CA2425309A1 - Planar waveguide switch and optical cross-connect - Google Patents

Planar waveguide switch and optical cross-connect Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2425309A1
CA2425309A1 CA002425309A CA2425309A CA2425309A1 CA 2425309 A1 CA2425309 A1 CA 2425309A1 CA 002425309 A CA002425309 A CA 002425309A CA 2425309 A CA2425309 A CA 2425309A CA 2425309 A1 CA2425309 A1 CA 2425309A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
planar waveguide
optical
liquid crystal
core layer
switch
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
CA002425309A
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
CA2425309C (en
Inventor
John I. Thackara
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Individual
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Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of CA2425309A1 publication Critical patent/CA2425309A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA2425309C publication Critical patent/CA2425309C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02F—OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
    • G02F1/00—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics
    • G02F1/29—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection
    • G02F1/31—Digital deflection, i.e. optical switching
    • G02F1/313—Digital deflection, i.e. optical switching in an optical waveguide structure
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02F—OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
    • G02F1/00—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics
    • G02F1/01—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour 
    • G02F1/13—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour  based on liquid crystals, e.g. single liquid crystal display cells
    • G02F1/1326—Liquid crystal optical waveguides or liquid crystal cells specially adapted for gating or modulating between optical waveguides
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/10—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type
    • G02B6/105—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type having optical polarisation effects
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/26—Optical coupling means
    • G02B6/264—Optical coupling means with optical elements between opposed fibre ends which perform a function other than beam splitting
    • G02B6/266—Optical coupling means with optical elements between opposed fibre ends which perform a function other than beam splitting the optical element being an attenuator
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/26—Optical coupling means
    • G02B6/35—Optical coupling means having switching means
    • G02B6/354—Switching arrangements, i.e. number of input/output ports and interconnection types
    • G02B6/3544—2D constellations, i.e. with switching elements and switched beams located in a plane
    • G02B6/3546—NxM switch, i.e. a regular array of switches elements of matrix type constellation
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/26—Optical coupling means
    • G02B6/35—Optical coupling means having switching means
    • G02B6/3594—Characterised by additional functional means, e.g. means for variably attenuating or branching or means for switching differently polarized beams
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/26—Optical coupling means
    • G02B6/35—Optical coupling means having switching means
    • G02B6/3596—With planar waveguide arrangement, i.e. in a substrate, regardless if actuating mechanism is outside the substrate
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02F—OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
    • G02F1/00—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics
    • G02F1/01—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour 
    • G02F1/13—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour  based on liquid crystals, e.g. single liquid crystal display cells
    • G02F1/132—Thermal activation of liquid crystals exhibiting a thermo-optic effect
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02F—OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
    • G02F1/00—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics
    • G02F1/29—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection
    • G02F1/31—Digital deflection, i.e. optical switching
    • G02F1/315—Digital deflection, i.e. optical switching based on the use of controlled internal reflection
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02F—OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
    • G02F2203/00—Function characteristic
    • G02F2203/48—Variable attenuator

Abstract

A planar waveguide integrated optic switch (10)suitable for use in optical cross-connect applications. A narrow trench (13) in the planar waveguide core layer (12) is filled with a liquid crystal (14) material possessing positive birefringence. When held at a temperature a few degrees above the clearing point, the liquids crystal's isotropic refractive index is matched to that of the core layer allowing nearly complete optical transmission (17C) through the switch. When held at a temperature a few degrees below the clearing point, the liquid crystal's ordinary refractive index is lower than that of the core layer and both polarizations of the incident optical radiation are totally reflected (17b) from the trench. When coupled with planar waveguide beam expanding and refocusing elements, arrays of the switches can be used to form an optical cross-connect capable of fully interconnecting linear arrays of single- or multi-mode optical fibers with very low optical loss. By controlling the liquid crystal temperature at more than one location along the trench, the switch can be configured to operate as a variable attenuator.
CA002425309A 2000-10-09 2001-10-09 Planar waveguide switch and optical cross-connect Expired - Lifetime CA2425309C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US23896100P 2000-10-09 2000-10-09
US60/238,961 2000-10-09
US09/866,039 2001-05-24
US09/866,039 US6546163B2 (en) 2000-10-09 2001-05-24 Planar waveguide switch and optical cross-connect
PCT/US2001/031499 WO2002031558A1 (en) 2000-10-09 2001-10-09 Planar waveguide switch and optical cross-connect

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2425309A1 true CA2425309A1 (en) 2002-04-18
CA2425309C CA2425309C (en) 2009-09-08

Family

ID=26932128

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002425309A Expired - Lifetime CA2425309C (en) 2000-10-09 2001-10-09 Planar waveguide switch and optical cross-connect

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US6546163B2 (en)
EP (1) EP1332391B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE382878T1 (en)
AU (1) AU2002214561A1 (en)
CA (1) CA2425309C (en)
DE (1) DE60132231D1 (en)
WO (1) WO2002031558A1 (en)

