Abstract: An optical switch, wherein the first and second output ports (optical fibers) are disposed on the opposite sides of the input port (optical fiber) so as to form acute angles with respect to the input port, the input port and the first output port are optically coupled to each other through a first mirror surface, and the input port and the second output port are optically coupled to each other through a second mirror surface. The incident angles of an incident light beam with respect to the mirror surfaces are equalized, and optical path lengths between the input port and the first and second output ports are equalized. The actuator inserts and withdraws the second mirror surface on a position at the front of the first mirror surface.

Abstract: The end parts of three optical waveguide parts are supported, mutually in parallel, on a substrate, the end part of the center optical waveguide part being one input port and the end parts of other two optical waveguide parts being a first and a second output port, the emitted light from the input port is switched, by means of a first moving mirror and a second moving mirror which are switchingly inserted into positions having the same distance from the end face of the input port, to either the first output port side or the second output port side, the light from the first moving mirror and the light from the second moving mirror being reflected respectively in a first fixed mirror or a second fixed mirror, the light being respectively coupled to the first or the second output port.

Abstract: A miniature movable device comprises a movable part (a mirror, a movable rod, support arms, and a movable comb tooth electrode) formed on a substrate and adapted to be displaced in a direction parallel to the sheet surface of the substrate, a fixing part formed and fixedly mounted on the substrate, and hinges, each having its opposite ends connected to the movable part and the fixing part and assuming two flexural conditions which are reversed in flexural, the hinges being effective to maintain the movable part at two positions by a self-holding action when it assumes either flexural condition. The substrate is formed with wall surfaces which are disposed oppositely to the opposite surfaces of the hinges over a movable range of the hinges.

Abstract: In a microminiature moving device that has disposed, on a single-crystal silicon substrate, movable elements (a movable rod 46, a movable comb electrode 49, etc.) displaceable in parallel to the substrate surface and stationary parts (a stationary part 40a, etc.), the stationary parts are fixedly secured to the single-crystal silicon substrate 61 with an insulating layer 62 sandwiched therebetween, and depressions 64 are formed in those surface regions of the single-crystal silicon substrate 61 where no stationary parts are present, and the movable parts are positioned above the depressions 64. The depressions 64 form gaps 50 large enough to prevent foreign bodies from causing troubles such as malfunction of the movable parts and shoring.

Abstract: An optical device formed on a substrate comprises: plural fiber channels formed in the top surface of the substrate; a mirror to be pushed into and pulled out of an optical path between optical fibers disposed in the fiber channels; a movable rod carrying at one end the mirror; a comb-type electrostatic actuator disposed in association with the intermediate portion of the movable rod, for moving the movable rod lengthwise thereof; and plural support beams disposed near the one and the other end of the movable rod on both sides of the point of application of driving force by the comb-type electrostatic actuator, for movably supporting the movable rod. The support beams support the movable rod at positions having line symmetry with respect to a center line parallel to the lengthwise direction of the movable rod, and points of supporting the movable rod by the plural support beams are symmetrical with respect to the point of application of the driving force by the comb-type electrostatic actuator.

Abstract: A movable part formed on a substrate and adapted to be displaced in a direction parallel to the sheet surface of the substrate, a fixing part formed and fixedly mounted on the substrate, and springy hinges extending parallel to the sheet surface of the substrate and having their opposite ends connected to the movable part and the fixing part for supporting the movable part in a displaceable manner are provided. As viewed in cross section in a plane perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the hinges, the hinge has a width which is diminishing as the top surface of the substrate is approached, thus having a trapezoidal or triangular cross section. A width as measured on the top surface of the hinge which is required to provide an equivalent spring constant can be chosen to be greater than the width of a hinge having a rectangular cross section (constant width), and this facilitates the implementation of the photolithography during the manufacture.

Abstract: An optical device formed on a substrate comprises: plural fiber channels formed in the top surface of the substrate; a mirror to be pushed into and pulled out of an optical path between optical fibers disposed in the fiber channels; a movable rod carrying at one end the mirror; a comb-type electrostatic actuator disposed in association with the intermediate portion of the movable rod, for moving the movable rod lengthwise thereof; and plural support beams disposed near the one and the other end of the movable rod on both sides of the point of application of driving force by the comb-type electrostatic actuator, for movably supporting the movable rod. The support beams support the movable rod at positions having line symmetry with respect to a center line parallel to the lengthwise direction of the movable rod, and points of supporting the movable rod by the plural support beams are symmetrical with respect to the point of application of the driving force by the comb-type electrostatic actuator.

Abstract: In a microminiature moving device that has disposed, on a single-crystal silicon substrate, movable elements (a movable rod 46, a movable comb electrode 49, etc.) displaceable in parallel to the substrate surface and stationary parts (a stationary part 40a, etc.), the stationary parts are fixedly secured to the single-crystal silicon substrate 61 with an insulating layer 62 sandwiched therebetween, and depressions 64 are formed in those surface regions of the single-crystal silicon substrate 61 where no stationary parts are present, and the movable parts are positioned above the depressions 64. The depressions 64 form gaps 50 large enough to prevent foreign bodies from causing troubles such as malfunction of the movable parts and shoring.

Abstract: A movable part formed on a substrate and adapted to be displaced in a direction parallel to the sheet surface of the substrate, a fixing part formed and fixedly mounted on the substrate, and springy hinges extending parallel to the sheet surface of the substrate and having their opposite ends connected to the movable part and the fixing part for supporting the movable part in a displaceable manner are provided. As viewed in cross section in a plane perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the hinges, the hinge has a width which is diminishing as the top surface of the substrate is approached, thus having a trapezoidal or triangular cross section. A width as measured on the top surface of the hinge which is required to provide an equivalent spring constant can be chosen to be greater than the width of a hinge having a rectangular cross section (constant width), and this facilitates the implementation of the photolithography during the manufacture.

Abstract: A miniature movable device comprises a movable part (a mirror, a movable rod, support arms, and a movable comb tooth electrode) formed on a substrate and adapted to be displaced in a direction parallel to the sheet surface of the substrate, a fixing part formed and fixedly mounted on the substrate, and hinges, each having its opposite ends connected to the movable part and the fixing part and assuming two flexural conditions which are reversed in flexural, the hinges being effective to maintain the movable part at two positions by a self-holding action when it assumes either flexural condition. The substrate is formed with wall surfaces which are disposed oppositely to the opposite surfaces of the hinges over a movable range of the hinges.

Abstract: A micro-optic device including a complicate structure and a movable mirror is made to be manufactured in a reduced length of time. A silicon substrate and a single crystal silicon device layer with an intermediate layer of silicon dioxide interposed therebetween defines a substrate on which a layer of mask material is formed and is patterned to form a mask having the same pattern as the configuration of the intended optical device as viewed in plan view. A surface which is to be constructed as a mirror surface is chosen to be in a plane of the silicon crystal. Using the mask, the device layer is vertically etched by a reactive ion dry etching until the intermediate layer is exposed. Subsequently, using KOH solution, a wet etching which is anisotropic to the crystallographic orientation is performed with an etching rate which is on the order of 0.1 ?m/min for a time interval on the order of ten minutes is performed to convert the sidewall surface of the mirror into a smooth crystallographic surface.