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:
Sep. 09, 2003
Filed:
Jul. 16, 2001
Tallis Y. Chang, Northridge, CA (US);
Leo Lam, Calabasas, CA (US);
Graham Martin, Woodland Hills, CA (US);
Chromux Technologies, Inc., Chatsworth, CA (US);
Abstract
An assembly that could be used either as a switch or an attenuator includes two or more optical channels defined by lithography within a substrate. The two or more optical channels are positioned so that the ends of the optical channels are at or near an edge of the substrate. A moveable MEMS mirror is positioned near the edge of the substrate and the openings, with the face of the mirror positioned to receive an optical signal from one of the optical channels. The mirror can direct an optical signal from one of the optical channels into another of the optical channels. Mirror position can be changed to alter the path of the optical signal and to change the coupling between the optical channels. In this way, the assembly of optical channels within the substrate and the MEMS mirror can act as a switch or as an attenuator.