Device for optical switching by fluid displacement and a device for the composition of a line of points

Claim 1

A device for optically switching at least one incident optical beam between at least first and second exit paths comprising: first and second fluids contained within a confinement space defined by a pair of transparent elements, electrically controlled switching means for placing into a path of said incident optical beam either the first fluid for producing reflection of the optical beam into said first exit path or the second fluid which does not produce a reflection so that the optical beam travels over the second exit path, the first and second fluids being immiscible and having different dielectric permittivities, one of the fluids having a globular structure embedded in interstitial structure of the other fluid, said electrically controlled switching means including means for generating an electric field gradient in order to cause the fluid having the higher permittivity to converge toward a region of the confinement space which is subjected to the electric field gradient, wherein said first fluid is air and the second fluid is a hydrocarbon.

Claim 2

A device for optically switching at least one incident optical beam between at least first and second exit paths comprising: first and second fluids contained within a confinement space defined by a pair of transparent elements, electrically controlled switching means for placing into a path of said incident optical beam either the first fluid for producing reflection of the optical beam into said first exit path or the second fluid which does not produce a reflection so that the optical beam travels over the second exit path, the first and second fluids being immiscible and having different dielectric permittivities, one of the fluids having a globular structure embedded in interstitial structure of the other fluid, said electrically controlled switching means including means for generating an electric field gradient in order to cause the fluid having the higher permittivity to converge toward a region of the confinement space which is subjected to the electric field gradient, wherein said first fluid is air and the second fluid is a hydrocarbon.

Claim 11

A device for optically switching at least one incident optical beam between at least first and second exit paths comprising: first and second fluids contained within a confinement space defined by a pair of transparent elements, electrically controlled switching means for placing into a path of said incident optical beam either the first fluid for producing reflection of the optical beam into said first exit path or the second fluid which does not produce a reflection so that the optical beam travels over the second exit path, the first and second fluids being immiscible and having different dielectric permittivities, one of the fluids having a globular structure embedded in interstitial structure of the other fluid, said electrically controlled switching means including means for generating an electric field gradient in order to cause the fluid having the higher permittivity to converge toward a region of the confinement space which is subjected to the electric field gradient, wherein said switching means include electrodes adjacent said transparent elements, said electrodes coated on a surface not adjacent said transparent elements with a non-wettable coating.

Claim 12

A device for optically switching at least one incident optical beam between at least first and second exit paths comprising: first and second fluids contained within a confinement space defined by a pair of transparent elements, electrically controlled switching means for placing into a path of said incident optical beam either the first fluid for producing reflection of the optical beam into said first exit path or the second fluid which does not produce a reflection so that the optical beam travels over the second exit path, the first and second fluids being immiscible and having different dielectric permittivities, one of the fluids having a globular structure embedded in interstitial structure of the other fluid, said electrically controlled switching means including means for generating an electric field gradient in order to cause the fluid having the higher permittivity to converge toward a region of the confinement space which is subjected to the electric field gradient, wherein said switching means include electrodes adjacent said transparent elements, said electrodes coated on a surface not adjacent said transparent elements with a non-wettable coating.

Claim 15

A device for optically switching at least one incident optical beam between at least first and second exit paths comprising: first and second fluids contained within a confinement space defined by a pair of transparent elements, electrically controlled switching means for placing into a path of said incident optical beam either the first fluid for producing reflection of the optical beam into said first exit path or the second fluid which does not produce a reflection so that the optical beam travels over the second exit path, the first and second fluids being immiscible and having different dielectric permittivities, one of the fluids having a globular structure embedded in interstitial structure of the other fluid, said electrically controlled switching means including means for generating an electric field gradient in order to cause the fluid having the higher permittivity to converge toward a region of the confinement space which is subjected to the electric field gradient, wherein said switching means includes electrodes adjacent said transparent elements having an inter-engaging form.

Claim 16

A device for optically switching at least one incident optical beam between at least first and second exit paths comprising: first and second fluids contained within a confinement space defined by a pair of transparent elements, electrically controlled switching means for placing into a path of said incident optical beam either the first fluid for producing reflection of the optical beam into said first exit path or the second fluid which does not produce a reflection so that the optical beam travels over the second exit path, the first and second fluids being immiscible and having different dielectric permittivities, one of the fluids having a globular structure embedded in interstitial structure of the other fluid, said electrically controlled switching means including means for generating an electric field gradient in order to cause the fluid having the higher permittivity to converge toward a region of the confinement space which is subjected to the electric field gradient, wherein said switching means includes electrodes adjacent said transparent elements having an inter-engaging form.

