Patent ID: 6345132
Filing Date: 2002-02-05
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
An optical switching element for changing the direction of propagation of at least one light beam comprising: a transparent base body at least along the beam path, which has a boundary surface, on which the incident light beam impinges, between an optically more dense medium and an optically less dense medium and a recess to form at least one boundary surface, which contains a fluid and a body movable in the recess,wherein the base body and the movable body consist at least partially of materials that are transparent in the wavelength region used, and the fluid being of such nature and the movable body being of such configuration and able to move in the recess between a position in which the optical switching element is in a transmitting condition and a position in which the optical switching element is in a reflecting condition, that, in the transmitting condition of the switch, the movable body is situated in the wave path of the incident light and at least the region of a slit between the boundary surface and the surface of the movable body lying in the path of the incident light is filled completely with the fluid, wherein in the reflecting condition of the switch, at least the region of the boundary surface lying in the path of the incident light is free of the fluid, so that the incident light is essentially reflected at the boundary surface and at least one activating device is provided for switching the moveable body between the transmitting and the reflecting condition of the switch.