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Abstract

A photo-driven switching apparatus in which a light beam is switched or modulated by using only light beam(s), comprising (a) a dielectric substrate having 'photovoltaic effect'; (b) one or more couples of electrodes formed in or on at least portions of the surface(s) of the substrate so as to polarize the portion(s) positioned between the couple(s) of the electrodes thereby, (c) one or more photo-driving or photo-receiving elements provided at least in the polarized portion(s) of the surface of the dielectric substrate, having a polarization direction arranged at one certain direction, and having photovoltaic effect so as to generate photovoltage; (d) a dielectric rotation element comprising a light beam switching passage or modulator having a couple of polarizers, the polarization direction of each of which is perpendicularly crossed or parallel to each other, positioned on the surface of incoming of a light beam to be modulated, and at the surface of outgoing of the light beam, and a couple of electrodes formed on a couple of the other surfaces facing to each other of the element to apply an electric field in the element; (e) connecting leads connecting electrically the electrodes of the photo-driving elent(s) respectively to the electrodes of the element; the light beam to be modulated being incoming through the polarizer into the element through which the light beam passes to be switched or modulated; and the switching passage being operated directly the the photovoltage generated by the photo-dirving element(s) which can be operated or switched only by illumination of ultra-violet ray to the surface of said photo-driving element(s).

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First Claim