# US 7,746,532 B2 · Electro-optical switching system and method

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- Number: US 7,746,532 B2
- Document ID: US7746532B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/418,100
- Filed: 2006-05-05
- Published: 2007-11-08
- Granted: 2010-06-29
- Earliest claimed: 2006-05-05
- Assignees: Virgin Island Microsystems, Inc.
- Inventors: Jonathan Gorrell
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7746532B2

## CPC

- H01S 3/0903: {Free-electron laser}
- H01J 25/00: Transit-time tubes, e.g. klystrons, travelling-wave tubes, magnetrons (details of transit-time tubes H01J23/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- H01S: DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)

## Abstract

In an optical switch, a set of coherent electromagnetic radiation is selectively delayed and recombined to produce constructively or destructively combined radiation. When the radiation is constructively combined, a signal is transmitted out of the switch to a remote receiver. When the radiation is destructively combined, a signal is not transmitted out of the switch to a remote receiver.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A switched optical source comprising:
a source of charged particles;
a data input for receiving data to be transmitted;
a resonant structure configured to be excited by charged particles emitted from the source of charged particles and configured to emit coherent electromagnetic radiation at a predominant frequency representing the data to be transmitted, wherein the predominant frequency has a frequency higher than that of a microwave frequency;
a splitter for dividing the electromagnetic radiation into first and second channels;
a delay element controlled by the data received via the data input for selectively delaying the coherent electromagnetic radiation associated with the first channel; and
a combiner for combining the coherent electromagnetic radiation associated with the second channel with the coherent electromagnetic radiation selectively delayed by the delay element.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The switched optical source as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resonant structure, the splitter, the delay element and the combiner are formed in a single integrated circuit.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The switched optical source as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resonant structure is formed in a different integrated circuit than the splitter, the delay element and the combiner.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The switched optical source as claimed in claim 1, wherein the delay element comprises a material exhibiting the Pockels effect.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The switched optical source as claimed in claim 1, wherein the delay element comprises lithium niobate.

### Claim 6

A switched optical source comprising:
a data input for receiving data to be transmitted;
a series of alternating electric fields along an intended path;
a pre-bunching element;
a source of charged particles configured to transmit charged particles along an oscillating trajectory through the pre-bunching element and through the series of alternating electric fields, wherein the oscillating trajectory has a wavelength close to that of coherent radiation emitted from the charged particles during oscillation and wherein the coherent radiation emitted from the charged particles undergoes constructive interference;
a splitter for dividing the coherent electromagnetic radiation into first and second channels;
a delay element controlled by the data received via the data input for selectively delaying the coherent electromagnetic radiation associated with the first channel; and
a combiner for combining the coherent electromagnetic radiation associated with the second channel with the coherent electromagnetic radiation selectively delayed by the delay element.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The switched optical source as claimed in claim 6, wherein the pre-bunching element, the splitter, the delay element and the combiner are formed in a single integrated circuit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The switched optical source as claimed in claim 6, wherein the pre-bunching element is formed in a different integrated circuit than the splitter, the delay element and the combiner.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The switched optical source as claimed in claim 6, wherein the delay element comprises a material exhibiting the Pockels effect.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The switched optical source as claimed in claim 6, wherein the delay element comprises lithium niobate.