A 16 x 16 optical full-cross-bar connection module with VCSEL-array push/pull module and polymer-waveguide coupler connector

A 16-ch/spl times/16-ch optical full-cross-bar connection module is demonstrated by fabricating an optical cross connector to configure a cross-bar connection, a 16-ch two-dimensional push/pull receptacle-type vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array module, and a 16/spl times/1 ch plug-type coresize-conversion polymer-waveguide coupler connector. This configuration makes an all-optical space-division switch possible using simple, compact and low-cost components. The fabricated VCSEL module exhibits an insertion loss of 2.1/spl plusmn/0.8 dB, and the coupler connector with the cross connector exhibits an insertion loss of 4.6/spl plusmn/0.3 dB. The resulting total loss of 6.7/spl plusmn/1.1 dB from VCSEL to fiber output after the cross-bar connection is sufficiently low to apply for an optical network switch.