Optical switching device and method utilizing fluid pressure control to improve switching characteristics
AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.
InventorsStefano Schiaffino, Mark Troll, Dale W. Schroeder
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Abstract
A switching device includes a substrate, a first waveguide segment, a second waveguide segment, a heating device, a liquid, and a pressure controlling mechanism. The substrate is coupled to the first waveguide segment and the second waveguide segment, and the substrate includes a chamber that separates the first waveguide segment from the second waveguide segment. The liquid is disposed in the chamber and is responsive to the heating device. The pressure controlling mechanism controls a pressure in the chamber such that inadvertent bubbles are prevented from forming between the first waveguide segment and the second waveguide segment.
Claims19
An optical switch, comprising:
- a first waveguide segment;
- a second waveguide segment;
- a substrate defining a chamber, said substrate coupled to said first and second waveguide segments, said chamber separating said first waveguide segment from said second waveguide segment;
- a heating device located in said chamber at the intersection of said waveguide segments;
- a liquid disposed in said chamber, said liquid being responsive to said heating device;
- and
- means for controlling pressure in said chamber.
An optical switch, comprising:
- a first waveguide segment;
- a second waveguide segment;
- a pressure controlling mechanism;
- a substrate including a chamber associated with a pressure, said substrate coupled to said pressure controlling mechanism, said first waveguide segment, and second waveguide segment, said chamber separating said first waveguide segment from said second waveguide segment, said pressure being responsive to said pressure controlling mechanism;
- a heating device located in said chamber at the intersection of said waveguide segments;
- and
- a liquid disposed in said chamber, said liquid being responsive to said heating device.
A method for switching optical signals, the method comprising steps of:
- providing a first waveguide segment, a second waveguide segment, and a third waveguide segment;
- providing a substrate, said substrate including a chamber filled with a liquid, said chamber separating said first waveguide segment from said second waveguide segment;
- providing a heating device;
- transmitting an optical signal via said first waveguide segment;
- and
- adjusting a pressure in said chamber such that optical signals transmitted via said first waveguide segment pass through said chamber and into said second waveguide segment when a temperature of said heating device is at a first temperature and such that a bubble forms in said liquid to reflect optical signals transmitted via said first waveguide segment into said third waveguide segment only when said temperature of said heating device is raised above a second temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.