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Optical switch, and a matrix of such switches

  • US 4,582,391 A
  • Filed: 03/29/1983
  • Issued: 04/15/1986
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1982
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An optical switch comprising:

  • a plate having a light-passing region suitable for passing an incident ray of light;

    at least one wettable drop-receiving region disposed on the surface of said plate adjacent said light-passing region;

    at least one non-wettable raised region disposed on the surface of said plate adjacent said at least one drop-receiving region and disposed away from said light passing region;

    at least one drop of liquid received on said at least one wettable drop-receiving region, said at least one drop of liquid having a crown portion which extends above said at least one non-wettable raised region; and

    a moving member selectively movable between a rest position and a working position, said moving member in said rest position being displaced away from said at least one non-wettable raised region thereby allowing said at least one drop of liquid to be maintained in the shape of at least one droplet by surface tension on said at least one wettable drop receiving region with said crown portion extending above said at least one non-wettable raised region, and said moving member in said working position contacting said at least one non-wettable raised region so as to form a channel region extending across said light-passing region of said plate, said moving member in said working position also engaging with said crown of said at least one drop of liquid to thereby flatten and drive said at least one drop of liquid along said channel and across said light passing region, wherein said flattened at least one drop of liquid is substantially maintained against said light passing region by said moving member and said at least one non-wettable raised region thereby causing the propagation of the incident light ray to be modified by the ray encountering said flattened out at least one drop of liquid.

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