Optical switches and actuators
An optical switch comprises one or more input ports for directing an optical beam into the switch; dispersive means configured to receive said optical beam and which spatially separate the optical beam into individual wavelength components which are routed to an actuator; wherein the actuator is in the form of an array of elongate movable fingers for selectively interfering with individual wavelength components and means are provided to direct optical beams to selected one or more output ports.
1. An optical switch comprising
at least one input port for directing an optical beam into the switch;
a dispersive component configured to receive said optical beam and which spatially separates the optical beam into individual wavelength components which are routed to an actuator;
wherein the actuator is in the form of an array of elongate movable fingers equipped with at least one switching element which directs individual wavelength components to selected output ports dependent upon the amount by which said switching elements are displaced by said fingers; and
wherein said actuator is configured to selectively interfere with individual wavelength components to avoid selected wavelengths from being routed to output ports.
2. An optical switch according to claim 1 , wherein at least one finger is part of a comb array.
3. An optical switch according to claim 1 , wherein at least one finger displaces an optical element.
4. An optical switch according to claim 3 , wherein the optical element is a reflective element which is displaceable in order to interfere with selected wavelength components.
5. An optical switch according to claim 4 , wherein the optical element is a prism.
6. An optical switch according to claim 5 , wherein the prism is truncated to form a surface for engaging the free moving extremity of the finger.
7. An optical switch according to claim 5 , wherein the prism is attached by one of its edges to the free moving extremity of the finger.
8. An optical switch according to claim 4 , wherein the reflective element is a mirror.
9. An optical switch according to claim 8 , wherein the mirror is mounted along the axis of the corresponding finger.
10. An optical switch according to claim 8 , wherein the mirror extends substantially perpendicularly from the longitudinal axis of the fingers.
11. An optical switch according to claim 1 , comprising a plurality of fingers which form part of a comb; the fingers displace in one dimension; a first set of said comb carry optical elements; and a second set of fingers of said comb are linked to fingers of the first set by one or more linkage arms; whereby the first set of fingers drive the displacement of selected optical elements in a first dimension and the second set of fingers drive the displacement in a second dimension of selected optical element carrying fingers.
12. An optical switch according to claim 1 , wherein the switch comprises a first array of actuator fingers without optical elements and a second array of actuator fingers with optical elements for directing wavelength components.
13. An optical switch according to claim 1 , wherein the fingers incorporate a mirror located in front of the free movable extremity of the fingers.
14. An optical switch according to claim 1 , wherein an electrical sensor is provided to sense the position of the fingers.
15. An optical switch according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a single actuator.
16. An optical switch according to claim 1 , wherein an actuator incorporates fingers which displace in two dimensions.
17. An optical switch according to claim 1 , wherein the switch comprises a first array of actuator fingers adapted to selectively interfere with individual components to avoid selected wavelengths from being routed to selected output ports and a second array of actuator fingers with optical elements for directing wavelength components to selected output ports dependent upon the amount by which said elements are displaced by said fingers.
18. An optical switch comprising
at least one input port for directing an optical beam into the switch;
a dispersive component configured to receive said optical beam and which spatially separates the optical beam into individual wavelength components which are routed to an actuator;
wherein the actuator is in the form of an array of elongate movable fingers for selectively interfering with individual wavelength components and a switching component is provided to direct optical beams to selected at least one output port; and
wherein at least one finger of the elongate movable fingers is a piezoelectric bender which does not carry an optical element but are displaceable into individual wavelength components to block selected wavelengths.
19. An optical switch comprising
at least one input port for directing an optical beam into the switch;
a dispersive component configured to receive said optical beam and which spatially separates the optical beam into individual wavelength components which are routed to an actuator;
wherein the actuator is in the form of an array of elongate movable fingers for selectively interfering with individual wavelength components and a switching component is provided to direct optical beams to selected at least one output port; and
wherein at least one finger of the elongate movable fingers displaces an optical element; the optical element is a reflective element which is displaceable in order to interfere with selected wavelength components; and the reflective element is attached to the at least one finger by a flexure.
20. An optical switch comprising
at least one input port for directing an optical beam into the switch;
a dispersive component configured to receive said optical beam and which spatially separates the optical beam into individual wavelength components which are routed to an actuator;
wherein the actuator is in the form of an array of elongate movable fingers for selectively interfering with individual wavelength components and a switching component is provided to direct optical beams to selected at least one output port; and
wherein the fingers are monolithic piezoelectric actuators displaceable in two dimensions, with a first connector to an optical element and a second connector between the optical element and a support structure; whereby the first connector and the second connector are spaced to achieve amplified movement of the optical element.
21. An optical switch according to claim 20 , wherein an electrical sensor is provided to sense the position of the connector.
22. An optical switch comprising
at least one input port for directing an optical beam into the switch;
a dispersive component configured to receive said optical beam and which spatially separates the optical beam into individual wavelength components which are routed to an actuator;
wherein the actuator is in the form of an array of elongate movable fingers for selectively interfering with individual wavelength components and a switching component is provided to direct optical beams to selected at least one output port; and
wherein the fingers displace an optical element with a rod extending from the element into a housing equipped with a sensor for sensing the position of the rod within said housing.