Thermally actuated spectroscopic optical switch
First Claim
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1. A system for directing a selected light beam to at least one light beam receptor, said system comprising:
- an array of stationary optical fibers, each one of said stationary optical fibers constructed and arranged to conduct one of a plurality of light beams including the selected light beam;
an optical switch fabricated on a substrate, the switch having an array of movable reflective surfaces, and having a single thermal actuator associated with each reflective surface, each thermal actuator comprising a cantilevered arm having a fixed end attached to the substrate and a free end to which the reflective surface is attached, the arm being made from a material having a thermal expansion property, the arm having a top surface and a bottom surface with a layer of material having a different thermal expansion property on a portion of at least one of these surfaces, and the cantilevered arm having an air gap between its top and bottom surfaces;
a lens at the end of each optical fiber, operable to direct the light beams to the switch or to collect light from the switch;
wherein each reflective surface is attached such that it is substantially perpendicular to the substrate; and
wherein the optical fibers are arranged around the perimeter of the substrate, such that each reflective surface is moveable into the path of one or more of the optical fibers.
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Abstract
A thermally actuated spectroscopic optical switch including reflective surfaces which are selectively moved into a position intersecting a beam of light by applying electrical or heat energy to a selected composite cantilever beam on which the reflective surface is mounted.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for directing a selected light beam to at least one light beam receptor, said system comprising:
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an array of stationary optical fibers, each one of said stationary optical fibers constructed and arranged to conduct one of a plurality of light beams including the selected light beam;
an optical switch fabricated on a substrate, the switch having an array of movable reflective surfaces, and having a single thermal actuator associated with each reflective surface, each thermal actuator comprising a cantilevered arm having a fixed end attached to the substrate and a free end to which the reflective surface is attached, the arm being made from a material having a thermal expansion property, the arm having a top surface and a bottom surface with a layer of material having a different thermal expansion property on a portion of at least one of these surfaces, and the cantilevered arm having an air gap between its top and bottom surfaces;
a lens at the end of each optical fiber, operable to direct the light beams to the switch or to collect light from the switch;
wherein each reflective surface is attached such that it is substantially perpendicular to the substrate; and
wherein the optical fibers are arranged around the perimeter of the substrate, such that each reflective surface is moveable into the path of one or more of the optical fibers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A thermally operated optical switch for use in directing a beam of light to at least one receptor, said thermally operated optical switch comprising:
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a substrate;
an array of reflective surfaces; and
a plurality of cantilever thermal actuators, each cantilever actuator having a fixed end affixed to the substrate and having a free end to which an associated reflective surface is attached such that each reflective surface has a single associated actuator, and wherein each actuator has a cantilevered arm made from a material having first thermal expansion property, each arm having an upper surface and a lower surface and having a layer of material having a second thermal expansion property on a portion of both of these surfaces;
wherein each reflective surface is attached such that it is substantially perpendicular to the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A thermally operated optical switch for use in directing a beam of light to at least one receptor, said thermally operated optical switch comprising:
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a substrate;
an array of reflective surfaces; and
a plurality of cantilever actuators, each actuator having a pair of arms, each arm of the pair having a fixed end affixed to the substrate, and the arms of each pair having a common free end to which an associated reflective surface is rigidly attached, such that each reflective surface.has a single associated actuator;
wherein each reflective surface is attached such that it is parallel to the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification