The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 14, 1992
Filed:
Mar. 01, 1991
Applicant:
Inventor:
Alfred Phillips, Jr, Wappingers Falls, NY (US);
Assignee:
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G02F / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
2502 / ; 359257 ;
Abstract
A heterojunction optical switch is taught. Briefly stated, birefringence in the form of a Pockel Cell is utilized such that biasing of the Pockel Cell permits the passage of light therethrough. Preferably, a light detector and resistor are electrically in parallel with the Pockel Cell such that light impinging upon the light detector causes the Pockel Cell to be reverse biased with the result that a separate light source may pass through the Pockel Cell. In this fashion, the Pockel Cell operates as a true optical switch.