Optical mirror switch using a michelson interferometer
AssigneeAgere Systems Optoelectronics Guardian Corp.
InventorErnest Eisenhardt Bergmann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A Michelson interferometer optical mirror switch is formed to include an optical signal path adjustment arrangement to transform the switch between a first, “pass through” state and a second, “reflective” state. A pair of input optical signal paths are coupled into an optical beam splitter that thereafter directs 50% of each optical signal toward a mirror element. The reflected signals then pass back through the beam splitter. If the optical path lengths are equal, an optical signal entering a first signal port will be coupled into a second signal port (the “pass through” state). If the optical path lengths differ by an odd, half-wavelength amount, the reflected signals will be directed back into the optical signal port of origin (the “reflective” state).
Claims21
An optical mirror switch for operating between a first, “pass through” state and a second, “reflective” state, said switching comprising
- a pair of optical signal ports;
- a pair of reflective optical ports;
- an optical beam splitter disposed between said pair of signal ports and said pair of reflective ports;
- and
- an optical path length adjusting arrangement disposed in at least one optical signal path between said optical beam splitter and a reflective port of said pair of reflective optical signal ports to provide switching between equal optical path lengths for the first, “pass through” state of said switch and unequal optical path lengths for the second, “reflective” state of said switch, the unequal optical path lengths defined as an odd, half-wavelength amount nλ/2, where n=±1, ±3, ±5, . . . and λ is the optical signal wavelength.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.