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US6999649B1 (en) * 2001-10-26 2006-02-14 Kent Optronics Inc. Optical switches made by nematic liquid crystal switchable mirrors, and apparatus of manufacture
JP2003337317A (en) * 2002-05-17 2003-11-28 Nippon Sheet Glass Co Ltd Waveguide type liquid crystal optical switch
GB0212107D0 (en) * 2002-05-25 2002-07-03 Agilent Technologies Inc Optoelectronic module with integrated variable optical attenuator
US6868222B2 (en) * 2002-07-01 2005-03-15 Agilent Technologies, Inc. Optical attenuator using a perturbation element with a multi-mode waveguide
US7024065B2 (en) * 2002-07-09 2006-04-04 Lucent Technologies Inc. Optical waveguide device and method of manufacture therefor
US6931024B2 (en) * 2003-05-07 2005-08-16 Qwest Communications International Inc. Systems and methods for providing pooled access in a telecommunications network
US7099307B2 (en) * 2003-05-07 2006-08-29 Qwest Communications International Inc. Automated cross-box and methods for using an automated cross-box
US20040264845A1 (en) * 2003-06-19 2004-12-30 Ruolin Li Digital optical switch
US6917748B2 (en) * 2003-07-01 2005-07-12 Fujitsu Limited Variable optical attenuator on an electro-optical layer
US7356215B2 (en) * 2003-08-23 2008-04-08 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Methods and apparatus for selectively coupling optical paths
US7282716B2 (en) * 2003-11-10 2007-10-16 Technology Innovations, Llc Digital imaging assembly and methods thereof
US7079724B2 (en) * 2003-11-24 2006-07-18 John Ingalls Thackara Liquid crystal thermo-optic switch and element
JPWO2005057268A1 (en) * 2003-12-08 2007-07-05 日本碍子株式会社 Optical device
SG144702A1 (en) * 2004-01-02 2008-08-28 Sony Corp An optical switch device and method for forming an optical switch device
US7043132B2 (en) * 2004-01-21 2006-05-09 Fujitsu Limited Variable optical attenuator having a waveguide and an optically coupled layer with a power monitor
US8860897B1 (en) 2004-01-22 2014-10-14 Vescent Photonics, Inc. Liquid crystal waveguide having electric field orientated for controlling light
US8989523B2 (en) 2004-01-22 2015-03-24 Vescent Photonics, Inc. Liquid crystal waveguide for dynamically controlling polarized light
US20050271325A1 (en) * 2004-01-22 2005-12-08 Anderson Michael H Liquid crystal waveguide having refractive shapes for dynamically controlling light
US8463080B1 (en) 2004-01-22 2013-06-11 Vescent Photonics, Inc. Liquid crystal waveguide having two or more control voltages for controlling polarized light
US7315665B1 (en) 2004-02-10 2008-01-01 Meadowlark Optics, Inc. Liquid-crystal planar-waveguide apparatus and method for fast control of polarization and other properties of light
US7164824B2 (en) * 2004-12-10 2007-01-16 Lucent Technologies Inc. Waveguide turn for a waveguide circuit
US7760979B2 (en) * 2005-02-17 2010-07-20 Avago Technologies General Ip (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. System and method for low loss waveguide bends
US7570320B1 (en) * 2005-09-01 2009-08-04 Vescent Photonics, Inc. Thermo-optic liquid crystal waveguides
US20090180731A1 (en) * 2008-01-07 2009-07-16 Southern Methodist University Photonic coupler
KR101165715B1 (en) * 2008-12-10 2012-07-18 한국전자통신연구원 Optical communication device haiving digital optical switch
US9366938B1 (en) * 2009-02-17 2016-06-14 Vescent Photonics, Inc. Electro-optic beam deflector device
JP2012523580A (en) * 2009-04-10 2012-10-04 コーニンクレッカ フィリップス エレクトロニクス エヌ ヴィ Curved light guide with curved slit
US8995038B1 (en) 2010-07-06 2015-03-31 Vescent Photonics, Inc. Optical time delay control device
KR101433856B1 (en) * 2010-07-21 2014-08-27 한국전자통신연구원 optical switch and manufacturing method of the same
CN101975975B (en) * 2010-09-21 2013-07-17 中国电力科学研究院 Zero temperature coefficient optical wave plate and polarization state converter
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US10444595B2 (en) * 2018-01-03 2019-10-15 The Government Of The United States Of America, As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Technique for dynamically controlling the incoupler of a beam-steering device
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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ATE382878T1 (en) 2008-01-15
AU2002214561A1 (en) 2002-04-22
WO2002031558A1 (en) 2002-04-18
CA2425309C (en) 2009-09-08
EP1332391A1 (en) 2003-08-06
US6546163B2 (en) 2003-04-08
US20020041726A1 (en) 2002-04-11
EP1332391B1 (en) 2008-01-02
EP1332391A4 (en) 2006-05-24
DE60132231D1 (en) 2008-02-14

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Effective date: 20211012