MEMS 2D matrix switch

Author

Wood, Robert L. ; Mahadevan, Ramaswamy ; Hill, Ed

Author_Institution

MEMS Bus. Unit, JDS Uniphase Corp., Triangle Park, NC, USA

fYear

2002

fDate

17-22 Mar 2002

Firstpage

91

Lastpage

92

Abstract

Microelectromechanical systems, or MEMS, are among several promising technical approaches to implementing all-optical switching in telecom and data networks. At the core of MEMS switches is an array of micromirrors capable of redirecting light either in free space or within a waveguide framework. The 2D switch architecture as shown in figure I employs one mirror for every possible switched node in a matrix switch, and thus requires N² mirrors for an NXN array. 2D mirror arrays are characterized by two-state mirror positioning. One state is inactive and requires only that the mirror can be parked out of the optical path.

Keywords

micro-optics; micromechanical devices; mirrors; optical arrays; optical communication equipment; optical switches; 2D mirror arrays; MEMS; MEMS 2D matrix switch; all-optical switching; data networks; free space; matrix switch; microelectromechanical systems; micromirrors; optical path; switched node; telecom networks; waveguide framework; Microelectromechanical systems; Micromechanical devices; Micromirrors; Microswitches; Mirrors; Optical arrays; Optical waveguides; Switches; Telecommunication switching; Transmission line matrix methods;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibit, 2002. OFC 2002

Print_ISBN

1-55752-701-6

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/OFC.2002.1036225

Filename

1036225