Optical switch with moveable holographic optical element
First Claim
1. An optical switch comprising:
- a substrate for transmitting an optical signal within the substrate, where said optical signal propagates in the substrate in a first propagation direction along a first plane under total internal reflection; and
a diffractive optical element disposed above a top surface of the substrate and moveable relative thereto between a first position substantially out of evanescent field coupling with the optical signal, such that the optical signal continues to travel in the first direction, and a second position in evanescent field coupling with the optical signal to alter the propagation of the optical signal in the substrate into a second propagation direction along a second plane that forms an acute angle with the first plane.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical switch formed of a holographic optical element (HOE) disposed above a top surface of a substrate and moveable relative thereto is shown. Light is traveling through the substrate under total internal reflection, which creates an evanescent field extending beyond the reflecting surfaces of the substrate. The HOE is characterized, in one embodiment, by being formed from a plurality of strips that are moveable between a first position in which the strips are above the evanescent field and a second position in which the strips are inside the evanescent field. In the first position, the light in the substrate propagates unaffected by the HOE in a primary direction of propagation. In the second position, the light in the substrate is altered by the HOE and made to propagate in a reflected direction oblique to that of the primary direction of propagation.
184 Citations
48 Claims
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1. An optical switch comprising:
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a substrate for transmitting an optical signal within the substrate, where said optical signal propagates in the substrate in a first propagation direction along a first plane under total internal reflection; and a diffractive optical element disposed above a top surface of the substrate and moveable relative thereto between a first position substantially out of evanescent field coupling with the optical signal, such that the optical signal continues to travel in the first direction, and a second position in evanescent field coupling with the optical signal to alter the propagation of the optical signal in the substrate into a second propagation direction along a second plane that forms an acute angle with the first plane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A holographic optical element for use with an optical substrate, wherein an incident light signal is propagating within the substrate in a primary direction of propagation reflecting off a top surface of the substrate under total internal reflection, comprising:
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a plurality of spaced-apart strips formed of an optically transparent material and disposed above the top surface of the substrate such that the strips collectively receive a first portion of the light signal and produce an output signal phase shifted from a second portion of the light signal reflected off the top surface of the substrate to produce a diffraction pattern within the substrate; and a suspension member adjacent to the plurality of strips and disposed for allowing movement of the strips from a first position in which the incident light signal is altered by the holographic optical element and a second position in which the incident light signal is unaltered by the holographic optical element. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A 1×
- N optical switch comprising;
a substrate for transmitting an optical signal within the substrate, where said optical signal propagates in the substrate in a first direction along a first plane and under total internal reflection; and N diffractive optical elements disposed above a top surface of the substrate and each individually moveable relative to the substrate between a first position substantially out of evanescent field coupling with the optical signal, such that the optical signal continues to travel in the first direction, and a second position within evanescent field coupling with the optical signal to alter the propagation of the optical signal into a second direction along a second plane that forms an acute angle with the first plane, where N is an integer greater than θ
1. - View Dependent Claims (45)
- N optical switch comprising;
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46. An optical switch for use with a substrate, the optical switch comprising:
a plurality of strips disposed above a top surface of the substrate for movement relative to the substrate, each strip being spaced apart a spacing distance and having a strip width, whereby the sum, ‘
a’
, of the spacing distance and the strip width is chosen such that a light signal traveling within the substrate under total internal reflection along a first plane and incident upon an area of the top surface below said strips is reflected into a first diffracted order propagating within the substrate in a reflected direction of propagation along a second plane defining an acute angle, θ
p, with respect to the first plane and propagating within the substrate under total internal reflection.- View Dependent Claims (47, 48)
Specification