| 摘要 |
<p><P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To switch a signal light beam to a plurality of optical paths of which the number is equal to or larger than the number of control light beams, by the same optical path switching device. <P>SOLUTION: In an optical path switching device, a signal light beam 1000 is emitted from an optical fiber end surface placed at center out of end surfaces of an end-surface proximity 7-core bundle optical fiber 1 on the irradiation side, and control light beam(s), such as 1011, 1012, is/are emitted alone from one of 6 peripheral optical fiber end surfaces or simultaneously emitted from two adjacent optical fiber end surfaces. The signal light beam 1000 and the control light(s) pass a collimator lens 2 and a condenser lens 3, and are converged on and radiated to a thermal lens forming element 4. The signal light from the thermal lens forming element 4 passes a light receiving lens for collimating the light, a truncated dodecagonal pyramid prism 7 including a wedge type prism part, and a coupling lens 8. The signal light, which is emitted from the coupling lens 8 and propagates rectilinearly or has been subjected to optical path switching, selectively enters on one of optical fiber end surfaces 900 to 912 of a 13-core bundle optical fiber 9 being a light receiving element, in accordance with irradiation/non-irradiation of control light beams and combination of control light beams. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2013,JPO&INPIT</p> |
