Micro-mechanical waveguide optical devices

• Main Authors: Ticknor, Anthony J, Stiller, Marc A, Kenney, John T, Purchase, Ken
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 23.09.2003

This invention relates generally to optical devices such as optical switches and dynamically programmable attenuators. In particular, the invention provides implementations for switching optical signals among optical waveguides by means of micro-mechanical displacement of structures. Application of the invention facilitates mechanical optical switches in an integrated photonic circuit. The switches of this invention may be monostable wherein the switch always assumes a specific one of its two valid states when the drive signal is removed, or may be bistable wherein the switch remains in it's most recent valid state when the drive signal is removed. The switches of this invention may also be set within ranges of positions in the region between the valid states to provide continuously-variable optical attenuators in an integrated photonic circuit. Optical devices and methods for attenuating, shuttering, or switching optical signals as found in telecommunications. A platform carrying a portion of a waveguide and residing in a plane of a substrate is tipped, tilted, twisted, or otherwise moved out of the plane of the substrate to divert the path of an optical signal or to change coupling between adjacent waveguides. The platform can be formed by etching a substrate while leaving one or more connection points between the platform and the substrate to hold the platform to the substrate.