Claim 19

A device for optically switching plural incident optical beams between at least first and second exit paths for each incident beam, comprising: first and second fluids contained within a confinement space defined by a pair of transparent elements, electrically controlled switching means for placing into a path of each said incident optical beam either the first fluid for producing reflection of the optical beam into said first exit path or the second fluid which does not produce a reflection so that the optical beam travels over the second exit path, the first and second fluids being immiscible and having different dielectric permittivities, one of the fluids having a globular structure embedded in interstitial structure of the other fluid, said electrically controlled switching means including means for generating an electric field greadient in order to cause the fluid having the higher permittivity to converge toward a region of the confinement space which is subjected to the electric field gradient, wherein said switching means produces movement of said fluids in said confinement space in a direction defined by a plane within which said incident optical beams lie, and wherein said second fluid is a hydrocarbon.

Claim 20

A device for optically switching plural incident optical beams between at least first and second exit paths for each incident beam, comprising: first and second fluids contained within a confinement space defined by a pair of transparent elements, electrically controlled switching means for placing into a path of each said incident optical beam either the first fluid for producing reflection of the optical beam into said first exit path or the second fluid which does not produce a reflection so that the optical beam travels over the second exit path, the first and second fluids being immiscible and having different dielectric permittivities, one of the fluids having a globular structure embedded in interstitial structure of the other fluid, said electrically controlled switching means including means for generating an electric field greadient in order to cause the fluid having the higher permittivity to converge toward a region of the confinement space which is subjected to the electric field gradient, wherein said switching means produces movement of said fluids in said confinement space in a direction defined by a plane within which said incident optical beams lie, and wherein said second fluid is a hydrocarbon.

Claim 21

A device for optically switching plural incident optical beams between at least first and second exit paths for each incident beam, comprising: first and second fluids contained within a confinement space defined by a pair of transparent elements, electrically controlled switching means for placing into a path of each said incident optical beam either the first fluid for producing reflection of the optical beam into said first exit path or the second fluid which does not produce a reflection so that the optical beam travels over the second exit path, the first and second fluids being immiscible and having different dielectric permittivities, one of the fluids having a globular structure embedded in interstitial structure of the other fluid, said electrically controlled switching means including means for generating an electric field gradient in order to cause the fluid having the higher permittivity to converge toward a region of the confinement space which is subjected to the electric field gradient, wherein said switching means produces movement of said fluids in said confinement space in a direction defined by a plane within which said incident optical beams lie, and wherein said switching means includes electrodes with a non-wettable coating.

Claim 22

A device for optically switching plural incident optical beams between at least first and second exit paths for each incident beam, comprising: first and second fluids contained within a confinement space defined by a pair of transparent elements, electrically controlled switching means for placing into a path of each said incident optical beam either the first fluid for producing reflection of the optical beam into said first exit path or the second fluid which does not produce a reflection so that the optical beam travels over the second exit path, the first and second fluids being immiscible and having different dielectric permittivities, one of the fluids having a globular structure embedded in interstitial structure of the other fluid, said electrically controlled switching means including means for generating an electric field gradient in order to cause the fluid having the higher permittivity to converge toward a region of the confinement space which is subjected to the electric field gradient, wherein said switching means produces movement of said fluids in said confinement space in a direction defined by a plane within which said incident optical beams lie, and wherein said switching means includes electrodes with a non-wettable coating.

Claim 23

A device for optically switching plural incident optical beams between at least first and second exit paths for each incident beam, comprising: first and second fluids contained within a confinement space defined by a pair of transparent elements, electrically controlled switching means for placing into a path of each said incident optical beam either the first fluid for producing reflection of the optical beam into said first exit path or the second fluid which does not produce a reflection so that the optical beam travels over the second exit path, the first and second fluids being immiscible and having different dielectric permittivites, one of the fluids having a globular structure embedded in interstitial structure of the other fluid, said electrically controlled switching means including means for generating an electric field gradient in order to cause the fluid having the higher permittivity to converge toward a region of the confinement space which is subjected to the electric field gradient, wherein said switching means produces movement of said fluids in said confinement space in a direction defined by a plane within which said incident optical beams lie, and wherein said switching means includes electrodes of inter-engaging form.

Claim 24

A device for optically switching plural incident optical beams between at least first and second exit paths for each incident beam, comprising: first and second fluids contained within a confinement space defined by a pair of transparent elements, electrically controlled switching means for placing into a path of each said incident optical beam either the first fluid for producing reflection of the optical beam into said first exit path or the second fluid which does not produce a reflection so that the optical beam travels over the second exit path, the first and second fluids being immiscible and having different dielectric permittivites, one of the fluids having a globular structure embedded in interstitial structure of the other fluid, said electrically controlled switching means including means for generating an electric field gradient in order to cause the fluid having the higher permittivity to converge toward a region of the confinement space which is subjected to the electric field gradient, wherein said switching means produces movement of said fluids in said confinement space in a direction defined by a plane within which said incident optical beams lie, and wherein said switching means includes electrodes of inter-engaging form.