Title :
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
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;
Journal_Title :
Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
DOI :
10.1109/2944.991398
