| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical switch that needs no high power for a state change and can surely maintain any state even when the power is interrupted. SOLUTION: The optical switch (10) includes first and second waveguides (13, 14) having ends disposed across a gap being part of a trench (18) of a board. When the gap is filled with a liquid having a first index of refraction, light traversing the first waveguide (13) enters the second waveguide (14), whereas light traversing the first waveguide (13) is reflected by the gap when no liquid is filled in the gap. A liquid droplet (12) made from a droplet material having the first index of refraction is contained in the trench (18). The droplet (12) is located in the trench (18) and is movable between the first and second positions in the trench (18). The droplet (12), fills the gap at the first position and is deviated from the gap at the second position. |
