Photoelastic optical switch and optical systems employing the optical switch and a method of use thereof
First Claim
1. An optical switch for altering the path of an optical beam, which optical switch comprises:
- (a) a photoelastic, optically transparent material having a defined thickness and whose index of refraction changes with mechanical stress and which optical material has an inlet window adapted to receive an optical beam from an optical source, an outlet window adapted to pass an optical beam from the photoelastic transparent material to an optical receptor, the photoelastic, transparent material permitting an optical beam to pass between the inlet and outlet windows; and
(b) means to apply a predetermined force to the photoelastic, optically transparent material to form a mechanical stress gradient within such material which changes the index of refraction of said material concurrent with the change in stress gradient to alter the optical beam path of the optical beam and said stress gradient being applied generally perpendicularly to said optical beam path within said transparent material so as to alter the optical beam between an unstressed optical beam path and a stressed optical beam path thereby providing for the change in the output angle and position of the unstressed and stressed optical beam paths from the outlet window.
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Abstract
An optical switch which comprises a photoelastic, optically transparent material whose index of refraction is changed by mechanical stress and which propagates an optical beam or beams from an inlet window to an outlet window in the material, with the inlet window adapted to receive an optical beam from an optical source and the outlet window adapted to pass an optical beam from the photoelastic material to an optical output receptor, and a means of applying a stress gradient to said photoelastic material to change the index of refraction and hence, the optical path of the optical beam between a normal, unstressed optical beam path and a bent, stressed optical beam path. Optical systems are described in which the optical switch is employed to receive an optical beam from a source and to switch a beam after passing it through the photoelastic optical material to and from an optical receptor. The disclosure also includes a method of optically switching an optical beam between normal and stressed optical beam positions by applying a predetermined mechanical force to a photoelastic optically transparent material to form a mechanical stress gradient within the optical transparent photoelastic material which provides an index of refraction gradient therein and causes the switching of the optical beam.
15 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An optical switch for altering the path of an optical beam, which optical switch comprises:
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(a) a photoelastic, optically transparent material having a defined thickness and whose index of refraction changes with mechanical stress and which optical material has an inlet window adapted to receive an optical beam from an optical source, an outlet window adapted to pass an optical beam from the photoelastic transparent material to an optical receptor, the photoelastic, transparent material permitting an optical beam to pass between the inlet and outlet windows; and (b) means to apply a predetermined force to the photoelastic, optically transparent material to form a mechanical stress gradient within such material which changes the index of refraction of said material concurrent with the change in stress gradient to alter the optical beam path of the optical beam and said stress gradient being applied generally perpendicularly to said optical beam path within said transparent material so as to alter the optical beam between an unstressed optical beam path and a stressed optical beam path thereby providing for the change in the output angle and position of the unstressed and stressed optical beam paths from the outlet window. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification