Microoptical fiber switch for a large number of interconnects: optical design considerations and experimental realizations using microlens arrays

Author

Peter, Yves-Alain ; Herzig, Hans-Peter ; Dändliker, René

Author_Institution

Inst. of Microtechnology, Neuchatel Univ., Switzerland

Volume

8

Issue

1

fYear

2002

Firstpage

46

Lastpage

57

Abstract

The authors investigate a 1 × N free-space microoptical fiber switch for a large number of interconnects. The system to be studied is a reflective 4f optical system. Alignment tolerances and coupling efficiency are investigated and the benefit brought by collimating microlens arrays is reported (theoretically and experimentally). The use of microlenses enables power coupling efficiency between 3 and 2 dB (including losses due to the optical elements) for an optical switch allowing up to 3000 receiver fibers

Keywords

aberrations; microlenses; optical arrays; optical collimators; optical communication equipment; optical design techniques; optical interconnections; optical losses; optical switches; 1 × N free-space microoptical fiber switch; alignment tolerances; collimating microlens arrays; coupling efficiency; losses; microlens arrays; microoptical fiber switch; optical design considerations; optical elements; optical switch; power coupling efficiency; receiver fibers; reflective 4f optical system; Lenses; Microoptics; Optical design; Optical fibers; Optical interconnections; Optical receivers; Optical refraction; Optical switches; Optical variables control; Power system interconnection;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1077-260X

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/2944.991398

Filename

991398