EP0147808A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Optical switch
Assignee: NEC Corp
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Filing: 1984-12-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-12-20
Abstract
Abstract It is disclosed an optical switch for achieving optical switching between a plurality of channel waveguides (12a, 12b) constituting a directional coupler, a cross-over, branches and the like. At least one of said plurality of channel waveguides is a gain-guided type waveguide utilizing a gain difference resulting from carrier injection into a semiconductor material. Such an optical switch is compact and can be driven at a low voltage (Fig. 3).
Inventors
- 👤 Masahiko C/O Nec Corporation Fujiwara
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 05:26
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/29; G02F1/31; G02F1/313; G02F1/3132; G02F1/3133; G02F1/3137; G02F1/3138; G02F2201/00; G02F2201/06; G02F2201/066
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
An optical switch for switching the path of an incident light beam comprising. a double heterostructure having a semiconductor active layer and, sandwiching said semiconductor active layer, a first semiconductor layer of a first conductive type and a second semiconductor layer of a second conductive type with a greater bandgap than said semiconductor active layer, and means for separately injecting currents into a plurality of local regions of said semiconductor active layer so as to cross said double heterostructure, wherein the gain regions formed in said local regions by current injection are close to each ether, said gain regions function as gain-guided optical waveguides and the path of the incident light beam is switched by creating or extinguishing some of the gain-guided regions by controlling the injected currents.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
128 words
An optical switch for switching the path of an incident light beam comprising. a double heterostructure having a semiconductor active layer and, sandwiching said semiconductor active layer, a first semiconductor layer of a first conductive type and a second semiconductor layer of a second conductive type with a greater bandgap than said semiconductor active layer, and means for separately injecting currents into a plurality of local regions of said semiconductor active layer so as to cross said double heterostructure, wherein the gain regions formed in said local regions by current injection are close to each ether, said gain regions function as gain-guided optical waveguides and the path of the incident light beam is switched by creating or extinguishing some of the gain-guided regions by controlling the injected currents.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
An optical switch for achieving optical switching between a plurality of channel waveguides constituting a directional coupler, a cross-over, branches and the like, wherein at least one of said plurality of channel waveguides is a gain-guided type waveguide utilizing a gain difference resulting from carrier injection into a semiconductor material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
An optical switch for achieving optical switching between a plurality of channel waveguides constituting a directional coupler, a cross-over, branches and the like, wherein at least one of said plurality of channel waveguides is a gain-guided type waveguide utilizing a gain difference resulting from carrier injection into a semiconductor material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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