Patent ID: 6704474
Filing Date: 2004-03-09
Classification: G02F

Abstract:
A fiber optic switching system, comprising:a plurality of fiber optic cables; a support structure for securing light emitting/light receiving ends of the plurality of fiber optic cables in predetermined positions; means for selectively steering light emitted from the light emitting/light receiving end of one of the fiber optic cables simultaneously to the light emitting/light receiving ends of more than one of the plurality of fiber optic cables, the selectively steering means comprising means for collimating and directing the light emitted from the end of one of the cables as a beam propagating along a predetermined direction and means for changing the index of refraction of a liquid crystal material for providing a plurality of beam steering positions for steering the beam towards the ends of more than one of said plurality of fiber optic cables selectively in accordance with an electrical signal; and a substrate; a plurality of receiving electro-optical phase shifting media disposed on such substrate, each one of the receiving electro-optical phase shifting media intercepting a corresponding one of the beams steered simultaneously to the light emitting/light receiving ends of more than one of the plurality of fiber optic cables.