Optical switch device

• US 20030147582A1
• Filed: 01/30/2003
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Nishida, Naoki, Hatano, Takuji
• Granted Patent: US 7,016,561 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/16
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12109 Filter
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12007 forming wavelength selective elements, e.g. multiplexer, demultiplexer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/29361 Interference filters, e.g. multilayer coatings, thin film filters, dichroic splitters or mirrors based on multilayers, WDM filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/29395 configurable, e.g. tunable or reconfigurable switching G02B6/35
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3546 NxM switch, i.e. a regular array of switches elements of matrix type constellation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/357 Electrostatic force electrostatic forces controlling reflecting elements in general G02B26/0841
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3596 With planar waveguide arrangement, i.e. in a substrate, regardless if actuating mechanism is outside the substrate

Abstract

Disclosed herewith is an optical switch provided on an optical path of an optical waveguide and which switches an advancing direction of a light passed through the optical path. The optical switch includes a movable switching member which switches the advancing direction of the light, and a driving member which electrostatically drives said switching member to move in an arbitrary position so that the light passed through the optical path is guided to different directions.

Claims

1. An optical switch provided on an optical path of an optical waveguide and which switches an advancing direction of a light passed through the optical path, said optical switch comprising:

a movable switching member which switches the advancing direction of the light; and

a driving member which electrostatically drives said switching member to move in an arbitrary position so that the light passed through the optical path is guided to different directions.

2. An optical switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein said driving member includes a plurality of electrodes a voltage applied to each of which is switchable, and said plurality of electrodes electrostatically charges the switching member, and then move the switching member in the arbitrary position upon the switching of the voltage applied to each electrode.

3. An optical switch as claimed in claim 2 wherein said switching member includes a moving element which is provided so as to be opposed to the plurality of electrodes and moves in response to the switching of the voltage applied to each electrode.

4. An optical switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein said switching member includes at least one interference filter which transmits the light within a predetermined wavelength and reflects the light within a predetermined wavelength.

5. An optical switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein said switching member includes a micromirror.

6. An optical switch which switches an advancing direction of a light passed through an optical path of an optical path of an optical waveguide, said optical switch comprising:

a main body;

an optical waveguide provided on a surface of said main body;

a groove section formed on the surface of the main body so as to cross the optical waveguide;

a switching member put into said groove section and including a moving element and which switches the advancing direction of the light passed through the optical path; and

a plurality of electrodes provided so as to be opposed to said moving element of the switching member, and which electrostatically drives the switching member to move in an arbitrary position so that the light passed through the optical path is guided to different directions.

7. An optical switch as claimed in claim 6 wherein the moving element of the switching member is opposed to said plurality of electrodes through an insulating layer and has a predetermined value of surface resistivity.

8. An optical switch as claimed in claim 7 wherein the moving element has surface resistivity of 10¹⁰ Ω

/□

to 10¹⁶ Ω

/□

.

9. An optical switch as claimed in claim 6 wherein said plurality of electrodes are provided on the surface of the main body and onto the portions different from the portion provided with the optical waveguide.

10. An optical switch as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

an electrode layer opposed to the surface or a bottom of the main body through an insulating layer wherein said plurality of electrodes are provided on said electrode layer so as to be opposed to the moving element.

11. An optical switch as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

a plate section with electrodes provided on a surface of the main body wherein said moving element of the switching member protrudes from the groove section and said plurality of electrodes are provided so as to be opposed to the moving element.

12. An optical switch as claimed in claim 6 wherein the electrodes are made of metal films with thickness of 1000 Å

and width of 5 μ

m, and gaps between the electrodes are 5 μ

m.

13. An optical switch as claimed in claim 6 wherein said switching member includes at least one interference filter which transmits the light within a predetermined wavelength and reflects the light within a predetermined wavelength.

14. An optical switch as claimed in claim 6 wherein said switching member includes a micromirror.

15. An optical switch as claimed in claim 6 wherein a different voltage is applied to every a predetermined number of electrodes in the plurality of the electrodes.

16. An optical switch as claimed in claim 6 wherein the optical switch is provided at plural portions along the optical path of the optical waveguide.