Optical switch mechanism

An optical switch mechanism for reflecting an input light beam from an input port to a reflection output port in a first state and for transmitting an input light beam to a transmission output port in a second state comprising:

• a block made of a light transmissive substrate for transmitting the light beam, said block containing a switch cavity and an actuator cavity, whereby the switch cavity comprises at least a wall at least a portion of the at least a wall being a switching surface;
• a light transmissive diaphragm for dividing the switch cavity into a reflective portion containing a light reflective fluid and a transmissive portion containing a light transmissive fluid, whereby the light reflective fluid has a refractive index smaller than the refractive index of the light transmissive substrate;
• an actuating diaphragm for dividing the actuator cavity into a reflection actuator portion and a transmission actuator portion, whereby the reflection actuator portion is in communication with the reflective portion of the switch cavity and the transmission actuator portion is in communication with the transmissive portion of the switch cavity;
• a first capacitor plate for inducing an attractive force on the actuating diaphragm for bringing the switch into the first state when voltage is applied, whereby hydrostatic pressure within the transmissive portion of the switch cavity is reduced and static pressure within the reflective portion of the switch cavity is increased for detaching the light transmissive diaphragm from the switching surface providing totally reflecting conditions at the switching surface;
• and,
• a second capacitor plate for inducing an attractive force on the actuating diaphragm for bringing the switch into the second state when voltage is applied, whereby hydrostatic pressure within the transmissive portion of the switch cavity is increased and static pressure within the reflective portion of the switch cavity is reduced for moving the light transmissive diaphragm in a touching relationship with the switching surface providing transmitting conditions at the switching surface.

A method for reflecting an input light beam from an input port to a reflection output port in a first state and for transmitting an input light beam to a transmission output port in a second state comprising the steps of:

• transmitting the light beam through a block of a light transmissive substrate from the input port to a reflective surface, whereby the switching surface is in contact with a light reflective fluid, the light reflective fluid having a refractive index smaller than the light transmissive substrate
• providing totally reflecting conditions at the switching surface;
• totally reflecting the light beam in a first state from the switching surface to the reflection output port;
• moving a light transmissive diaphragm into a touching relationship with the switching surface;
• and,
• transmitting the light beam through the light transmissive substrate, the switching surface, the light transmissive diaphragm, a light transmissive fluid and again through the light transmissive substrate from the input port to the transmission output port.

An optical switch mechanism for reflecting an input light beam from an input port to a reflection output port in a first state and for transmitting an input light beam to a transmission output port in a second state comprising:

• a block of transmissive substrate for transmitting a light beam, the block having a cavity therein, the cavity bounded by walls including at least two walls comprising reflective surfaces
• at least one input port for directing the light beam into the block
• a reflective output port associated with each input port;
• a transmissive output port associated with each input port;
• a transmissive fluid portion of the cavity separated from the reflective surfaces by an elastically deformable membrane;
• a reflective fluid portion of the cavity separated from the transmissive fluid portion;
• an actuator for switching the optical switch mechanism from a first state to a second state having a reflective fluid reservoir in fluid communication with the reflective fluid portion of the cavity and a transmissive fluid reservoir in fluid communication with the transmissive fluid portion of the cavity and means for changing the hydrostatic pressure in the reflective fluid reservoir and the transmissive fluid reservoir causing the fluids to flow in opposite directions between the actuator and the cavity
• wherein, in a first state, an increase in pressure in the reflective fluid reservoir causes reflective fluid to flow into the reflective fluid portion of the cavity and the transmissive fluid to flow into the reservoir, separating the elastically deformable membrane from the reflective surfaces allowing reflective fluid to flow between the membrane and the reflective surfaces, and thereby allowing the light beam to pass from the input to the associated reflective output port, and
• wherein, in a second state, an increase in pressure in the transmissive fluid reservoir causes transmissive fluid to flow into the transmissive portion of the cavity causing the elastically deformable membrane to contact the reflective surfaces, thereby allowing the light beam to pass from the input to an associated transmissive output through the transmissive fluid in the cavity.