Patent ID: 6512873
Filing Date: 2003-01-28
Classification: C03C,G02B

Abstract:
An optical waveguiding body of substantially silicon dioxide for guiding light of a considered wavelength and having at least one waveguide core, comprising:a region doped with at least fluorine and phosphorous to such concentrations, that when heating a part of the region the refractive index of the heated part of the region for light of the considered wavelength is changed, so that the light guiding properties of the heated part of the region for light of the considered wavelength are changed to at least one of making the heated part of the region form another waveguide core for guiding light of the considered wavelength, changing the waveguiding properties of the part of the region from not allowing to allowing a coupling of light propagating along another waveguide core to the part of the region or inversely of light propagating along the part to another waveguide core, and making a waveguide core disappear, by at least one of eliminating the waveguiding properties of the waveguide core for light of the considered wavelength, and changing the waveguiding properties of the part of the region from allowing to not allowing a coupling of light propagating along another waveguide core to the part of the region or inversely of light propagating along the part to another waveguide core.