Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
178 words
An optical waveguide interferometer modulator comprising: an optical waveguide for transmitting single mode optical energy; first and second single mode optical waveguide branches defined by electro-optically responsive material converging at a common connection to said optical waveguide, and diverging along a substantially co-extensive distance to reconverge for providing first and second single mode light paths of substantially identical optical length; a light path connecting with said first and second single mode optical waveguide branches at their reconvergence; conductive electrodes disposed contiguous to a portion of at least one of said single mode optical waveguide branches between its points of divergence and reconvergence; a source of electrical energy; and switch means controlling connection of said electrodes with said source of electricl energy to selectively change the optical properties of at least one of said single mode optical waveguide branches by impressing an electric field thereacross causing relative phase shift between the optical energy transmitted through said branches, and producing destructive optical interference in said light path at the reconvergence of said first and second single mode optical waveguide branches.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
178 words
An optical waveguide interferometer modulator comprising: an optical waveguide for transmitting single mode optical energy; first and second single mode optical waveguide branches defined by electro-optically responsive material converging at a common connection to said optical waveguide, and diverging along a substantially co-extensive distance to reconverge for providing first and second single mode light paths of substantially identical optical length; a light path connecting with said first and second single mode optical waveguide branches at their reconvergence; conductive electrodes disposed contiguous to a portion of at least one of said single mode optical waveguide branches between its points of divergence and reconvergence; a source of electrical energy; and switch means controlling connection of said electrodes with said source of electricl energy to selectively change the optical properties of at least one of said single mode optical waveguide branches by impressing an electric field thereacross causing relative phase shift between the optical energy transmitted through said branches, and producing destructive optical interference in said light path at the reconvergence of said first and second single mode optical waveguide branches.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
An optical waveguide interferometer modulator as claimed in claim 1 including first, second, and third electrodes connected to said source of electrical energy for producing electric fields of opposite polarity across said first and second single mode optical waveguide branches.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
An optical waveguide interferometer modulator as claimed in claim 2 wherein said first and second electrodes are disposed outside and parallel to said first and second single mode optical waveguide branches, respectively, and said third electrode is disposed between said first and second single mode optical waveguide branches.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
An optical waveguide interferometer modulator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said source of electrical energy is a d.c. potential.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
An optical waveguide interferometer modulator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said source of electrical energy is an a.c. potential.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
An optical waveguide interferometer modulator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said source of electrical energy is an a.c. potential and includes a variable d.c. bias potential.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
An optical waveguide interferometer modulator as climed in claim 1 wherein the amplitude of the electrical energy connected to said electrodes causes πradians phase difference in the optical energy transmitted by said first and second single mode optical waveguide branches.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
90 words
An optical waveguide interferometer modulator as claimed in claim 1 operative as a switch in which said ligth path comprises a multimode optical waveguide connected to two diverging optical waveguides of different dimensions such that one of said diverging optical waveguides has a propagation velocity selectively conductive to the transmission of first order mode light energy received from said multimode optical waveguide, and the other said diverging optical waveguide has a propagation velocity selectively conductive to the transmission of second order mode light energy received from said multimode optical waveguide.