Optical Coating Laboratory, Inc.

Donnelly Corporation

Ppg Industries, Inc.

Metrophotonics Inc.

Jds Uniphase Corporation

Bryant P Hichwa

Niall R Lynam

Nada A O'Brien

Gregory T Caskey

Michael J Cumbo

James W Seeser

David L Backfisch

Phillip C Yu

Orazio Berolo

John Stuart Foster

Richard Alan Bradley, Jr

Eric R Dickey

Paul Rubel

Richard Ian Seddon

Michael A Scobey

Jeffery Frank Summers

Richard Thomas Martin

Jian-Jun He

Michael D Temple

Emil S Koteles

Paul M LeFebvre

Markus Duelli

John Wesley Stocker

David L Soberanis

Donald M Friedrich

Robert W Adair

Thomas H Allen

John Wade

Robert F Klinger

Rolf F Illsley

Craig C Van Horn

Patrick R Wentworth

J Gordon Mathew

Minyao Mao

Michael Davies

Christopher W Lantman

Patrick Edward Feierabend

Kimon Rybnicek

Cornel Marxer

Basil L Swaby

Steven P Sapers

Lindsey Brown

Nancy Lee Yamasaki

Christopher Iaconis

Steven P Bandettini

Michael Gale

J Gordon H Mathew

Glenn A Clarke

Stephen C Olson

Douglas G Jensen

A waveguide optical monitor is disclosed. The device has an optical input port coupled through a switch to a plurality of input waveguides. A dispersive element disperses light within the input optical waveguides toward a plurality of output waveguides. There are a plurality of photodetectors each optically coupled to an output waveguide. The photodectors are for sensing an intensity of light within the waveguide with which it is optically coupled. An optical switch in optical communication with the optical input port and for switching light received at the optical input port to one of the plurality of input waveguides. Also, an angular dispersive element is present for receiving light from any one of the waveguides and for dispersing the light toward a plurality of output waveguides in dependence upon the input waveguide position and a wavelength of the light such that light directed from the first of the plurality of input waveguides toward the plurality of output waveguides has a first centre wavelength within each of the output waveguides and light directed from the second of the plurality of input waveguides toward the plurality of output waveguides has a second different centre wavelength within each of the output waveguides, the second different center wavelength different form any first center wavelength.

Resolution enhanced optical spectrometer having a fixed number of photodetector elements

An optical switch is fabricated using micro-electro-mechanical system (&ldquo;MEMS&rdquo;) techniques. A thin mirror is fabricated in the major plane of the substrate and rotates about an axis perpendicular to the major plane to move into and out of an optical beam path. The mirror surface is open for chemical polishing and deposition, resulting in a high-quality mirror. In one embodiment, the backside of the mirror is patterned with reinforcing ribs. In another embodiment, a two-sided mirror is fabricated.

Optical switch with low-inertia micromirror

An optical echelle grating for use with a switching fabric to provide different wavelength switching assemblies such as an optical cross connect. The single grating receives a plurality of multiplexed input optical signals and provides optical signals corresponding to the individual wavelength channels to a switching fabric. The switching fabric routes the signals corresponding to the wavelength channels appropriately and the signals then propagate to the grating once more and are wavelength multiplexed.

Optical cross connect device with single grating

An optical cross-connect is fabricated on a substrate using individual MEMs dice with mirrors that rotate into and out of an optical beam path. Each die can be aligned to a single (input-output) pair of collimators in a fiber-optic switching system. An individually accessible magnetic drive on each die provides low power consumption when re-configuring the array in addition to fast switching speeds. The state of each die can be electronically sensed to verify proper array configuration and operation of each die.

Optical cross-connect with magnetic micro-electro-mechanical actuator cells

An electrostatic comb drive suitable for micro-electro-mechanical systems (&ldquo;MEMS&rdquo;) application uses shaped fingers to achieve bi-directional actuation from a unipolar actuation pulse. The finger shape also provides auto-braking of the movable member of the drive using a simple actuating pulse. In a further embodiment, an end stop inhibits overshoot and a back spring pushes the movable portion of the device back toward an operating position. In yet a further embodiment, a Vernier scale is provided on the movable portion of the drive relative to the fixed portion of the drive to indicate relative shift of these portions after the device is fabricated.

Bi-stable electrostatic comb drive with automatic braking

A waveguide optical monitor is disclosed. The device has an optical input port coupled through a switch to a plurality of input waveguides. A dispersive element disperses light within the input optical waveguides toward a plurality of output waveguides. There are a plurality of photodetectors each optically coupled to an output waveguide. The photodectors are for sensing an intensity of light within the waveguide with which it is optically coupled. An optical switch in optical communication with the optical input port and for switching light received at the optical input port to one of the plurality of input waveguides. Also, an angular dispersive element is present for receiving light from any one of the waveguides and for dispersing the light toward a plurality of output waveguides in dependence upon the input waveguide position and a wavelength of the light such that light directed from the first of the plurality of input waveguides toward the plurality of output waveguides has a first centre wavelength within each of the output waveguides and light directed from the second of the plurality of input waveguides toward the plurality of output waveguides has a second different centre wavelength within each of the output waveguides, the second different centre wavelength different form any first centre wavelength.

A variable optical attenuator device is provided for modulating an optical signal. The attenuator device includes a variable attenuation assembly with an electrochromic structure interposed between a first electrode and a second electrode. The electrochromic structure is configured to reversibly change its optical characteristics from a bleached off state to a colored active state under the influence of an electrical potential applied to the first and second electrodes to thereby modulate the optical signal. The optical attenuator device includes at least one lens attached to the variable attenuation assembly. The lens cooperates with the variable attenuation assembly to direct the optical signal towards the electrochromic structure. Waveguides such as optical fibers define ports at the outer endface of the lens for the optical signal.

Variable optical attenuator device

The absorption of a spacer material in a Fabry-Perot type structure is changed to achieve an optical switching function. In one embodiment, the spacer material is a semiconductor material and an electronic control signal changes the Fabry-Perot between a transmissive state and a reflective state. In the reflective state, the device operates as a switch can be modeled as a mirror on a substrate of quasi-infinite thickness. In a further embodiment, a wavelength-selective optical component is placed between the input of the switch and the Fabry-Perot structure to improve the spectral response of the switch.

Fabry-Perot optical switch

A switching signal having multiple sequential pulses is applied to a MEMS switch. A first pulse moves the switch from a first switch position toward a second switch position. After a selected dwell period, a second pulse is applied to dampen ringing or overshoot of the movable portions of the switch. In a further embodiment, non-symmetrical switching signals are used to cycle the switch from the first state to the second state, and back to the first.

Method of actuating MEMS switches

A bi-stable micro-machined electromechanical system (&ldquo;MEMS&rdquo;) switch. In a preferred embodiment, the bi-stable MEMS switch is used in an N&times;N optical signal switching system. Spring arms act in conjunction with a hollow beam portion of a movable center body of the switch to accommodate strain in the arms as the switch is moved from a first position to a second position, thus avoiding buckling of the spring arms. Both the first and second switch position occur at local minimums of mechanical potential energy, thus providing two stable switch states. The center body is moved in relation to static portions of the switch by an actuator, such as an electro-static comb drive.

Bi-stable micro switch

A elemental mirror for vehicles having a luminous reflectance of at least about 30% includes a substrate coated with a thin layer of elemental semiconductor having an index of refraction of at least 3 and an optical thickness of at least about 275 angstroms. Preferably, the elemental semiconductor coating is sputter coated silicon or germanium and a light absorbing coating is included therebehind. The mirror is spectrally nonselective with elemental semiconductor optical thicknesses of about 275 to 2400 angstroms on the front substrate surface. Spectrally selective mirrors are provided by adding an interference coating to the elemental semiconductor layer coating, preferably of a dielectric such as silicon dioxide or silicon nitride, on either the front or rear substrate surface, or by using a thicker, single elemental semiconductor layer. Instead of an absorbing coating behind the mirror, additional elemental semiconductor and dielectric thin layers may be included to reduce secondary reflections. The method includes coating the thin elemental semiconductor layer on flat glass and heating to harden the layer and make it more scratch resistant, or heating and bending the glass without destroying the reflective properties of the mirror. The thin interference layer, secondary reflection reducing layers, and/or light absorbing coating may be coated before or after heating and bending.

Elemental semiconductor mirror for vehicles and method for making same

A mask is placed over a center portion of a deposition source to limit angle of the flux from the source. A substrate or device with a vertical surface (referenced to a major surface of the substrate or device) is rotated past the deposition source to coat the vertical surface with material from the source. In a particular embodiment, the source is a gold sputtering target and a mirror is formed on a vertical surface of a MEMS structure having a depth of about 70-75 microns and a set-back of about 200-250 microns by sputtering about 1000 Angstroms of gold onto the vertical surface.

Method and apparatus for depositing thin films on vertical surfaces

A mirror having a high luminous reflectance of at least about 60% of incident light at the wavelength region of about 550 nanometers and being acromatic includes a substrate coated with a reflector comprising a multilayer thin film stack. The thin film stack comprises a first thin film layer of an elemental semiconductor which is closest to the first surface of the glass substrate and has a refractive index of greater than 3.0, a second thin film layer which is farthest from the first surface of the glass substrate, and a third thin film layer disposed between the first thin film layer and the second thin film layer, the third thin film layer having a refractive index between about 1.3 and 2.7, the second thin film layer having a refractive index greater than the third thin film layer. A light absorbing coating is included on at least one surface of the substrate and a layer of the reflector, the light absorbing coating absorbing light transmitted by the reflector coated substrate. The elemental semiconductor may comprise silicon or germanium. The light absorbing coating may comprise one of a paint, a lacquer, a tape, a ceramic, a hot melt plastic, a resinous plastic, a plastisol, or an epoxy material.

Elemental semiconductor mirror

An elemental mirror having a high luminous reflectance of at least about 60% of incident light at the wavelength region of about 550 nanometers and being acromatic includes a substrate coated with a reflector comprising a multilayer thin film stack. The thin film stack comprises a first thin film layer of an elemental semiconductor which is closest to the first surface of the glass substrate and has a refractive index of greater than 3.0, a second thin film layer which is farthest from the first surface of the glass substrate, and a third thin film layer disposed between the first thin film layer and the second thin film layer, the third thin film layer having a refractive index between about 1.3 and 2.7, the second thin film layer having a refractive index greater than the third thin film layer. A light absorbing coating is included on at least one surface of the substrate and a layer of the reflector, the light absorbing coating absorbing light transmitted by the reflector coated substrate. Alternately, the multilayer thin film stack may be coated on the second surface of the glass substrate with the light absorbing coating disposed on the reflector coated second surface of the glass substrate. The elemental semiconductor may comprise silicon or germanium. The light absorbing coating may comprise one of a paint, a lacquer, a tape, a ceramic, a hot melt plastic, a resinous plastic, a plastisol, or an epoxy material.

A flexible panel is provided that is easily and conformingly applied to a curved display screen of a VDU to afford, in a lightweight manner, variably adjustable contrast enhancement of the VDU while simultaneously providing a decrease in the amount of ambient light reflected from the curved display screen. The flexible panel is a glass microsheet layered, on one side thereof, with an antireflection coating and, on the other side, with an electrochromic device. The electrochrmic device allows for variable adjustment of the contrast of the VDU as a function of the voltage applied across the electrochromic device. The flexible glass microsheet dually possesses the advantages of conventional rigid glass panels, such as excellent optical performance, high durability, capability of being coated with various optical coatings under extreme temperature, pressure and chemical conditions and the additional benfeit of physical flexibility. This flexibility allows for easy application to variously sized and shaped curved VDU display screens. The electrochromic device is a six-layered structure deposited, in order from the layer adjacent the panel: a 1 quarter wavelength (QW) alumina layer; a first indium-tin-oxide (ITO) layer; a tungsten trioxide (WO.sub.3) layer; a tantalum pentoxide (Ta.sub.2 O.sub.5) layer; a nickel-oxide (NiO) layer; and a second indium-tin-oxide (ITO) layer.

Variably adjustable contrast enhancement electrochromic panel adapted

Growing community of inventors

Santa Rosa, CA, United States of America

Bryant P Hichwa