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Hybrid digital electro-optic switch

  • US 5,970,186 A
  • Filed: 03/11/1997
  • Issued: 10/19/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A hybrid digital electro-optic switch for transmitting an optical signal that has an electric field and a power, said switch comprising at least two cores and at least two cladding materials forming a cladding around the cores, each core of said at least two cores having an output portion and transmitting an amount of the power of the optical signal at its respective output portion when the optical signal is transmitted through the switch, said amount being between zero and the power of the optical signal, wherein at least one of the cladding materials is an electro-optic material that exhibits a change in refractive index in an applied electric field, wherein one other of the cladding materials is a material that has a change in refractive index that is less than the change in refractive index of said electro-optic material in the applied electric field, and wherein the electro-optic material is positioned on the switch such that the electro-optic material effects a change in the electric field of the optical signal when the electro-optic material is in the applied electric field, thereby changing the amount of power of the optical signal at the output portion of each of said cores.

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