Thermal actuator and an optical waveguide switch including the same

A thermal actuator comprises a plurality of substantially straight and parallel beams arranged to form a beam array. The midpoint of each beam is attached or coupled to an orthogonal coupling beam. Each array beam has a beam heating parameter with a corresponding beam heating parameter value. The be...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors GERMAN KRISTINE A, GULVIN PETER M, KUBBY JOEL A, MA JUN, LIN PINYEN
Format Patent
LanguageEnglish
Published 10.02.2005
Edition7
Subjects
MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICALDEVICES
MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS
OPTICS
PERFORMING OPERATIONS
PHYSICS
TRANSPORTING
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Summary:A thermal actuator comprises a plurality of substantially straight and parallel beams arranged to form a beam array. The midpoint of each beam is attached or coupled to an orthogonal coupling beam. Each array beam has a beam heating parameter with a corresponding beam heating parameter value. The beam heating parameter values vary across the beam array based on a predetermined pattern. As the beams are heated by an included heating means, the distribution of beam temperatures in the beam array becomes asymmetric, thus causing the beam array to buckle. The buckling of the beams in the beam array, in turn, causes the attached coupling beam to move in a predetermined direction. The coupling beam motion, in turn, operates an included optical waveguide switch. The beams in the beam array are heated by any of Joule heating, eddy current heating, conduction heating, convection heating and radiation heating.
Bibliography:Application Number: US20030634941