Optical switching device with hard spacers exhibiting thermoplastic property at a temperature not higher than 150amp;deg; C. and fabrication process

摘要

An optical switching device of the present invention includes at least two substrates disposed facing opposite to each other. By scattering hard spacers which are thermally undeformable and soft spacers which are larger in size than the hard spacers and adapted to deform and then to cure by heat to adhere to the substrates, the spacing defined between the substrates is kept constant by diameters of the hard spacers. A medium having an optical switching function is retained in a gap defined between the substrates. The periphery of the gap between the substrates is sealed with a sealer. The sealer is made of a thermosetting resin having a thermosetting point equal to or higher than the thermosetting point of the soft spacers.