Micro-optical fiber switch for a large number of interconnects
Résumé
During the past few years, the demand for optical telecommunications has boomed (Scientifc American, January 2001). In order to satisfy this demand, new optical switches are required to replace the electrical switches used up until now.
In this work, 1 x N optical switches are studied. Theoretical investigations are conducted to describe the physical properties of the switches and to determine their limitations. The merit function of optical switches is their power coupling efficiency. The limitations are mainly aberrations and misalignments of the optical components. We experimentally demonstrate these limitations and realize improvements to the optical switch. Two approaches have been chosen. The first is to use an adaptive mirror for the correction of the aberrations. The second is to integrate microlenses into the optical switch in order to reduce the aberrations and to relax the alignment tolerances. Both approaches have been realized and have brought significant improvements in power coupling efficiency. With the experiment, we demonstrate an optical switch allowing up to 3019 receiver fibers to be addressed. The measured coupling efficiency (including losses due to the
optical elements) is between 6 dB and 3 dB for the adaptive system and between 3 dB and 2 dB for the system using microlenses.
In this work, 1 x N optical switches are studied. Theoretical investigations are conducted to describe the physical properties of the switches and to determine their limitations. The merit function of optical switches is their power coupling efficiency. The limitations are mainly aberrations and misalignments of the optical components. We experimentally demonstrate these limitations and realize improvements to the optical switch. Two approaches have been chosen. The first is to use an adaptive mirror for the correction of the aberrations. The second is to integrate microlenses into the optical switch in order to reduce the aberrations and to relax the alignment tolerances. Both approaches have been realized and have brought significant improvements in power coupling efficiency. With the experiment, we demonstrate an optical switch allowing up to 3019 receiver fibers to be addressed. The measured coupling efficiency (including losses due to the
optical elements) is between 6 dB and 3 dB for the adaptive system and between 3 dB and 2 dB for the system using microlenses.