Method and structure for a solid slug caterpillar piezoelectric optical relay
First Claim
1. A structure for an optical switch, comprising:
- a gas-filled chamber housed within a solid material;
one or more optical waveguides coupled to the gas-filled chamber, a plurality of piezoelectric elements within the gas-filled chamber, coupled to the solid material;
a slug within the gas-filled chamber coupled lo one or more of a plurality of contacts and further coupled to one or more of the plurality of piezoelectric elements, said slug operable to block or unblock one or more optical waveguides; and
a liquid metal coupled to the slug, and coupled to the plurality of contacts.
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Abstract
A method and structure for an optical switch. According to the structure and method of the present invention, a gas-filled chamber is housed within a solid material. A plurality of contacts within the gas-filled chamber are coupled to the solid material, while a plurality of piezoelectric elements within the gas-filled chamber are also coupled to the solid material. A slug within the gas-filled chamber is coupled to one or more of the plurality of contacts and further coupled to one or more of the plurality of piezoelectric elements. A liquid metal within the gas-filled chamber is coupled to the slug, and coupled to the plurality of contacts. The actuation of the one or more piezoelectric elements causes the slug to move from a first number of contacts to a second number of contacts wetted by the liquid metal.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A structure for an optical switch, comprising:
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a gas-filled chamber housed within a solid material;
one or more optical waveguides coupled to the gas-filled chamber, a plurality of piezoelectric elements within the gas-filled chamber, coupled to the solid material;
a slug within the gas-filled chamber coupled lo one or more of a plurality of contacts and further coupled to one or more of the plurality of piezoelectric elements, said slug operable to block or unblock one or more optical waveguides; and
a liquid metal coupled to the slug, and coupled to the plurality of contacts. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A structure for an optical switch using a plurality of piezoelectric elements, comprising:
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a cap layer;
a piezoelectric layer coupled to the cap layer;
one or more optical waveguides coupled to the piezoelectric layer;
a circuit substrate layer coupled to the piezoelectric layer; and
a gas-filled chamber coupled to one or more of the piezoelectric layer, one or more optical waveguides, cap layer and circuit substrate layer, wherein the gas-filled chamber further comprises the plurality of piezoelectric elements, a plurality of contacts, a slug coupled to one or more of the plurality of contacts and coupled to one or more of the plurality of piezoelectric elements, and a liquid metal coupled to the slug, and coupled to the plurality of contacts. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for optical switching of one or more optical signals using a liquid metal switch, comprising:
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actuating one or more of a plurality of piezoelectric elements;
the actuation of the one or more piezoelectric elements causing a slug coupled to the one or more piezoelectric elements to move from a first number of contacts to a second number of contacts wherein the first number of contacts and the second number of contacts are wetted by a liquid metal; and
the movement of the slug from the first number of contacts to the second number of contacts breaking a liquid metal surface tension between the slug and the first number of contacts and establishing a coupling between the slug and the second number of contacts, thereby enabling the liquid metal switch to change from a first state to a second state by the blocking or unblocking of one or more optical waveguides. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification