G - Physics
02
B
345/56, 88/97.4
G02B 26/02 (2006.01) G02B 6/35 (2006.01) G02B 26/08 (2006.01) G02F 1/313 (2006.01)
Patent
CA 1307958
ABSTRACT AN OPTICAL SWITCH An optical switch which selectively transmits or does not transmit light from an input optical fibre (10) to an output optical waveguide (11, 12) has one of the input (10) and output (11, 12) optical waveguides an optical fibre which is flexible and mounted to be capable of movement towards and away from the other, and an electrode (14) arranged to subject the one optical waveguide to an electrostatic field. In use, application of an electrical potential to the electrode (14) causes the one optical waveguide to move in a direction to enable or prevent optical coupling between the waveguides and hence operation of the switch. The optical fibre is a D-fibre so that it is more flexible in that direction is providing the fibre with a degree of self-alignment. It is preferred that the one optical waveguide is entirely electrically non-conducting and that the optical switch includes more than one electrode (14) to provide a non-uniform electrostatic field. In this case the one optical waveguide is caused to move towards the region of highest electrostatic field density and so move towards or away from the other waveguide to enable or prevent optical coupling between them.
563002
Cassidy Stephen Anthony
Yennadhiou Peter
British Telecommunications Public Limited Company
G. Ronald Bell & Associates
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