Optoelectronic and Photonics

Dr ing. Janusz Rzepka

Optical commutation

Optical switchers
• New all-optical switching technologies,
particularly silica-on-silicon,
give carriers options for eliminating
costly electronics from fiber-optic

networks.

Optical switchers
• MEMS approaches involving arrays of micromirrors that can
deflect an optical signal to the appropriate receiver (e.g., U.S.
Patent 6,396,976);
• Piezoelelectric Beam Steering involving piezoelctric ceramics
providing enhanced optical switching characteristics
• Inkjet methods involving the intersection of two waveguides
so that light is deflected from one to the other when an
inkjet-like bubble is created (e.g., Patent 6,212,308);
• Liquid crystals (e.g., Patent 4,948,229) that rotate polarized
light either 0 degrees or 90 degrees depending on the applied
electric field to support switching;

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 Optical switchers
• Thermal methods (e.g., Patent 5,037,169) that vary the index of refraction
in one leg of an interferometer to switch the signal on or off;
• Nonlinear methods (e.g., Patent 5,319,492) that vary the diffraction
pattern in a medium by taking advantage of the material nonlinear
properties to deflect light to the desired receiver;
• Acousto-optic methods that change the refractive index as a result of
strain induced by an acoustic field to deflect light (e.g., Patent 6,922,498);
• Amplifiers and attenuators in output fibers that adjust the signal to the
digital “0” power range (when the fiber is not switched to) or to the
normal power range when it is (e.g., Patent 7,027,211).

Liquid crystal switch

Bubble Switch

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 Fiber optics switch

Fiber optics switch

Nonlinear Optical Loop Mirror

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 Fiber optics switch

All-Optical Switch - Cornell Devises

Thermo-Optic Switches

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 Thermo-Optic Switches

Thermo-Optic Switches
NEL's 8x8
Features
Low Loss
Low Crosstalk
Low Return Loss
Small Size
Excellent Stability
Hight Reliability

Thermo-Optic Switches
• Applications
• Space Division
• Switching Systems with
Analog and/or Digital Signals
• Wavelength Routing such as
Cross-connect and Add-drop
• Protective Switching
• Video Switching
• Inter-Module Connection

MEMS - Micro Elektro Mechnical System

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 MEMS - Micro Elektro Mechnical System

• 2D switch

MEMS - Micro Elektro Mechnical System

• 3D switch

• Schematic of MEMS-based
crossbar optical switch concept.
Using a microactuator to move
a mirror, collimated light from

• any input optical fiber can be switched to any output.

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 MEMS - Micro Elektro Mechnical System
• smalle footprints and power economy,
• eliminate lasers, receivers, transponders,
multiplexers and redundant electronic switch ports
at transit nodes
• lower capital and operating costs
• they are bit-rate, protocol- and wavelength-
independent
• can support any combination of transport formats
and 1-, 10- and 40-Gb/s signals.

MEMS - Micro Elektro Mechnical System

Calient Networks Inc.

288 x 288-channel
loss of 1.4 dB
signal wavelengths --
1260 to 1625 nm
1-, 10- and 40-Gb/s
signals.

Laser arrays for tunable and parallel

link applications
The lasers are identical
in every aspect other
than wavelength,
which is determined

by the grating pitch

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 Laser arrays for tunable and parallel
link applications
• A wavelength combiner is generally used to route all
the signals into the same output fiber.
• A tunable laser integrat different wavelength
elements on a single chip.
• The output wavelength is changed by switching
between different elements.
• An optomechanical switch diverts the beam to the
output.

LuxLink™ Optical Switches

Optical Bypass Switch Fiber Optic Cut Off Switch (Normally Open)
For Fail-Safe Fiber Optic Bypass
& Remote Switching Applications

LuxLink™ Optical Switches

Fiber Optic Cut Off Switch

Fiber Optic A/B Switch
(Normally Open)

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 LuxLink™ Optical Switches

Optical Path Tamper Switch Optical Protection Switch

For Cut off of a fiber that has
For Automatic network path protection
been tampered with or compromised

LuxLink™ Optical Switches

Specifications Important Features

· Switching time
Switching Time < 10 ms
<10ms

Back · Fail-safe return to

< -55 dB
Reflection closed

mode with loss of

Insertion Loss < 1.1 dB
power

OPA Steering
INPUTS OUTPUT
• 64x64 strictly non-blocking switch
S
• Optical Phase Array Technology

• Net switch-over time < 20nsec

• Losses at worst path < -18dB

• Total cross-talk at worst path <-20dB

• Full manufacturing line
• Fully integrated in IP router
• Over a year in production
• Telecordia compliance
• 23” H x 21”D x 6 “ W
• Bandwidth insensitive

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 OPA Steering: Basic Physics

φ λ
Steering angle: sin θ = ⋅
2π Λ
Λ θ
Induced phase:
V
Induced phase: φ = ( 2πL / λ )n 30 rij ( )
d

OPA Steering: Basic Physics

• Length: 12mm
• Width: 9mm
• Electrical efficiency:
V2p= 2.8 Volt
AlGaAs P+
GaAs P
• 8192 phase modulators in GaAs N
AlGaAs N-

each Optical Switch Module GaAs N+

GaAs Optical Phased Array Device

18 deflectors

1.2” x .5”

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Optic Bench Assembly

Router & Optical Switch

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