Optical switch

About: Optical switch is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 28538 publications have been published within this topic receiving 351176 citations.

Variable transmission multi-channel optical switch

Abstract: A multi-wavelength or white-light optical switch including an array of mirrors tiltable about two axes, both to control the switching and to provide variable power transmission through the switch, both for optimization and for power equalization between wavelength channels in a multi-wavelength signal. The output power of a channel is monitored, thereby allowing feedback adjustment of the transmitted power. The mirrors are preferably formed in a micro electromechanics system array to be tiltable in orthogonal directions and having electrostatically controlled tilting by two pairs of electrodes beneath the mirrors. Input power of the separate channels may also be monitored.

Semiconductor optical space switches

Abstract: This paper reviews the various optical space switch structures on III-V semiconductor material. Their characteristics are discussed in the context of optical transport and switching network applications exploiting wavelength division multiplexing.

Monolithic two dimensional waveguide coupled cavity laser/modulator

Abstract: A monolithic two dimensional waveguide coupled cavity laser/modulator structure for high speed modulation comprising a plurality of semiconductor layers on a semiconductor substrate One of the semiconductor layers functions as an active region Impurity induced disordering techniques are utilized to form first and second active mediums in the structure having co-axial two dimensional optical cavities One of these active mediums functions as a laser and the other as a modulator A passive two dimensional waveguide is integrally formed between the two active mediums having a highest refractive index at its core with diminishing refractive index omnidirectionally from its core with waveguide core having a energy bandgap level higher than both of the active mediums exhibiting low optical absorption at the gain wavelength of either of the active mediums The modulator can be operated between an electro-absorption mode and a gain modulation mode while the laser is current pumped above threshold with the modulated optical switching of the output of said laser being less than 100 picoseconds as a function of applied voltage to said modulator varied in a range of 0 to 2 volts as illustrated by the curves in FIG 14

Optical residue arithmetic computer having programmable computation module

Abstract: An optical computer based on the residue number system employs a plurality of computational modules which may be programmed using electronic pulses to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication and division operations. Each module comprises an array of optical switches in the form of directional wave guide couplers interconnected by optical transmission paths to form a series of maps corresponding to a given modulus. The optical switches are arranged in rows and groups of rows may be selectively activated to adapt the module to perform various arithmetic operations. One residue is input to the module in the form of light pulses and is spatially arranged to automatically select the proper map to perform a desired function. The optical switches in each row thereof are electrically interconnected to a bi-stable electrical switch that simultaneously switches all of the logical switches in that row in accordance with a programming input pulse delivered to one of the bi-stable switches. The light output from the last row of optical switches correspond to the function of two residues whose function has been computed and is delivered in spatially oriented form. The inputs of the electrical switches associated with one module may be connected with the light output of another module so as to permit various functions, such as polynomials, to be computed using chain processing techniques. Arrangements for encoding, decoding, and scaling are also disclosed.