Claims
- 1. An optical-modulation method comprising the steps of:
moving exactly one liquid-gas interface, through manipulation of a gas bubble by the liquid; and using the position of the interface to control light transmission along a light path.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein:
the using step comprises controlling the transmission by variation of reflection at a chamber containing the bubble and liquid.
- 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the chamber is interposed along the path; and:
the reflection is used to control transmission across the chamber.
- 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the variation comprises shifting between:
substantially total reflection; and a smaller amount of reflection.
- 5. The method of claim 4, wherein:
the smaller amount of reflection is a substantially unavoidable level of reflection for the liquid and a material of the chamber.
- 6. The method of claim 2, wherein:
the moving step comprises mechanically displacing a volume of the liquid.
- 7. The method of claim 6, wherein:
the displacing step comprises shifting a diaphragm in contact with the liquid.
- 8. The method of claim 7, wherein:
the shifting step comprises energizing a linear actuator.
- 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the energizing step comprises operating:
a piezoelectric device; or a solenoid; or a magnetostrictive device; or a thermal device; or an electrostatic attractor or repellor; or an optically energized device.
- 10. An optical-modulation method comprising the steps of:
compression, by a liquid, of a preexisting bubble of gas of a substance different from the liquid; and using relationships between properties of the liquid and the gas to control light transmission along a light path.
- 11. The method of claim 10, wherein:
the using step comprises controlling the transmission by variation of reflection at a chamber containing the bubble and liquid.
- 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the chamber is interposed along the path; and:
the reflection is used to control transmission across the chamber.
- 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the variation comprises shifting between:
substantially total reflection; and a smaller amount of reflection.
- 14. The method of claim 13, wherein:
the smaller amount of reflection is a substantially unavoidable level of reflection for the liquid and a material of the chamber.
- 15. The method of claim 11, wherein:
the compression or expansion step comprises mechanically displacing a volume of the liquid.
- 16. The method of claim 15, wherein:
the displacing step comprises shifting a diaphragm in contact with the liquid.
- 17. The method of claim 16, wherein:
the shifting step comprises energizing a linear actuator.
- 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the energizing step comprises operating:
a piezoelectric device; or a solenoid; or a magnetostrictive device; or a thermal device; or an electrostatic attractor or repellor; or an optically energized device.
- 19. Optical modulation apparatus comprising:
an exclusively mechanical transducer for displacing a volume of liquid as between at least two positions; an at least partially mechanical actuator for operating the transducer; and an optical transmission path that intersects the liquid volume when the volume is in one of the positions, and that does not intersect the volume when the volume is in another of the positions.
- 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:
the transducer is neither a thermal nor a chemical system.
- 21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:
the transducer comprises a movable diaphragm.
- 22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the actuator is:
a piezoelectric device; or a solenoid; or a magnetostrictive device; or a thermal device; or an electrostatic attractor or repellor.
- 23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein:
the actuator is an optically energized device.
- 24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:
the transducer comprises a channel containing the liquid volume and having a first cross-section; and a reservoir having a second cross-section that is at least several times the first cross-section, and containing further liquid in a pressure-transmitting relationship with the liquid volume.
- 25. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:
optical structures along the path for causing the path to use one route when the liquid intersects the volume, and another route when the liquid does not intersect the volume.
- 26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein:
the optical structures comprise a reflective surface whose reflective properties depend upon presence or absence of the liquid at the surface.
- 27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the reflective properties comprise:
conditions for substantially total reflection in a first condition of liquid at the surface; and a smaller level of reflection in a second condition of liquid at the surface.
- 28. Optical modulation apparatus comprising:
a fluidic transducer having stroke amplification through a ratio of cross-sections between driving and driven stages; and a variable-reflection optical cell having a control liquid displaced by the driven stage of the transducer; and an optical transmission path modulated by the cell.
- 29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein:
the driven stage comprises a first hydraulic chamber in pressure-transmitting relationship with the control liquid in the cell, and having a first cross-sectional area; and the driving stage comprises a second hydraulic chamber in pressure-transmitting relationship with the first hydraulic chamber, and having a second cross-sectional area that is at least several times the first cross-sectional area.
- 30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising:
a diaphragm in contact with the second hydraulic chamber to energize liquid in the driving stage.
- 31. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising:
an actuator operating the diaphragm.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This document is based in part upon, and claims priority from, provisional applications No. 60/289,883 and No. 60/327,760 of David Kane; and No. 60/327,759 of David Kane and Nichol McGruer. All three are wholly incorporated by reference into the present document.
Provisional Applications (3)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60289883 |
May 2001 |
US |
|
60327760 |
Oct 2001 |
US |
|
60327759 |
Oct 2001 |
US |