Active reflection and anti-reflection optical switch
AssigneeRead-Rite Corporation
InventorsMuhammad A. Hawwa, Aric Menon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An active, optical, piezoelectric actuated modulator allows switching between a reflecting state and an anti-reflecting state. The modulator, or switch, is based on the precise controlling of an air gap between a thin film membrane and a substrate. The thin film membrane is deformed by a miniaturized adaptive material, such as electrostrictive or piezoelectric (PZT) material. Maximum optical reflection is realized when the air gap is equal to a multiple of a quarter wavelength of an impinging optical beam, while anti-reflection is achieved when the thickness of the air gap is equal to zero or is different from a multiple of the quarter wavelength of the optical beam.
Claims58
An optical switch that allows switching between a reflecting state and an anti-reflecting state, comprising:
- a base that includes a substrate;
- a membrane that is suspended over the substrate, that forms an air gap between the substrate, and that is freely deformable relative to the substrate;
- and
- an actuator, secured between the base and the membrane, that controls the air gap by deforming the membrane, to allow switching between the reflecting and anti-reflecting states.
A method of optically switching between a reflecting state and an anti-reflecting state, comprising:
- forming a base that includes a substrate;
- suspending a membrane over the substrate to form an air gap between the substrate and the membrane and to allow the membrane to freely deform relative to the substrate;
- and
- securing an actuator between the base and the membrane, to control the air gap by deforming the membrane, and to allow the switching between the reflecting and anti-reflecting states.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.