Optical switch

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

Demonstration of the nonlinear fibre loop mirror as an ultrafast all-optical demultiplexer

Abstract: The all fibre nonlinear optical loop mirror (NOLM) is used in the two wavelength version to show good contrast stable switching of selected pulses from a stream of short pulses. The polarisation properties of the device enable operation as a genuine four port demultiplexer.

Applications of highly nonlinear chalcogenide glass fibers in ultrafast all-optical switches

Abstract: Applications of chalcogenide glass fibers in ultrafast all-optical switches have been investigated. Ultrafast all-optical switching has been accomplished in an optical Kerr shutter configuration using As/sub 2/S/sub 3/-based glass fiber. The nonlinear refractive index of the As/sub 2/S/sub 3/-based glass is estimated to be n/sub 2/=4.0*10/sup -14/ (cm/sup 2//W), which is higher by two orders of magnitude than that of silica glass fiber. Nonlinear absorption due to two-photon absorption has been revealed to be negligible, and up to a 2 pi -phase shift has been obtained. Switching speed and switching power were investigated experimentally and through calculations. A switching time of 12 ps and a switching power of 5 W can be achieved using a 10-ps gate pulse and only a 1-m chalcogenide glass fiber. However, signal transformation due to cross-phase modulation and group velocity dispersion is not negligible for shorter gate pulses. Lower switching power is possible by reducing the transmission loss and the core area and by optimizing the driving conditions. >

Compact 1 × N thermo-optic switches based on silicon photonic wire waveguides

Abstract: Using silicon photonic wire waveguides, we constructed compact 1 × 1, 1 × 2, and 1 × 4 Mach-Zehnder interferometer type optical switches on a silicon-on-insulator substrate and demonstrated their switching operations through the thermo-optic effect These switches were smaller than 140 × 65, 85 × 30, and 190 × 75 μm, respectively At a 1550-nm wavelength, we obtained an extinction ratio larger than 30 dB, a switching power as low as 90 mW, and a switching response time of less than 100 μs Furthermore, switching operations were successfully demonstrated for the 1 × 4 switch

Active reflection and anti-reflection optical switch

Abstract: An active, optical, piezoelectric actuated modulator allows switching between a reflecting state and an anti-reflecting state. The modulator, or switch, is based on the precise controlling of an air gap between a thin film membrane and a substrate. The thin film membrane is deformed by a miniaturized adaptive material, such as electrostrictive or piezoelectric (PZT) material. Maximum optical reflection is realized when the air gap is equal to a multiple of a quarter wavelength of an impinging optical beam, while anti-reflection is achieved when the thickness of the air gap is equal to zero or is different from a multiple of the quarter wavelength of the optical beam.

A new double‐heterostructure optoelectronic switching device using molecular‐beam epitaxy

Abstract: Two‐terminal switching action is observed in a new optoelectronic device structure. The device has a high‐impedance state without light emission and a low‐impedance state characterized by strong spontaneous emission. The transition from either state to the other may be induced by the appropriate optical or electrical input. It is clear that with the appropriate optical cavity construction the switching device will operate as a laser in the on state rather than in the spontaneous mode reported here. In principle, the device offers large digital optical gain determined by its optical sensitivity and its maximum output power.