Integrated microelectromechanical polymeric photonic switch
First Claim
1. A microelectromechanical photonic switch, comprising:
- a first optical waveguide having a first refractive index;
a second optical waveguide having a second refractive index;
insulative cladding between said first and second waveguides, said insulative cladding having a gap therein and having a lower refractive index than each of the first and second refractive indices, wherein said first waveguide is positioned with a predetermined first waveguide portion on one side of said gap and said second waveguide is positioned with a predetermined second waveguide portion substantially parallel to said predetermined first waveguide portion and situated on an opposing side of said gap;
a first cladding layer facing said first waveguide and said insulative cladding, said first cladding layer having a lower refractive index than said first refractive index;
a second cladding layer facing said second waveguide and said insulative cladding, said second cladding layer having a lower refractive index than said second refractive index; and
means for moving at least one of said predetermined first and second waveguide portions closer to the other of said predetermined first and second waveguide portions in response to an actuation force, said moving means comprisinga first electrode situated between a portion of said first cladding layer and said gap;
a second electrode situated between a portion of said second cladding layer and said gap; and
means for advancing at least one of said first and second electrodes towards the other of said first and second electrodes so as to advance one of said first and second waveguides towards the other of said first and second waveguides.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A microelectromechanical photonic switch includes first and second waveguides. Insulative cladding containing a gap and having a lower refractive index than the refractive indices of the first and second waveguides is situated between the first and second waveguides. One electrode comprising an at least partially transparent material is situated on the same side of the gap as the second waveguide. An additional electrode is provided either on the same side of the gap as the first waveguide or over a piezoelectric strip above a cladding layer on the second waveguide. At least one of the electrodes is capable of being advanced towards the other of the electrodes so as to cause one of the first and second waveguides to advance towards the other of the first and second waveguides.
98 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A microelectromechanical photonic switch, comprising:
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a first optical waveguide having a first refractive index; a second optical waveguide having a second refractive index; insulative cladding between said first and second waveguides, said insulative cladding having a gap therein and having a lower refractive index than each of the first and second refractive indices, wherein said first waveguide is positioned with a predetermined first waveguide portion on one side of said gap and said second waveguide is positioned with a predetermined second waveguide portion substantially parallel to said predetermined first waveguide portion and situated on an opposing side of said gap; a first cladding layer facing said first waveguide and said insulative cladding, said first cladding layer having a lower refractive index than said first refractive index; a second cladding layer facing said second waveguide and said insulative cladding, said second cladding layer having a lower refractive index than said second refractive index; and means for moving at least one of said predetermined first and second waveguide portions closer to the other of said predetermined first and second waveguide portions in response to an actuation force, said moving means comprising a first electrode situated between a portion of said first cladding layer and said gap; a second electrode situated between a portion of said second cladding layer and said gap; and means for advancing at least one of said first and second electrodes towards the other of said first and second electrodes so as to advance one of said first and second waveguides towards the other of said first and second waveguides.
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2. A microelectromechanical photonic switch, comprising;
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a first optical waveguide having a first refractive index; a second optical waveguide having a second refractive index; insulative cladding between said first and second waveguides, said insulative cladding having a gap therein and having a lower refractive index than each of the first and second refractive indices, wherein said first waveguide is positioned with a predetermined first waveguide portion on one side of said gap and said second waveguide is positioned with a predetermined second waveguide portion substantially parallel to said predetermined first waveguide portion and situated on an opposing side of said gap; and means for moving at least one of said predetermined first and second waveguide portions closer to the other of said predetermined first and second waveguide portions in response to an actuation force, said means for moving comprising a first electrode; a second electrode comprising an at least partially transparent material and situated between a portion of said second waveguide and a portion of said gap; and means for advancing at least one of said first and second electrodes towards the other of said first and second electrodes so as to advance one of said first and second waveguides towards the other of said first and second waveguides. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of fabricating a microelectro-mechanical photonic switch on a substrate, comprising the steps of:
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applying a first cladding layer over said substrate; applying a first waveguide over said first cladding layer; applying a first electrode over said first cladding layer; applying an insulative cladding over said first cladding layer, said insulative cladding having an opening extending through to at least a portion of said first waveguide; applying a second electrode over a portion of said insulative cladding including a portion of said opening; applying a second waveguide over said opening; and applying a second cladding layer over said second waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of fabricating a microelectro-mechanical photonic switch on a substrate, comprising the steps of:
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applying a first cladding layer over said substrate; applying a first waveguide over said first cladding layer; applying an insulative cladding over said first cladding layer, said insulative cladding having an opening extending through to at least a portion of said first waveguide; applying one electrode over a portion of said insulative cladding including at least a portion of said opening; applying a second waveguide over said opening; applying a second cladding layer over said second waveguide. applying a piezoelectric strip line over said second cladding layer; and applying an additional electrode over said piezoelectric strip line. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification