Patent ID: 7003188

Claim:
An apparatus for switching an optical signal, the apparatus comprising: a substrate; a movable microstructure formed by a semiconductor process on the substrate, the movable microstructure being suspended at a distance from the substrate and being adapted to move relative to the substrate; an actuator to cause the movable microstructure to move from a first position to a second position relative to the substrate; a mirrorless light-guiding structure mounted to the movable microstructure such that the mirrorless light-guiding structure moves with the movable microstructure, the mirrorless light-guiding structure including a first set of optical paths and a second set of optical paths such that when the movable microstructure is in the first position, the optical signal travels along the first set of optical paths in the light-guiding structure, and when the movable microstructure is in the second position, the optical signal travels along the second set of optical paths in the mirrorless light-guiding structure; an input stationary waveguide coupled to the substrate and positioned to transmit the optical signal over a gap between the input stationary waveguide and the first set of optical paths in the mirrorless light-guiding structure, wherein the gap is oriented at an obligue angle to the input stationary waveguide and to the first set of optical paths of the mirrorless light-guiding structure; and a notch in a first edge portion of the movable microstructure, the first edge portion extending in a Y direction, the microstructure having a second edge portion which extends in an X direction, the X and Y directions being substantially perpendicular to each other, the notch having a third edge portion and a fourth edge portion, wherein the fourth edge portion extends substantially parallel to the X direction, and wherein the optical signal enters the first set of optical paths at the fourth edge portion of the notch, wherein the gap is located adjacent to the fourth edge portion of the notch.