Patent ID: 9195009
Filing Date: 2015-11-24
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. A microfluidic optical switch, comprising: a microfluidic chamber; an optical input coupled to the microfluidic chamber; a plurality of optical outputs coupled to the microfluidic chamber; and an inlet coupled to the microfluidic chamber, the inlet configured to controllably pass a series of individual droplets of a first liquid into the microfluidic chamber, with each droplet separated from other of the series of individual droplets of the first liquid by gas or droplets of a second liquid, wherein the microfluidic chamber, the optical input, and the plurality of optical outputs are configured such that light entering the microfluidic chamber from the optical input passes to a first of the plurality of optical outputs when a droplet of the first liquid is in the microfluidic chamber and passes to a second of the plurality of optical outputs when a droplet of the first liquid is not in the microfluidic chamber.