Liquid metal optical relay
First Claim
1. An optical relay comprising:
- a relay housing containing a switching channel;
first and second contact pads located in the switching channel and each having a surface wettable by a liquid metal;
a third contact pad located in the switching channel between the first and second contact pads and having a surface wettable by a liquid metal;
a first liquid metal droplet in wetted contact with the first contact pad;
a second liquid metal droplet in wetted contact with the second contact pad;
a third liquid metal droplet in wetted contact with the third contact pad and adapted to move within the switching channel to coalesce with one of the first liquid metal droplet and the second liquid metal droplet;
a first optical path passing through the switching channel between the first and third liquid metal droplets;
a first heater comprising;
a first heater chamber containing a first actuation gas;
a first gas duct coupling the first heater chamber to the switching channel between the first and third contact pads; and
a first heater resistor operable to increase the pressure of the first actuation gas, thereby causing the first and third liquid metal droplets to separate and the second and third liquid metal droplets to coalesce; and
a second heater comprising;
a second heater chamber containing a second actuation gas;
a second gas duct coupling the second heater chamber to the switching channel between the second and third contact pads; and
a second heater resistor operable to increase the pressure of the second actuation gas, thereby causing the second and third liquid metal droplets to separate and the first and third liquid metal droplets to coalesce, wherein the first optical path is broken when the first and third liquid metal droplets are coalesced and is completed when the first and third liquid metal droplets are separated.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical relay is disclosed in which a liquid metal droplet is moved within a switching channel formed in relay housing. An optical path passing through the switching channel is blocked or unblocked by motion of the liquid metal droplet that coalesces with one of two additional liquid metal droplets. Motion of the liquid metal droplets is controlled by heaters that control the pressure of an actuation gas in the switching channel. The liquid metal droplets are held in place by surface tension acting on wettable contact pads within the switching channel. The surface tension of the liquid provides a latching mechanism for the relay. The pressure of the actuation gas is increased by direct heating of the gas or by heating a phase-change liquid to cause it to evaporate.
80 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An optical relay comprising:
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a relay housing containing a switching channel;
first and second contact pads located in the switching channel and each having a surface wettable by a liquid metal;
a third contact pad located in the switching channel between the first and second contact pads and having a surface wettable by a liquid metal;
a first liquid metal droplet in wetted contact with the first contact pad;
a second liquid metal droplet in wetted contact with the second contact pad;
a third liquid metal droplet in wetted contact with the third contact pad and adapted to move within the switching channel to coalesce with one of the first liquid metal droplet and the second liquid metal droplet;
a first optical path passing through the switching channel between the first and third liquid metal droplets;
a first heater comprising;
a first heater chamber containing a first actuation gas;
a first gas duct coupling the first heater chamber to the switching channel between the first and third contact pads; and
a first heater resistor operable to increase the pressure of the first actuation gas, thereby causing the first and third liquid metal droplets to separate and the second and third liquid metal droplets to coalesce; and
a second heater comprising;
a second heater chamber containing a second actuation gas;
a second gas duct coupling the second heater chamber to the switching channel between the second and third contact pads; and
a second heater resistor operable to increase the pressure of the second actuation gas, thereby causing the second and third liquid metal droplets to separate and the first and third liquid metal droplets to coalesce, wherein the first optical path is broken when the first and third liquid metal droplets are coalesced and is completed when the first and third liquid metal droplets are separated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for switching a first optical path in a optical relay having a first liquid metal droplet moveable within a switching channel, the method comprising:
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coupling a first input optical signal to a first input optical waveguide of the optical relay, the first input optical waveguide being optically aligned with a first output optical waveguide to form the first optical path;
if the first optical path is to be completed;
moving the first liquid metal droplet out of the first optical path, whereby the first input optical waveguide is optically coupled to the first output optical waveguide; and
if the first optical path is to be broken;
moving the first liquid metal droplet into the first optical path, whereby the first input optical waveguide is optically decoupled from the first output optical waveguide, wherein moving the first liquid metal droplet comprises pressuring an actuation gas in the switching channel to create a pressure difference across the first liquid metal droplet. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An optical relay comprising:
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a relay housing containing a switching channel;
first and second contact pads located in the switching channel and each having a surface wettable by a liquid metal;
a third contact pad located in the switching channel between the first and second contact pads and having a surface wettable by a liquid metal;
a first liquid metal droplet in wetted contact with the first contact pad;
a second liquid metal droplet in wetted contact with the second contact pad;
a third liquid metal droplet in wetted contact with the third contact pad and adapted to move within the switching channel to coalesce with one of the first liquid metal droplet and the second liquid metal droplet;
a first optical path passing through the switching channel between the first and third liquid metal droplets;
a first heater element operable to increase the pressure of a first actuation gas, thereby causing the first and third liquid metal droplets to separate and the second and third liquid metal droplets to coalesce; and
a second heater element operable to increase the pressure of a second actuation gas, thereby causing the second and third liquid metal droplets to separate and the first and third liquid metal droplets to coalesce, wherein the first optical path is broken when the first and third liquid metal droplets are coalesced and is completed when the first and third liquid metal droplets are separated. - View Dependent Claims (19)
the second heater element comprising; a second heater chamber containing a second actuation gas;
a second gas duct coupling the second heater chamber to the switching channel between the second and third contact pads; and
a second heater resistor operable to increase the pressure of the second actuation gas, thereby causing the second and third liquid metal droplets to separate and the first and third liquid metal droplets to coalesce.
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20. An optical relay comprising:
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a relay housing containing a switching channel;
first and second contact pads located in the switching channel and each having a surface wettable by a liquid metal;
a third contact pad located in the switching channel between the first and second contact pads and having a surface wettable by a liquid metal;
a first liquid metal droplet in wetted contact with the first contact pad;
a second liquid metal droplet in wetted contact with the second contact pad;
a third liquid metal droplet in wetted contact with the third contact pad and adapted to move within the switching channel to coalesce with one of the first liquid metal droplet and the second liquid metal droplet;
a first optical path passing through the switching channel between the first and third liquid metal droplets;
means for increasing the pressure of a first actuation gas to cause the first and third liquid metal droplets to separate and the second and third metal droplets to coalesce; and
means for increasing the pressure of a second actuation gas to cause the second and third liquid metal droplets to separate and the first and third metal droplets to coalesce, wherein the first optical path is broken when the first and third liquid metal droplets are coalesced and is completed when the first and third liquid metal droplets are separated. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification