Electro-optical multiplexer having multiple frequency resonant excitation
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Switchable optical coupling apparatus comprising:
- a plate of optically transparent material characterized by an electrically variable effective index of refraction,first isolated electrode means for establishing a first electric field through said plate for changing the effective index of refraction thereof at a first location, thereby establishing a first pair of selectable diverging light paths within said plate normal to said variable electric field,said first isolated electrode means being excited by a fundamental frequency sinusoidal voltage, andsecond and third isolated electrode means disposed in cooperative relation with said respective first pair of selectable diverging light paths for establishing second and third electric fields through said plate for changing the effective index of refraction thereof at respective second and third locations spaced from said first location, thereby establishing second and third pairs of selectable diverging light paths within said plate respectively normal to said second and third variable electric fields,said second and third isolated electrode means being excited by a frequency that is harmonic of said fundamental frequency sinusoidal voltage,said fundamental and harmonic sinusoidal frequency voltages being phased in a predetermined manner whereby discrete ones of said second and third pairs of selectable diverging light paths are selected.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved optical multiplexer or demultiplexer device has a plurality of electrodes disposed on opposing surfaces of an electro-optically active plate that are resonantly excited at fundamental and harmonic frequencies for varying the effective index of refraction of the plate between the electrodes, thus coupling light successively between a first optical guide and selected ones of a plurality of optical guides.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. Switchable optical coupling apparatus comprising:
-
a plate of optically transparent material characterized by an electrically variable effective index of refraction, first isolated electrode means for establishing a first electric field through said plate for changing the effective index of refraction thereof at a first location, thereby establishing a first pair of selectable diverging light paths within said plate normal to said variable electric field, said first isolated electrode means being excited by a fundamental frequency sinusoidal voltage, and second and third isolated electrode means disposed in cooperative relation with said respective first pair of selectable diverging light paths for establishing second and third electric fields through said plate for changing the effective index of refraction thereof at respective second and third locations spaced from said first location, thereby establishing second and third pairs of selectable diverging light paths within said plate respectively normal to said second and third variable electric fields, said second and third isolated electrode means being excited by a frequency that is harmonic of said fundamental frequency sinusoidal voltage, said fundamental and harmonic sinusoidal frequency voltages being phased in a predetermined manner whereby discrete ones of said second and third pairs of selectable diverging light paths are selected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. Switchable optical coupling apparatus comprising:
-
a plate of optically transparent material characterized by an electrically variable index of refraction and having; first and second opposed major surfaces, and first and second opposed minor surfaces substantially perpendicular to said major surfaces, first light guiding means in light exchanging relation with said plate at said first minor surface, a plurality of light guiding means each in light exchanging relation with said plate at said second minor surface, a plurality of electrode means disposed at said opposed major surfaces for forming a plurality of selectable light paths through said plate means between said first guiding means and ones of said plurality of light guiding means, at least a first pair of said plurality of electrode means providing means for switching light propagated in said first light guiding means with respect to first and second ones of said plurality of selectable light paths at a fundamental frequency, at least a second pair of said plurality of electrode means providing means for switching light propagated in said first one of said plurality of selectable light paths into third and fourth ones of said plurality of light paths at a harmonic of said fundamental frequency. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. Switchable optical coupling apparatus comprising:
-
a plate of electro-optically sensitive material having opposed major faces and opposed minor faces, optical port means at one of said minor faces, a plurality of optical port means at said opposed minor face, electrode means at one of said major faces, a plurality of electrode means at said opposed major face, said latter plurality of electrode means comprising; first electrode means for coupling light with respect to said optical port means, second and third electrode means placed side-by-side in electrically insulated contiguous relation with respect to said first electrode means, fourth and fifth electrode means placed side-by-side in electrically insulated contiguous relation with respect to said second electrode means, and sixth and seventh electrode means placed side-by-side in electrically insulated contiguous relation with respect to said third electrode means, and signal generator means for exciting said second and third electrode means at a fundamental sinusoidal frequency, said signal generator means being additionally adapted for exciting said fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh electrode means at a harmonic of said fundamental frequency, whereby light flow is switched successively with respect to said port means and to successive ones of said plurality of port means. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
-
-
18. Switchable optical coupling apparatus comprising:
-
a plate of optically transparent material characterized by an electric field variable index of refraction and having first and second ends, first optical port means at said first end, a plurality of optical port means at said second end, means for establishing a plurality of potential discrete optical paths within said plate between said first optical port means and said plurality of optical port means, first optical switch means cooperative with said first optical port means and including a first pair of electrode means for excitation at a fundamental sinusoidal voltage for directing light flow between first and second of said optical paths and said optical port means, and second optical switch means cooperative with said first optical switch means and including second and third electrode means for excitation at a harmonic of said fundamental voltage for directing light flow with respect to the first and second of said optical paths and said plurality of optical port means. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification