Patent ID: 6956982

Claim:
A method for varying the output power of an integrated optical lightguide device comprising the steps of: providing a lightguide device; locating a light source at an entrance of said lightguide device; locating a light detector at an exit of said lightguide device; transmitting light through said lightguide device in a direction of light propagation; forming in a non-periodic or arbitrary length distribution different types of segments in said lightguide device, each type of segment having a different refractive index profile in a plane perpendicular to said direction of light propagation wherein the refractive index profile of at least one type of segment is sensitive to an external physical parameter or chemical compound activating said at least one type of segment; using refractive index profile dependent attenuation of guided modes passing transitions between two different segments; and providing a lightguide channel including a light transmitting layer of an electro-optical material, wherein, in order to obtain light modulation, activating segments of one type by means of an electrical potential difference between two electrodes patterned in an electrically conductive intermediate layer on either side of said lightguide channel.