Optical device and apparatus using the optical device
First Claim
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1. An optical device comprising:
- an ion conductor consisting essentially of one of;
a solid consisting essentially of at least one of the following;
polybutylmethacrylate;
polyacrylonitrile;
tetrabutylammonium chloride;
tetrabutylphosphorium bromide;
tributylstannane bromide;
tributylstannane iodide; and
polymethacrylate (2-bromotrimethylammonium) ethyl; and
a solution consisting essentially of the following;
a solvent consisting essentially of at least one of the following;
dimethyl formanide;
dimethyl sulfoxide;
propylene carbonate;
ethylene carbonate; and
acetonitrile; and
a compound in said solvent consisting essentially of at least one of the following;
tetrabutylammonium bromide;
tetraphenylammonium;
tetrabutylphosphonium;
tetraphenylphosphonium; and
tributyl, triphenyl, diphenyl, monobutyl and monophenyl derivatives thereof,said ion conductor comprising mobile ions and having a refractive index reversibly varying according to an electric field applied thereto; and
at least one pair of electrodes facing each other through said ion conductor and directly contacting said ion conductor;
wherein when said electric field is applied to said ion conductor through said electrodes, the refractive index in at least one area of said ion conductor changes according to said applied electric field.
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Abstract
The present invention provides an optical device according to this invention comprising a light transmitting optical member of a high molecular material containing mobile ions, and a pair of electrodes formed on surfaces of the optical member, a required potential difference being provided between the electrodes so as to cause ion conduction in the optical member and to reversibly vary a refractive index of the optical member. According to this invention, a refractive index is reversibly varied due to ion conduction, whereby the modulation of a transmitted beam or a reflected beam by the optical device can be reversibly controlled.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. An optical device comprising:
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an ion conductor consisting essentially of one of; a solid consisting essentially of at least one of the following; polybutylmethacrylate; polyacrylonitrile; tetrabutylammonium chloride; tetrabutylphosphorium bromide; tributylstannane bromide; tributylstannane iodide; and polymethacrylate (2-bromotrimethylammonium) ethyl; and a solution consisting essentially of the following; a solvent consisting essentially of at least one of the following; dimethyl formanide; dimethyl sulfoxide; propylene carbonate; ethylene carbonate; and acetonitrile; and a compound in said solvent consisting essentially of at least one of the following; tetrabutylammonium bromide; tetraphenylammonium; tetrabutylphosphonium; tetraphenylphosphonium; and tributyl, triphenyl, diphenyl, monobutyl and monophenyl derivatives thereof, said ion conductor comprising mobile ions and having a refractive index reversibly varying according to an electric field applied thereto; and at least one pair of electrodes facing each other through said ion conductor and directly contacting said ion conductor; wherein when said electric field is applied to said ion conductor through said electrodes, the refractive index in at least one area of said ion conductor changes according to said applied electric field. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An optical switch comprising:
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a transparent substrate having a first refractive index; ion conductor films made of a transparent material containing mobile ions and provided on both sides of said transparent substrate, said ion conductor film having a second refractive index lower than said first refractive index; a pair of electrodes provided on both sides of each of said ion conductor films, one of said pair electrodes contacting with said transparent substrate; and potential applying means for applying electrical potential to the electrodes respectively, whereby to reversible change the refractive index of the ion conductor film to cause the full reflection in an interface between the ion conductor film and the transparent substrate to perform the change of the optical path. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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Specification