Optical switch

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

Design of a digital, ultra-broadband electro-optic switch for reconfigurable optical networks-on-chip

Abstract: We present a novel design for a noise-tolerant, ultra-broadband electro-optic switch, based on a Mach-Zehnder lattice (MZL) interferometer. We analyze the switch performance through rigorous optical simulations, for devices implemented in silicon-on-insulator with carrier-injection-based phase shifters. We show that such a MZL switch can be designed to have a step-like switching response, resulting in improved tolerance to drive-voltage noise and temperature variations as compared to a single-stage Mach-Zehnder switch. Furthermore, we show that degradation in switching crosstalk and insertion loss due to free-carrier absorption can be largely overcome by a MZL switch design. Finally, MZL switches can be designed for having an ultra-wide, temperature-insensitive optical bandwidth of more than 250nm. The proposed device shows good potential as a broadband optical switch in reconfigurable optical networks-on-chip.

Free-space optical cross-connect switch by use of electroholography.

Abstract: An electrically controlled holographic switch is proposed as a building block for a free-space optical interconnection network. The switch is based on the voltage-controlled photorefractive effect in KLTN crystals at the paraelectric phase. It is built of electrically controlled Bragg gratings stored in the volume of the crystal. A compact switch that connects four high-speed fiber-optic communication channels with high efficiency is demonstrated experimentally. The switch performance is investigated and optimized. This switch is extremely attractive for cascaded switching arrays such as those found in multistage interconnect networks.

Compound semiconductor optical waveguide switch

Abstract: An optical waveguide switch is disclosed which is formed from III-V compound semiconductors and which has a moveable optical waveguide with a cantilevered portion that can be bent laterally by an integral electrostatic actuator to route an optical signal (i.e. light) between the moveable optical waveguide and one of a plurality of fixed optical waveguides. A plurality of optical waveguide switches can be formed on a common substrate and interconnected to form an optical switching network.

InP-based optical waveguide MEMS switches with evanescent coupling mechanism

Abstract: An optical waveguide MEMS switch fabricated on an indium phosphide (InP) substrate for operation at 1550 nm wavelength is presented. Compared to other MEMS optical switches, which typically use relatively large mirrors or long end-coupled waveguides, our device uses a parallel switching mechanism. The device utilizes evanescent coupling between two closely-spaced waveguides fabricated side by side. Coupling is controlled by changing the gap and the coupling length between the two waveguides via electrostatic pull-in. This enables both optical switching and variable optical coupling at voltages below 10 V. Channel isolation as high as -47 dB and coupling efficiencies of up to 66% were obtained with switching losses of less than 0.5 dB. We also demonstrate voltage-controlled variable optical coupling over a 17.4 dB dynamic range. The devices are compact with 2 /spl mu/m/spl times/2 /spl mu/m core cross section and active area as small as 500 /spl mu/m/spl times/5 /spl mu/m. Due to the small travel range of the waveguides, fast operation is obtained with switching times as short as 4 /spl mu/s. Future devices can be scaled down to less than 1 /spl mu/m/spl times/1 /spl mu/m waveguide cross-sectional area and device length less than 100 /spl mu/m without significant change in device design.

160-Gb/s optical sampling by gain-transparent four-wave mixing in a semiconductor optical amplifier

Abstract: We report on a broad-band all-optical switch that exhibits high linearity (>30 dB), high switching contrast (>25 dB), and large data wavelength tunability (100 nm). The switching principle is based on four-wave mixing. Two control pulse trains are placed in the gain wavelength region of a 1300-nm semiconductor-optical amplifier. The data signal, however, is at 1550 nm in the transparent wavelength region where four-wave mixing sidebands are generated due to index modulations. The switch is used to sample a 160-Gb/s data signal with a temporal resolution of approximately 1.7 ps.