Patent ID: 6903287

Claim:
An optical relay comprising: a relay housing containing a switching channel; first and second contact pads located in the switching channel and each having a surface wettable by a liquid metal; a third contact pad located in the switching channel between the first and second contact pads and having a surface wettable by a liquid metal; a first liquid metal droplet in wetted contact with the first contact pad; a second liquid metal droplet in wetted contact with the second contact pad; a third liquid metal droplet in wetted contact with the third contact pad and adapted to move within the switching channel to coalesce with one of the first liquid metal droplet and the second liquid metal droplet; a first optical path passing through the switching channel between the first and third liquid metal droplets; a first heater comprising: a first heater chamber containing a first actuation gas; a first gas duct coupling the first heater chamber to the switching channel between the first and third contact pads; and a first heater resistor operable to increase the pressure of the first actuation gas, thereby causing the first and third liquid metal droplets to separate and the second and third liquid metal droplets to coalesce; and a second heater comprising: a second heater chamber containing a second actuation gas; a second gas duct coupling the second heater chamber to the switching channel between the second and third contact pads; and a second heater resistor operable to increase the pressure of the second actuation gas, thereby causing the second and third liquid metal droplets to separate and the first and third liquid metal droplets to coalesce, wherein the first optical path is broken when the first and third liquid metal droplets are coalesced and is completed when the first and third liquid metal droplets are separated.