JPS6446707A - Optical path switching device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an optical path switching device which is small in size and has an excellent loss crosstalk characteristic, by providing a gap having a place vertical to a reference plane with respect to an input optical signal use optical waveguide and an output optical signal use optical waveguide, which have been placed on its reference plane. CONSTITUTION:An optical path switching part 8 is constituted of an input optical signal use three-dimensional optical waveguide 1 placed on a reference plane, and a gap 4 vertical to said reference place provided on an intersection part of an output optical signal use three- dimensional optical waveguide 2. In this state, a refractive index of waveguide parts 1', 2', and a refractive index of a substance filled in the gap 4 are denoted as n1 and n2, respectively, and an incident light signal 9 which advances in the direction of the gap 4 through the waveguide part 1' is made incident at an angle theta1 on a plane 3 of the gap 4. In this case, as for the incident light signal 9, a part thereof is reflected at an angle theta1 by the plane 3 and becomes a reflected light signal 9', refracted at an angle theta2 by the gap 4, and a part of its refracted light is refracted at an angle theta1 by the interface of the gap 4 and the waveguide 1' and becomes a transmission light signal 9''. In such a way, an optical path switching part is miniaturized, its mass-productivity is high, and it can be manufactured economically, and also, an optical characteristic being excellent in a loss, etc., can be obtained.