Optical switching element and switching arrangement
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United States of America Patent
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Feb 5, 2002
Grant Date -
N/A
app pub date -
Sep 17, 1999
filing date -
Mar 20, 1997
priority date (Note) -
Expired
status (Latency Note)
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Abstract
The invention relates to an optical switching element for altering the propagation direction of at least one light beam, comprising a transparent base body (21), said base body being provided with a recess (20) for forming at least one boundary surface (19) between an optically denser medium and an optically more translucent medium. The incident light strikes this boundary surface (19). The recess (20) is filled partly with a liquid (26) and contains a moveable body (16). The liquid (26) and the moveable body (16) have approximately the same refractive index as the transparent base body. To switch the switching element (15) to a transmitting switching state, the moveable body is positioned in the recess in such a way that the gap between the boundary surface and the surface of the moveable body is filled completely with the liquid. If the moveable body is positioned in the recess in such a way that the boundary surface is free of the liquid, the incident light is reflected on said boundary surface. The switching element has low optical damping and is therefore economical to produce. Its compact construction means that larger switching arrangements with a large number of optical inputs and outputs can be created with the switching element.
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