Optical switch
First Claim
1. An optical switch for connecting and switching optical paths of a plurality of optical signals, comprising an optical device and an electrostatic actuator for driving said optical device;
- said optical device being pivotally borne so as to allow rotation around a prescribed center of rotation and said electrostatic actuator including a substrate that holds said optical device and a plurality of driving electrodes mounted on said substrate;
whereinan electrostatic voltage that is applied between said optical device and said driving electrodes generates an electrostatic driving torque for causing said optical device to tilt with respect to said substrate around said center of rotation, whereby the direction of reflection of said optical signal is changed; and
wherein;
said plurality of driving electrodes are formed in at least two pairs arranged in a single radial pattern around an electrode center, said electrode center being the orthogonal projection of said center of rotation onto said substrate surface; and
said plurality of driving electrodes are each formed in a shape in which the electrode width of a prescribed outer portion relative to said electrode center narrows with progression toward the outside, all of said driving electrodes have a same shape.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An analog beam-steering free-space optical switch for connecting and switching a plurality of optical signals includes a plurality of optical devices and electrostatic actuators for driving the optical devices. Each optical device is pivotally borne so as to allow rotation around a prescribed center of rotation, and each electrostatic actuator includes the substrate that holds the optical devices and a plurality of driving electrodes that are secured to the substrate. The application of electrostatic voltage between an optical device and the driving electrodes generates electrostatic driving torque for causing the optical device to tilt with respect to the substrate around the center of rotation, whereby the direction of reflection of an optical signal is changed. The plurality of driving electrodes are arranged in a radial pattern relative to the electrode center.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. An optical switch for connecting and switching optical paths of a plurality of optical signals, comprising an optical device and an electrostatic actuator for driving said optical device;
- said optical device being pivotally borne so as to allow rotation around a prescribed center of rotation and said electrostatic actuator including a substrate that holds said optical device and a plurality of driving electrodes mounted on said substrate;
whereinan electrostatic voltage that is applied between said optical device and said driving electrodes generates an electrostatic driving torque for causing said optical device to tilt with respect to said substrate around said center of rotation, whereby the direction of reflection of said optical signal is changed; and
wherein;
said plurality of driving electrodes are formed in at least two pairs arranged in a single radial pattern around an electrode center, said electrode center being the orthogonal projection of said center of rotation onto said substrate surface; and
said plurality of driving electrodes are each formed in a shape in which the electrode width of a prescribed outer portion relative to said electrode center narrows with progression toward the outside, all of said driving electrodes have a same shape. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
said optical device includes a micromirror, a mirror frame arranged to surround the circumference of said micromirror, and a frame arranged to surround the circumference of said mirror frame;
said micromirror is pivotally borne by said mirror frame such that said micromirror can rotate around a first rotational axis and such that an elastic restoring force acts against this rotation;
said mirror frame is pivotally borne by said frame such that said mirror frame can rotate around a second rotational axis and such that an elastic restoring force acts against this rotation;
said first rotational axis and said second rotational axis intersect each other on the plane that is parallel to the substrate, this point of intersection making said center of rotation;
said plurality of driving electrodes include a first electrode pair for generating electrostatic driving torque for causing said micromirror to rotate around said first rotational axis and a second electrode pair for generating electrostatic driving torque for causing said mirror frame to rotate around said second rotational axis;
the two electrodes of said first electrode pair are arranged on both sides of a first orthogonal plane, said first orthogonal plane being a plane that includes said first rotational axis and extends perpendicular to said substrate; and
the two electrodes of said second electrode pair are arranged on both sides of a second orthogonal plane, said second orthogonal plane being a plane that includes said second rotational axis and extends perpendicular to said substrate.
- said optical device being pivotally borne so as to allow rotation around a prescribed center of rotation and said electrostatic actuator including a substrate that holds said optical device and a plurality of driving electrodes mounted on said substrate;
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3. An optical switch according to claim 2, wherein said first rotational axis and said second rotational axis are mutually orthogonal.
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4. An optical switch according to claim 1, wherein each of said driving electrodes is formed in a shape in which the electrode width of a prescribed inner portion thereof with respect to said electrode center narrows with inward progression.
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5. An optical switch according to claim 3, wherein each of said driving electrodes is formed in a shape in which the electrode width of a prescribed inner portion thereof with respect to said electrode center narrows with inward progression.
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6. An optical switch according to claim 5, wherein the shape of said driving electrodes is a rhombus shape.
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7. An optical switch according to claim 5, wherein each of said driving electrodes is an oval having its major axis aligned with a radial direction with respect to said electrode center.
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8. An optical switch according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said optical devices and electrostatic actuators are arranged in an array depending on the number of input and output ports.
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9. An optical switch for connecting and switching an optical signal, said optical switch comprising an optical device and an electrostatic actuator for driving said optical device, said electrostatic actuator including a substrate that holds said optical device and a plurality of driving electrodes mounted on said substrate;
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said optical device being pivotally borne so as to allow rotation around a prescribed center of rotation;
said optical device including a micromirror, a mirror frame arranged to surround the circumference of said micromirror, and a frame arranged to surround the circumference of said mirror frame;
said micromirror being pivotally borne by said mirror frame such that said micromirror can rotate around a first rotational axis and such that an elastic restoring force acts against this rotation;
said mirror frame being pivotally borne by said frame such that said mirror frame can rotate around a second rotational axis and such that an elastic restoring force acts against this rotation;
said first rotational axis and said second rotational axis intersecting each other on the plane that is parallel to the substrate, and this point of intersection making said center of rotation;
said plurality of driving electrodes including a first electrode pair for generating electrostatic driving torque for causing said micromirror to rotate around said first rotational axis and a second electrode pair for generating electrostatic driving torque for causing said mirror frame to rotate around said second rotational axis; and
an electrostatic voltage, when applied between said optical device and said first and second driving electrodes, generating an electrostatic driving torque for causing said micromirror to tilt with respect to said substrate around said center of rotation, thereby changing the directions of reflection of the optical signal to perform connection and switching of an optical path of said optical signal;
wherein;
said first electrode pair has a pair of circular-segment electrodes of the same size, each having a central angle of approximately 180 degrees, the two electrodes being arranged concentric with an electrode center and confronting each other on both sides of a first orthogonal plane, said electrode center being the orthogonal projection of said center of rotation onto said substrate surface, and said first orthogonal plane being a plane including said first rotational axis and extending perpendicular to the substrate surface;
said second electrode pair has a pair of concentric circular-segment electrodes of the same size, each having a central angle of approximately 180 degrees, the two electrodes being arranged concentric with said electrode center and confronting each other on both sides of a second orthogonal plane, said second orthogonal plane being a plane including said second rotational axis and extending perpendicular to the substrate surface; and
said first electrode pair is arranged concentric to said second electrode pair inside said second electrode pair with respect to said electrode center. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification