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.

Date of Patent:
Jan. 06, 1998

Filed:

Dec. 07, 1995
Applicant:
Inventor:

Jean-Francois Vinchant, Bruyeres Le Chatel, FR;

Assignee:

Alcatel N.V., Rijswijk, NL;

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G02B / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
385 16 ; 385 17 ; 385 18 ; 385 20 ; 385 31 ;
Abstract

A digital optical switch in the shape of the letter 'Y' at least an input optical waveguide and first and second output optical waveguides. Each output waveguide comprises at least a first part and a second part coupled by a transition in a transition region. An applied electrical control signal commands a refractive index difference between respective first parts of the output waveguides. At least one of the output optical waveguides has in a plane containing the output waveguides a guided propagation mode width that is lower in the second part than the mode width in the first part of the respective output waveguide. In a preferred implementation, the transition is an adiabatic transition. Applications include photonic routing and optical switching matrices.


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