Optical bistable device
First Claim
1. A bistable optical device comprising:
- light responsive means for receiving an input light signal and having an input electrode for receiving a bias signal so that an incident light input signal produces reverse current flow;
light emitting means having an input electrode for receiving a bias signal, said light emitting means being electrically connected to said light responsive means so that said reverse current flow causes emission of light and being positioned with respect to said light responsive means so that at least a portion of the emitted light is incident upon said light responsive means to increase said reverse current flow in positive feedback so that the intensity of the output light changes from a low to a high value at a first change point value of input light and changes from a high to a low value at a second change point value of input light less than said first value; and
light modulating means, disposed on a chip between said light responsive means and said light emitting means having input terminals for receiving a control signal to vary the amount of light received by said light responsive element from said light emitting element and hence continuously vary said first and second change point values.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A bistable optical device integrated onto a semiconductor chip with a photoresponsive element receiving an input light signal and connected electrically to a photo emitting element so that the reverse current produced in the photoresponsive element by the input light signal causes light emission which is incident upon the photoresponsive element to increase reverse current by positive feedback, resulting in change from a low to high light output at a first change value of input light and a high to low output at a second and lower change value. A light modulator is formed between the elements to receive an input light signal and vary the amount of light received by the photoresponsive element from the photo emitting device and hence the change values.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A bistable optical device comprising:
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light responsive means for receiving an input light signal and having an input electrode for receiving a bias signal so that an incident light input signal produces reverse current flow; light emitting means having an input electrode for receiving a bias signal, said light emitting means being electrically connected to said light responsive means so that said reverse current flow causes emission of light and being positioned with respect to said light responsive means so that at least a portion of the emitted light is incident upon said light responsive means to increase said reverse current flow in positive feedback so that the intensity of the output light changes from a low to a high value at a first change point value of input light and changes from a high to a low value at a second change point value of input light less than said first value; and light modulating means, disposed on a chip between said light responsive means and said light emitting means having input terminals for receiving a control signal to vary the amount of light received by said light responsive element from said light emitting element and hence continuously vary said first and second change point values. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A bistable optical device comprising:
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photoresponsive means for receiving incident light and in response thereto for producing an output current; photo emitting means electrically connected to said photoresponsive means for emitting an output light in response to said output current, the emitted output light being at least partially received by said photoresponsive means to increase said output current by positive feedback; and light modulating means for continuously varying the amount of the emitted output light from said photo emitting element received by said photoresponsive means in response to an applied input signal. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification