France Telecom

Nicole Wolffer

Philippe Gravey

Bruno Vinouze

Alan Lelah

Roger Lever

St&eacute;phane Gosselin

The invention concerns a switch for optical beams comprising a series of optical input channels () and a series of optical output channels (), two liquid crystal cells respectively adapted to deflect an optical beam coming out of an input channel () or arriving onto an output channel (), said two cells comprising each a series of electrodes adapted to orient liquid crystals when one such electrode is subjected to a supply voltage said electrodes being distributed in zones (), each zone corresponding to a single input channel () or a single output channel (), the switch further comprising means for supplying the electrodes with selected voltages. The invention is characterised in that it comprises a series of separate electronic circuits, each being connected to at least a different zone () of a given cell, said circuits being each capable of transforming a respective control signal indicating a channel to be coupled to the channel of said zone () into a series of supply voltages for the electrodes of the zone ().

Liquid crystal optical switch with burnt-in control

The invention concerns an optical switch for optical beams comprising a series of optical input channels ( ) and a series of optical output channels ( ), two optical index spatial modulating cells ( ) adapted to respectively deflect an optical beam coming out of an input channel and arriving onto an output channel, each series of optical channels ( ) being distributed according to two dimensions transverse to the direction of the channels and the index spatial modulating cells ( ) being each designed to produce deflections according to said two dimensions. The invention is characterised in that it comprises at least a convergent optical assembly ( ) overlapping one first of the two cells ( ) and whereof the focus, defined relative to the light path in the switch, is proximate to the plane of the other cell, and the or each convergent optical assembly ( ) has its optical center (X) bordering a deflecting cell ( ), substantially perpendicular to the center on one side of said cell.

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Saint Quay Perros, France

Nicole Wolffer