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:
Oct. 15, 1996
Filed:
Mar. 22, 1995
Terry L Smith, Roseville, MN (US);
Daniel V Attanasio, Clinton, CT (US);
James E Watson, Maplewood, MN (US);
George R Hare, Austin, TX (US);
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A system for tuning an integrated optical switch element utilizes a reflection from a light signal that is propagated into a first input port defined on one side of an interaction region of the optical switch element. The reflection occurs beyond an opposite side of the interaction region from the side on which the light signal is introduced. The reflection is detected at a second input port of the optical switch element on the same side of the interaction region as the side on which the light signals is introduced. The reflection is used to tune the optical switch element to a desired switch state by minimizing the reflection detected at the second input port. By minimizing the reflection detected at the second input port for a desired switch state, the strength of the optical signal through the wave guide channels intended to be used to propagate the light signal in the desired switch state is maximized. As a result, the switching extinction ratio for the optical switch element in the desired switch state is optimized. The system can be used to selectively tune a single optical switch element, or can be used to selectively tune multiple integrated optical switch elements that form an optical switch matrix on a common substrate, for example.