Teloptics, Corporation

Teloptics Corporations

Alexander B Romanovsky

A device, system and method are disclosed for optical communications using beams of light in which a solid state total internal reflection optical switching element is used to switch the optical pathways of optical communications signals inside a node of an optical network. The solid state total internal reflection optical switching element is used in a substantially planar waveguide assembly, and has electro-optically active material which responds to electrical fields greater than a switching electrical field to create a total internal reflection boundary that switches the optical pathway inside the switching element.

Optical switching network and network node and method of optical switching

A switching array comprising a plurality of total internal reflection (TIR) switches can be used to direct optical signals from any one of a plurality of input optical fibers to any one of a plurality of output optical fibers. Free space regions exist between the input optical fibers, the switches, and the output optical fibers. Accordingly, the light from an input optical fiber to an output optical fiber travels through the TIR switch array largely, if not entirely, in free space mode. To provide efficient coupling of light from the input optical fibers to the plurality of switches and ultimately to the output optical fibers, collimators and other coupling elements are employed. Preferably, the collimators have a Rayleigh range longer than the path length that the light will travel from the respective input optical fiber to the respective output optical fiber.

Solid state free space switch array on a substrate

A light modulating switch ( ) including a switching element ( ) having a first portion ( ) of electro-optic material to which first and second electrodes ( ) are associated. A second portion ( ) is composed of material having an index of refraction matching that of the first portion ( ) when no voltage is applied to electro-optically activate the first portion ( ), but the index of refraction of the second portion ( ) is less than the index of refraction of the first portion ( ) when the first portion ( ) is electro-optically activated by application of voltage to the electrodes ( ). The first and second portions ( ) are in close conjunction with each other such that a TIR boundary ( ) is formed at the junction of the first and second portions ( ) and the switching element ( ) is oriented with respect to at least one incident light beam ( ) such that the incident light beam ( ) enters the first portion ( ) and strikes the boundary ( ) at an angle such that the light beam ( ) is totally reflected internally when the first portion ( ) is electro-optically activated, but which will pass unreflected through the boundary ( ) when the first portion ( ) is not electro-optically activated. The thickness of the second portion ( ) is preferably reduced by removal of a step region ( ) so that electric field lines within the active first portion ( ) are more narrowly directed and the TIR boundary ( ) is flatter and more regular.

Total internal reflection light modulating microstructure devices

An optical system may be formed by including a plurality of discrete protrusions comprising electro-optic material. Each discrete protrusion is electrically and optically isolated from each other. The protrusions further have defined a top face, a bottom face, a first side face or first and second side faces, and front and back faces. A plurality of electrodes are associated with each of the protrusions. The electrodes are capable of inducing an electric field in the electro-optic material for independently modulating one or more light beams which are incident upon one of the faces of the protrusions. In one preferred embodiment, the protrusions are oriented with respect to the one or more light beams such that each of the light beams enters the protrusion and strikes a boundary between first and second portions of the protrusion at an angle and is reflected by total internal reflection when the first portion is electro-optically activated by application of sufficient voltage, but which will pass substantially unreflected through the boundary when the first portion is not electro-optically activated.

Discrete element light modulating microstructure devices

A light modulating or switching array (,) having a plurality of discrete protrusions (,) formed of electro-optic material, each of which is electrically and optically isolated from each other. The protrusions (,) have defined a top face (,), a bottom face (,), first and second side faces (,), and front and back faces (,). There are a plurality of electrodes (,) associated with each of the protrusions (,), these electrodes (,) being capable of inducing an electric field in the electro-optic material for independently modulating a plurality of light beams which are incident upon one of the faces (,) of the protrusions (,). The electro-optic material may be of PLZT, or a member of any of the groups of electro-optic crystals, polycrystalline electro-optic ceramics, electro-optic semiconductors, electro-optic glasses and electro-optically active polymers. Also disclosed is a light modulating array (,) of the type having a matrix (,) of electro-optic material which contains a plurality of embedded adjacent electrodes (,). These electrodes (,) are capable of inducing an electric field in the electro-optic material for independently modulating a plurality of light beams which are incident upon the matrix (,) of electro-optic material. This matrix (,) can be formed by a variety of processes, including a sol-gel process. Additionally disclosed is a system (,) in which light modulating arrays (,) are used to modulate incident light beams (,) and separate them into a plurality of data channels (,).

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Alexander B Romanovsky