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:
Jan. 03, 1995
Filed:
Dec. 21, 1993
Lee L Blyler, Jr, Basking Ridge, NJ (US);
Richard J Coyle, Jr, Lawrenceville, NJ (US);
Gary J Grimes, Thornton, CO (US);
Anthony J Serafino, Cranbury, NJ (US);
AT&T Corp., Murray Hill, NJ (US);
Abstract
Replacing costly electro-optic or fused quartz crystalline structures or molded plastic optical waveguide splitters with an optical switch comprising an array of spatial light modulators between two relatively, thick, optical glass flats. Associated with each spatial light modulator are partial holes in the optical glass flats with the partial holes being in alignment with the spatial light modulator. Using a new experimentally-developed laser technique, these holes can be drilled to a precise depth so that the distance between the ends of standard silica optical fibers inserted into opposing holes approximates the diameter of those fibers. Since the diameter of a partial hole is insignificant compared to the overall area of an optical glass flat, the physical strength of the optical glass flats is not reduced even when a number of partial holes are drilled into the optical glass flats. In addition, since thick optical glass flats are used, the contrast ratio and switching speed of such an optical switch is not impaired.