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Title: Photo-induced micro-mechanical optical switch

Patent ·
OSTI ID:874414
 [1];  [1];  [2]
  1. Knoxville, TN
  2. late of Oak Ridge, TN
+ Show Author Affiliations

An optical switch is formed by introducing light lengthwise to a microcantilever waveguide directed toward a second waveguide. The microcantilever is caused to bend by light emitted from a laser diode orthogonal to the microcantilever and at an energy above the band gap, which induces stress as a result of the generation of free carriers. The bending of the waveguide directs the carrier frequency light to a second receptor waveguide or to a non-responsive surface. The switch may be combined in an array to perform multiple switching functions rapidly and at low energy losses.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-96OR22464
Assignee:
U.T. Battelle LLC (Oak Ridge, TN)
Patent Number(s):
US 6385363
OSTI ID:
874414
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (6)

Remote optical detection using microcantilevers journal October 1996
Photoinduced and thermal stress in silicon microcantilevers journal October 1998
Photothermal spectroscopy with femtojoule sensitivity using a micromechanical device journal November 1994
Quantized adhesion detected with the atomic force microscope journal June 1992
Observation of a chemical reaction using a micromechanical sensor journal January 1994
Position control of PLZT bimorph-type optical actuator by on-off control
  • Morikawa, Y.; Nakada, T.
  • IECON '97. 23rd International Conference on Industrial Electronics, Control, and Instrumentation, Proceedings of the IECON'97 23rd International Conference on Industrial Electronics, Control, and Instrumentation (Cat. No.97CH36066) https://doi.org/10.1109/IECON.1997.668524
conference January 1997

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Related Subjects

photo-induced
micro-mechanical
optical
switch
formed
introducing
light
lengthwise
microcantilever
waveguide
directed
caused
bend
emitted
laser
diode
orthogonal
energy
band
gap
induces
stress
result
generation
free
carriers
bending
directs
carrier
frequency
receptor
non-responsive
surface
combined
array
perform
multiple
switching
functions
rapidly
losses
laser diode
light emitted
optical switch
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