Patent ID: 6366710
Filing Date: 2002-04-02
Classification: B41J,G02B,G02F

Abstract:
A selectably directable optical beam deflecting device comprising:at least one monolithic semiconductor substrate formed of layers of materials arranged to confine an electrical field in a relatively small thickness; and a plurality of selectably directable optical beam deflectors formed in a single one of said at least one monolithic semiconductor substrate, each of said plurality of selectably directable optical beam deflectors comprising: a multiplicity of waveguides formed in said semiconductor substrate, at least one of said multiplicity of waveguides receiving light at an edge of said at least one semiconductor substrate and emitting light, the totality of light emitted by said multiplicity of waveguides producing at least one selectably directable output beam; at least one mode matching optical element operative to receive light from a light source and provide said light to said multiplicity of waveguides; and a source of electrical inputs to said at least one substrate for individually controlling the light emitted by each of the multiplicity of waveguides, thereby governing the orientation of said selectably directable output beam.