WO2001050172B1 - An optical router including bistable optical switch and method thereof - Google Patents
An optical router including bistable optical switch and method thereofInfo
- Publication number
- WO2001050172B1 WO2001050172B1 PCT/US2001/000122 US0100122W WO0150172B1 WO 2001050172 B1 WO2001050172 B1 WO 2001050172B1 US 0100122 W US0100122 W US 0100122W WO 0150172 B1 WO0150172 B1 WO 0150172B1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- micro
- optical
- actuator
- router
- substrate
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B26/00—Optical devices or arrangements for the control of light using movable or deformable optical elements
- G02B26/08—Optical devices or arrangements for the control of light using movable or deformable optical elements for controlling the direction of light
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Mechanical Light Control Or Optical Switches (AREA)
- Optical Communication System (AREA)
Abstract
A bistable optical micro-switch (110) controls the routing of an optical beam. The micro-switch (110) has at least one optical micro-element, which is stable through electrical power interrupts, for directing the optical beam. A change in the state of the optical micro-element is effected by a vertical micro-actuator (221, 222, 223, 224), which is biased by a micro-spring (225). A micro-latch (350) can be used to keep the tensed micro-spring (225) from un-tensing when electrical power is interrupted. A micro-latch (350) holds the micro-element in at least one mechanically tensed, stable state.
Claims
1. An optical router formed on a planar substrate and including an optical micro-element having plural operable states, said optical micro- element being actuatable to change operable states, wherein a change in the operable state of said optical micro-element changes the direction of an optical beam; characterized in that: said optical micro-element is translated in a movement direction generally transverse to the plane of said substrate between said operable states by an actuator having first and second actuator elements movable with respect, to each other in the movement direction; and a micro-latch is provided having plural conditions, said micro-latch actuatable to change conditions, one of said conditions maintaining the operable state of said optical micro-element.
2. The optical router of claim 1, characterized in that said micro-latch in one of said conditions maintains the operable state of said optical micro-element when electrical power is interrupted.
3. The optical router of claim 1, characterized in that said micro-latch includes at. least one latching micro-element moving when said micro- latch changes conditions in a direction generally parallel to the plane of the substrate.
4. The optical router of claim 2, characterized in that the actuator is a vertical micro-actuator operatively connected to said optical micro- element, said micro-actuator moving said optical micro-element transverse to the plane of the substrate to change the state thereof.
5. The optical router of claim 4, characterized in that said micro- actuator includes a vertical micro-comb drive.
6. The optical router of claim 4, characterized in that the first and second actuator elements said micro-actuator are movable with respect to each other in response to a drive signal; said router further including a support on the substrate supporting said micro-actuator, and at least one micro-spring having first and second ends operatively connected to respective first and second actuator elements of said micro-actuator to bias said optical micro-element into a first one of said operable states in the absence of the drive signal.
7. The optical router of claim 6, characterized in that said latching micro-element selectively stops said micro-actuator in a second one of said operable states.
8. The optical router of claim 1, characterized in that said optical micro-element includes an optical beam reflecting surface.
9. The optical router of claim 8, characterized in that said reflecting surface is planar.
10. The optical router of claim 8, characterized in that said reflecting surface is concave.
1 1. The optical router of claim 1 , characterized in that said router further comprises an optical micro-switch including said optical micro- element and said micro-latch.
12. The optical router of claim 11 , characterized in that said router further comprises plural said optical micro-switches arranged in an by N array, wherein at least one of M and N is greater than 1.
13. An optical router arranged on a generally planar substrate and comprising at least one moveable optical micro-element having plural operable states and a micro-actuator operatively connected to said optical
24
micro -element, said micro-actuator arranged to effectuate the changing of the operable state of said optical micro-element, characterized in that: said micro-actuator is formed of first and second actuator elements generating a force therebetween in a movement direction generally transverse to the plane of the substrate to shift at least one of said elements generally transverse to the plane of said substrate; a change in the operable state of said optical micro-element being accompanied by said optical micro-element moving in the movement direction; said optical micro-element being arranged in one of said states to intercept an optical beam supplied from a direction generally perpendicular to said movement direction and being arranged in another said state to deflect said intercepted optical beam into another direction generally perpendicular to said movement direction.
14. The optical router of claim 13, characterized in that said optical micro-element includes an optical beam reflecting surface.
15. The optical router of claim 14, characterized in that said reflecting surface is planar.
16. The optical router of claim 14, characterized in that said reflecting surface is concave.
17. The optical router of claim 13, characterized in that said router further comprises a micro-latch selectively actuatable to maintain said optical micro-element in one of said operable states; said optical router comprising an optical micro- switch including said optical micro-element, said micro-actuator and said micro-latch.
18. The optical router of claim 17, characterized in that said router further comprises plural said optical micro-switches arranged in an M by N array, wherein at least one of M and N is greater than 1.
25
19. The optical router of claim 14, characterized in that the first and second actuator elements of said micro -actuator are movable with respect to each other in response to a drive signal; said router further comprising a support supporting said micro- actuator, and at least one micro-spring having first and second ends operatively connected to respective first and second portions of said micro-actuator to bias said optical micro-element into a first one of said operable states in the absence of the drive signal.
20. A method for routing optical beams comprising selectively switching a optical micro-element provided on a generally planar substrate to translate the element between plural operable states to change the direction of an optical beam; characterized in that the optical element is translated in a movement direction generally transverse to the plane of said substrate by an actuator having first and second actuator elements movable with respect to each other in a direction transverse to the plane of the substrate, the method including the step of: selectively actuating a micro-latch to retain said optical micro- element in one of said operable states.
