Optical switch device
AssigneeOptodot Corporation
InventorsSteven A. Carlson, Arthur W. Berger
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Abstract
The present invention pertains to an optical shutter comprising an organic free radical compound, wherein the optical shutter is reversibly imageable to switch between a non-reflective and transparent state and a reflective state. This switching may be induced by the absorption of photons, the application of an electric current, or thermally. Preferably, the organic free radical compound is a salt of an aminium radical cation. Also provided are optical switch devices and optical buffers comprising such optical shutters, methods of switching an optical signal utilizing such optical shutters and switch devices, and methods of storing an optical signal utilizing such optical buffers.
Claims45
An optical buffer for storing an optical signal for a desired time, said optical buffer comprising two or more optical shutters positioned at one or more first distances and one or more first angles from each other, wherein said two or more optical shutters are imageable and have a first state of a low reflection at a wavelength and a second state of a high reflection at said wavelength, and wherein said two or more optical shutters are reversibly imageable between said first and second states;
- wherein at least two of said two or more optical shutters are interposed between an input optical path for said optical signal and an output optical path for said optical signal, and wherein a first imaging between said first and second states of at least one of said at least two of said two or more optical shutters directs said optical signal into storage in an optical buffer path between said input and output optical paths and wherein a subsequent imaging between said first and second states of at least one of said at least two of said two or more optical shutters directs said optical signal from said optical buffer path into said output optical path.
An optical buffer for storing an optical signal for a desired time, said optical buffer comprising two or more optical shutters, wherein said two or more optical shutters are imageable and have a first state of a low reflection at a near-infrared wavelength and a second state of a high reflection at said near-infrared wavelength, and wherein said two or more optical shutters are reversibly imageable between said first and second states;
- wherein at least one of said two or more optical shutters is interposed between an input optical path for said optical signal and an output optical path for said optical signal, and wherein a first imaging between said first and second states of at least one of said two or more optical shutters directs said optical signal into storage in an optical buffer path between said input and output optical paths and wherein a subsequent imaging between said first and second states of at least one of said two or more optical shutters directs said optical signal from said optical buffer path into said output optical path.
A method of storing an optical signal in an optical buffer for a desired time, said method comprising the steps of:
- (i) providing one or more optical shutters interposed between an input optical path for said optical signal and an output optical path for said optical signal, wherein said one or more optical shutters are imageable and have a first state of a low reflection at a wavelength and a second state of a high reflection at said wavelength, and wherein said one or more optical shutters are reversibly imageable between said first and second states;
- (ii) imaging at least one of said one or more optical shutters between said first and second states to direct said optical signal into storage in an optical buffer path between said input and output optical paths;
- and
- (iii) subsequently imaging at least one of said one or more optical shutters between said first and second states to direct said optical signal from storage in said optical buffer path into said output optical path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.