OPTICAL SWITCH

摘要

An optical switch includes electrode portions (13a, 13b) arranged inside an electro-optical crystal so as to control voltage supply to the electrode portions (13a, 13b), thereby performing switching between the reflection state and the transmission state for the light incident to the electro-optical crystal.  The optical switch further includes a temperature keeping means having metal layers (4a, 4b) formed in a region adjacent to end portions of the electrode formation region where the electrode portions (13a, 13b) inside the electro-optical crystal are formed along the end portions, so that the aforementioned electrode formation region is heated or cooled via the metal layers (4a, 4b) to maintain the temperature of the electrode formation region within a predetermined temperature range.