| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an optical switch which can be made small-sized and simplified in productivity although the optical switch is a matrix type. SOLUTION: The matrix type optical switch having elements, which each have refractive index matching liquid filled in a gap 9 provided at the intersection of optical waveguides 3a and 3b and switch the optical path at the intersection of the optical waveguides 3a and 3 by moving the liquid in the gap 9 by electrifying an electric heater 5, in the row and a column direction is equipped with lower-layer electric wires 4 mutually connecting the electric heaters 4 of the elements arrayed in the same row direction and upper-layer electric wires 7 mutually connecting the electric heaters 5 of the elements arrayed in the same column direction, provided with an insulating layer 8 between the lower-layer electric wires 4 and upper-layer electric wires 7, and equipped with a both-end open duct 13 which is formed between adjacent elements in the row direction of the elements and have both its end linked with the outside and a connecting duct 14 which has one end communicated with the gap 9 and the outer linked with the both-end open duct 13 that is the closest to the gap 9. |
