Optical switches

Abstract

After a detailed introductory discussion of general concepts, which apply to optical switches regardless of their implementation technology, the following sections cover optomechanical switches and liquid crystal technologies for optical switching, including small matrix switches and wavelength selective switches. Planar lightwave circuit (PLC) based optical switch technologies constitute the topic of the next section, and the treatment includes switches in various material systems such as LiNbO3, polymer, silicon-on-insulator (SOI), and switching by means of the electro-optic- or thermo-optic effect. The following, major part of the chapter covers MEMS-based switches including 2D and 3D switches, switching matrices and wavelength selective switches as well. The chapter concludes with a brief discussion of piezo-electric actuator-based matrix switches. The description of optical switches includes their fundamentals, including underlying physics, operation principles, and generic implementations, typical characteristics of commercially available devices, and recent developments of switches that are still in the R&D stage.