21. The method of claim 20, characterized in that the micro-actuator is operably connected to said optical micro-element, said step of selectively switching being effected by supplying a drive signal to said micro- actuator to move said first and second actuator elements with respect to each other to move said micro-element between said plural operable states.
22. The method of claim 21 wherein said micro-actuator includes a vertical micro- comb drive.
26
23. The method of claim 21, characterized in that the method also comprises biasing said micro-actuator with a micro-spring operatively connected across said micro-actuator to bias said optical micro element into one of said plural operable states.
24. The method of claim 23, characterized in that said step of actuating said micro-latch retains said optical micro-element in a said operable state despite a tension force supplied by said step of biasing.
25. The method of claim 20, characterized in that said optical micro- clement is an optical beam reflecting surface.
26. A method for routing optical beams with a router having a generally planar substrate having an optical micro-clement provided thereon and arranged to intercept an optical beam and being movable in a movement direction to route an optical beam from an input location along an input path to plural output locations, said optical micro-element being actuated by a micro-actuator moving said optical micro-element to switch the optical beam to said plural output locations, characterized in that: said micro-element includes first and second elements actuatable to effect movement therebetween in a movement direction generally transverse to the plane of the substrate to drive said optical micro- element in the movement direction; the micro-actuator being driven to move said optical micro-element in the movement direction between plural operable states to route the optical beam to the plural output locations, said input path and the paths taken by said optical beam after routing by said optical element to said plural output locations being generally perpendicular to said movement direction.
27
27. The method of claim 26, characterized in that said optical micro- element is an optical beam reflecting surface.
28. The method of claim 26, wherein said micro-actuator is a vertical comb drive and includes first and second actuator elements movable with respect to each other in response to a drive signal; said method further characterized in that it includes biasing said micro-actuator with a micro- spring operatively connected across said micro-actuator to bias said optical micro-element into one of said plural operable states.
29. The method of claim 28 characterized in that the method further includes the step of selectively actuating a micro-latch to retain said optical micro-element in one of said operable states despite a tension force supplied by said step of biasing.
28
STATEMENT UNDER ARTICLE 19(1)
Claims 1 , 4, 5, 6, 13, 19, 20, 26 and 28 have been amended.
No claims have been cancelled.
The claims as amended on the attached sheets require the optical micro-element to be translated in a movement direction generaiiy transverse to the plane of the substrate between operable states by an actuator having first and second actuator elements also movable with respect to each other in the movement direction. Such a router is not known and a micro-latch has never before been utilized to latch such a router.
The electrostatic micro-actuator of the Jer an reference actuates in a direction parallel to the surface of the substrate.
In references such as the Lin reference, the drive actuator actuates in a direction parallel to the surface of the substrate, rather than in a transverse direction.
For all of the above-stated reasons, revision of the search report is respectfully requested.
29
Priority Applications (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| EP01918153A EP1250620A2 (en) | 2000-01-03 | 2001-01-03 | An optical router including bistable optical switch and method thereof |
| JP2001550066A JP4405705B2 (en) | 2000-01-03 | 2001-01-03 | Optical router including bistable optical switch and method thereof |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US17416400P | 2000-01-03 | 2000-01-03 | |
| US60/174,164 | 2000-01-03 |
Publications (4)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| WO2001050172A2 WO2001050172A2 (en) | 2001-07-12 |
| WO2001050172A3 WO2001050172A3 (en) | 2002-04-04 |
| WO2001050172B1 true WO2001050172B1 (en) | 2002-05-16 |
| WO2001050172A9 WO2001050172A9 (en) | 2002-10-31 |
Family
ID=22635096
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2001/000122 WO2001050172A2 (en) | 2000-01-03 | 2001-01-03 | An optical router including bistable optical switch and method thereof |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP1250620A2 (en) |
| JP (1) | JP4405705B2 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2001050172A2 (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US6459524B1 (en) | 2001-03-22 | 2002-10-01 | Adc Telecommunications, Inc. | Apparatus and method for sensing switching positions of a MEMS optical switch |
| US6801682B2 (en) * | 2001-05-18 | 2004-10-05 | Adc Telecommunications, Inc. | Latching apparatus for a MEMS optical switch |
| JP6264525B2 (en) | 2013-03-25 | 2018-01-24 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Infrared sensor, heat detection element, and heat detection method using the same |
Family Cites Families (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5960132A (en) * | 1997-09-09 | 1999-09-28 | At&T Corp. | Fiber-optic free-space micromachined matrix switches |
| US5998906A (en) * | 1998-01-13 | 1999-12-07 | Seagate Technology, Inc. | Electrostatic microactuator and method for use thereof |
-
2001
- 2001-01-03 EP EP01918153A patent/EP1250620A2/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2001-01-03 WO PCT/US2001/000122 patent/WO2001050172A2/en active Search and Examination
- 2001-01-03 JP JP2001550066A patent/JP4405705B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| EP1250620A2 (en) | 2002-10-23 |
| JP4405705B2 (en) | 2010-01-27 |
| WO2001050172A2 (en) | 2001-07-12 |
| JP2003530583A (en) | 2003-10-14 |
| WO2001050172A3 (en) | 2002-04-04 |
| WO2001050172A9 (en) | 2002-10-31 |
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