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:
Feb. 21, 2006
Filed:
Nov. 27, 2002
Paul Blair, Edinburgh, GB;
Jean Podlecki, Edinburgh, GB;
Mark Lawrence Begbie, Edinburgh, GB;
Geradus Johannes Burger, Hengelo, NL;
Paul Blair, Edinburgh, GB;
Jean Podlecki, Edinburgh, GB;
Mark Lawrence Begbie, Edinburgh, GB;
Geradus Johannes Burger, Hengelo, NL;
Avanex Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
A hybrid optical component is described incorporating a planar lightguide circuit (PLC) chiphaving at least two waveguides provided thereon which are separated by a trench, and a MEMS chipattached to the PLC chip and incorporating a MEMS element displaceable relative to the trench so as to control the passage of an optical signal between the two waveguides. A capis sealingly engaged with the PLC chipto form a housing therewith which houses said MEMS chiphermetically therein. The component may act as a variable optical attenuator (VOA) device in which a MEMS shutter attenuates an optical signal passing between two waveguides, or may be an optical switch in which a MEMS mirror is used to switch an optical signal from a first waveguide between at least two other waveguides which intersect with the first waveguide at the trench.