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. 25, 2005
Filed:
Nov. 22, 2000
Ingo Baumann, Zorneding, DE;
Reinhard Marz, Munich, DE;
Hartmut Schneider, Munich, DE;
Optun (BVI) Ltd., Tortola, VG;
Abstract
The invention relates to a thermo-optical waveguide switch which is located on a substrate. Said switch comprises a glass layer, through which a waveguide extends. A hollow chamber which lies beneath the waveguide thermally decouples the latter from the substrate. At least two supports are located in the hollow chamber to provide mechanical stability. One production method for obtaining a thermo-optical waveguide switch consists of creating a glass layer with an arrangement of perforations on a substrate. At least one hollow chamber containing at least two supports is formed by isotropically underetching the glass layer. The hollow chamber is subsequently sealed and a waveguide is formed above said hollow chamber. Another production method first creates a waveguide in a glass layer which is formed on a substrate. The glass layer in the vicinity of the waveguide is then removed using a mask and the waveguide is at least partially underetched by an isotropic etching process, thus forming a hollow chamber containing at least two supports below the waveguide.