from said input optical waveguide to said output optical waveguide upon selective change of an electrical field from said first electrode, said optical energy redirector comprising:
• a first optically-transmissive region characterized by a first quiescent index of refraction distribution and a first excited index of refraction distribution range inducible in response to application of said electric field from said first electrode;
• and
• a second optically-transmissive region characterized by a second quiescent index of refraction distribution and a second excited index of refraction distribution range inducible in response to application of said electric field, said second region being juxtaposed to said first optically-transmissive region along a reflection boundary passing through said intersection region, said first index changeable differently from change of said second index in order to produce an effective difference in index of refraction across said reflection boundary for selectively redirecting optical energy in an output direction through said output waveguide in response to a change of said electric field.