A micropositioner is provided. The micropositioner can include a suspension system with a support element that is connected to a base by first and second sets of flexures. The first and second sets of flexures permit movement of the support element within first and second dimensions respectively, while preventing movement of the support element in a third dimension that is orthogonal to the first and second dimensions. More particularly, the first set of flexures can include first and second flexures that are opposite one another and configured such that movement of the support element in the first dimension is allowed, but movement of the support element in the second and third dimensions is prevented. The second set of flexures can include third and fourth flexures that are opposite to one another and configured such that movement of the support element in the second dimension is allowed, but movement in the first and third dimensions is prevented. The micropositioner may be included in a system for pointing a laser beam.

A micropositioner is provided. The micropositioner can include a suspension system with a support element that is connected to a base by first and second sets of flexures. The first and second sets of flexures permit movement of the support element within first and second dimensions respectively, while preventing movement of the support element in a third dimension that is orthogonal to the first and second dimensions. More particularly, the first set of flexures can include first and second flexures that are opposite one another and configured such that movement of the support element in the first dimension is allowed, but movement of the support element in the second and third dimensions is prevented. The second set of flexures can include third and fourth flexures that are opposite to one another and configured such that movement of the support element in the second dimension is allowed, but movement in the first and third dimensions is prevented. The micropositioner may be included in a system for pointing a laser beam.

Photonic integrated circuits including controllable cantilevers are described. Such photonic integrated circuits may be used in connection with other optical devices, in which light is transferred between the photonic integrated circuit and one of these optical device. The photonic integrated circuit may comprise an optical waveguide having an end disposed proximate to a facet of the cantilever. The orientation of the cantilever may be actively controlled in one or two dimensions, thus adjusting the orientation of the optical waveguide. Actuation of the cantilever may be performed, for example, thermally and/or electrostatically. Orientation of the cantilever may be performed in such a way to align the optical waveguide with an optical device.

An apparatus arranged for deflecting an optical component for alignment purposes of the optical component with a further optical component, wherein the apparatus comprises a plurality of adjacently placed elongate carriers, extending mutually parallel to each other in a longitudinal direction, wherein two adjacently placed elongate carriers have a spacing between them for receiving a first optical component such that the received optical component rests against two adjacently placed elongate carriers, wherein the two elongate carriers have slopes such that the spacing between the two adjacently placed elongate carriers is smaller at a bottom side compared to the spacing at a top side of the carriers, wherein the carriers comprise piezoelectric material configured to deflect the carriers in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction by actuating the piezoelectric material.

A mirror device includes a mirror, an actuator tilting the mirror, a first hinge coupling the mirror to the actuator, a base, a second hinge coupling the mirror to the base, a movable comb electrode coupled to the mirror, and a fixed comb electrode fixed to the base. The actuator is controlled based on a capacitance between the movable comb electrode and the fixed comb electrode. The movable comb electrode is disposed on a portion of the mirror closer to the second hinge than to the first hinge.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide an optical switch that does not require power supply.

The present disclosure is an optical switch including: an optical drive unit including an optical expansion body that expands by irradiation with light and contracts by blocking of light, a knock rod that converts the expansion and contraction of the optical expansion body into linear motion that reciprocates by a certain distance, and a rotary moving body that includes a rotor, and converts the linear motion into rotary motion that rotates by a certain angle about an axis of the rotor in accordance with the linear motion that reciprocates by a certain distance by the knock rod; and an optical switching unit including a first optical connection body to which one switching target optical fiber is fixed, a second optical connection body to which each optical fiber of a switching target optical fiber group is fixed, and a connection rotation body that is fixed to the rotor of the rotary moving body, rotates about the axis of the rotor, and switches and connects the one switching target optical fiber fixed to the first optical connection body in contact with one end surface and one optical fiber in the switching target optical fiber group fixed to the second optical connection body in contact with the other end surface.

An optical fiber scanner including: an elongated optical fiber that guides light; a vibration transferring member that has a through-hole through which the optical fiber is made to pass; piezoelectric elements bonded to the outer surfaces of the vibration transferring member and that perform stretching vibrations in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber when alternating voltages at a predetermined frequency are applied thereto, thus causing the optical fiber to generate bending vibrations in directions intersecting the longitudinal direction; and a fixing part that fixes the vibration transferring member. The vibration transferring member is provided with: holding surfaces formed of flat surfaces to which the piezoelectric elements are bonded; and contact surfaces formed of flat surfaces parallel to the holding surfaces, that are provided at least partially on the inner surfaces of the through-hole, and with which the outer surface of the optical fiber is brought into contact.

A sensing device (10) for a high voltage disconnecting switch (20). The sensing device (10) comprises: a first optical fiber (110) configured to receive light from an optical source (100) and configured to guide the light; an optical collimator (120) coupled to the first optical fiber (110) to receive the light guided in the first optical fiber (110) and configured to collimate the light into a collimated light beam; a bendable optical component (130) coupled to the optical collimator (120) to receive the collimated light beam and configured to guide the collimated light beam, wherein the bendable optical component (130) is configured and arranged to bend depending on a switching state of the high voltage disconnecting switch (20), thereby influencing the collimated light beam; and a deriving unit (160) configured to derive information about the switching state of the high voltage disconnecting switch (20) based on the collimated light beam.

A photonic integrated circuit comprising a waveguide for guiding an electro-magnetic wave, and a thermomechanical compensator comprising a thermomechanical actuator for interacting with the electro-magnetic wave, when present in the waveguide, for affecting an effective refractive index experienced by said electro-magnetic wave. The thermomechanical compensator is arranged so that a position of the actuator with respect to said waveguide depends on an ambient temperature so as to reduce or minimize an aggregate phase shift of said electro-magnetic wave within at least part of the photonic integrated circuit resulting from a change of said ambient temperature.