Optical configuration for optical fiber switch

• US 20030206685A1
• Filed: 10/24/2001
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Huang, Cheng-Chung, Bryzek, Janusz, Harwit, Alex, Bakin, Dmitry Vasily, Nasiri, Steven Saeed, Sprague, Randall Brian
• Granted Patent: US 6,922,500 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0005 Switch and router aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0026 using free space propagation (e.g. lenses, mirrors)

Abstract

An optical fiber switch in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a first plurality of ports, a second plurality of ports, a first plurality of mirrors disposed on a first surface, and a second plurality of mirrors disposed on a second surface. Each one of the first plurality of mirrors is individually controllable to direct light output from a corresponding one of the first plurality of ports to any one of the second plurality of mirrors. Each one of the second plurality of mirrors is individually controllable to direct to a corresponding one of the second plurality of ports light incident on it from any one of the first plurality of mirrors. Advantageously, optical fiber switches in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may couple more than a thousand input ports to more than a thousand output ports with an insertion loss of less than about 3 decibels.

Claims

1. An optical switch comprising:

a first plurality of ports;

a second plurality of ports;

a first plurality of mirrors disposed on a first surface;

a second plurality of mirrors disposed on a second surface; and

a dichroic optical element;

wherein each one of said first plurality of mirrors is individually controllable to direct light output from a corresponding one of said first plurality of ports to any one of said second plurality of mirrors via said dichroic optical element; and

wherein each one of said second plurality of mirrors is individually controllable to direct to a corresponding one of said second plurality of ports light incident on said one of said second plurality of mirrors from any one of said first plurality of mirrors.

2. The optical switch of claim 1, wherein said first plurality of ports and said second plurality of ports each includes greater than about 1000 ports.

3. The optical switch of claim 1, wherein said first plurality of mirrors and said second plurality of mirrors each includes greater than about 1000 mirrors.

4. The optical switch of claim 1, wherein each of said first plurality of mirrors and each of said second plurality of mirrors has an orientation controllable with an angular resolution better than about 0.005°

.

5. The optical switch of claim 1, wherein said first plurality of ports, said second plurality of ports, said first plurality of mirrors, and said second plurality of mirrors are symmetrically located with respect to said dichroic optical element.

6. The optical switch of claim 1, wherein said dichroic optical element is a dichroic beam splitter.

7. The optical switch of claim 1, wherein light output by one of said first plurality of ports is focused to a waist between said first plurality of mirrors and said second plurality of mirrors.

8. The optical switch of claim 1, wherein light output by one of said first plurality of ports is incident on one of said first plurality of mirrors at an angle less than about 25°

with respect to an axis normal to said first surface.

9. The optical switch of claim 1, further comprising a beam splitter located in an optical path between said first plurality of ports and said first plurality of mirrors.

10. The optical switch of claim 1, further comprising a dichroic optical element located in an optical path between said first plurality of ports and said first plurality of mirrors.

11. An optical switch comprising:

a first plurality of ports;

a second plurality of ports;

a first plurality of mirrors disposed on a first surface;

a second plurality of mirrors disposed on a second surface; and

a dichroic optical element located in an optical path between said first plurality of ports and said first plurality of mirrors;

wherein each one of said first plurality of mirrors is individually controllable to direct light output from a corresponding one of said first plurality of ports to any one of said second plurality of mirrors; and

wherein each one of said second plurality of mirrors is individually controllable to direct to a corresponding one of said second plurality of ports light incident on said one of said second plurality of mirrors from any one of said first plurality of mirrors.

12. The optical switch of claim 11, wherein said first plurality of ports and said second plurality of ports each includes greater than about 1000 ports.

13. The optical switch of claim 11, wherein said first plurality of mirrors and said second plurality of mirrors each includes greater than about 1000 mirrors.

14. The optical switch of claim 11, wherein each of said first plurality of mirrors and each of said second plurality of mirrors has an orientation controllable with an angular resolution greater than about 0.005°

.

15. The optical switch of claim 11, wherein said first plurality of ports, said second plurality of ports, said first plurality of mirrors, and said second plurality of mirrors are arranged symmetrically.

16. The optical switch of claim 11, wherein said dichroic optical element is a dichroic beam splitter.

17. The optical switch of claim 11, wherein light output by one of said first plurality of ports is focused to a waist between said first plurality of mirrors and said second plurality of mirrors.

18. The optical switch of claim 11, wherein light output by one of said first plurality of ports is incident on one of said first plurality of mirrors at an angle less than about 25°

with respect to an axis normal to said first surface.

19. The optical switch of claim 11, further comprising a beam splitter located in an optical path between said first plurality of ports and said first plurality of mirrors.

20. An optical switch comprising:

a first plurality of ports;

a second plurality of ports;

a first plurality of mirrors disposed on a first surface; and

a second plurality of mirrors disposed on a second surface;

wherein light output by one of said first plurality of ports is incident on one of said first plurality of mirrors at an angle less than about 25°

with respect to an axis normal to said first surface;

wherein each one of said first plurality of mirrors is individually controllable to direct light output from a corresponding one of said first plurality of ports to any one of said second plurality of mirrors; and

wherein each one of said second plurality of mirrors is individually controllable to direct to a corresponding one of said second plurality of ports light incident on said one of said second plurality of mirrors from any one of said first plurality of mirrors.

21. The optical switch of claim 20, wherein said first plurality of ports and said second plurality of ports each includes greater than about 1000 ports.

22. The optical switch of claim 20, wherein said first plurality of mirrors and said second plurality of mirrors each includes greater than about 1000 mirrors.

23. The optical switch of claim 20, wherein each of said first plurality of mirrors and each of said second plurality of mirrors has an orientation controllable with an angular resolution greater than about 0.005°

.

24. The optical switch of claim 20, wherein said first plurality of ports, said second plurality of ports, said first plurality of mirrors, and said second plurality of mirrors are arranged symmetrically.

25. The optical switch of claim 20, wherein light output by one of said first plurality of ports is focused to a waist between said first plurality of mirrors and said second plurality of mirrors.

26. The optical switch of claim 20, further comprising a beam splitter located in an optical path between said first plurality of ports and said first plurality of mirrors.

27. An optical switch comprising:

a first plurality of ports;

a second plurality of ports;

a first plurality of mirrors disposed on a first surface;

a second plurality of mirrors disposed on a second surface; and

a beam splitter located in an optical path between said first plurality of ports and said first plurality of mirrors;

wherein each one of said first plurality of mirrors is individually controllable to direct light output from a corresponding one of said first plurality of ports to any one of said second plurality of mirrors; and

wherein each one of said second plurality of mirrors is individually controllable to direct to a corresponding one of said second plurality of ports light incident on said one of said second plurality of mirrors from any one of said first plurality of mirrors.

28. The optical switch of claim 27, wherein said first plurality of ports and said second plurality of ports each includes greater than about 1000 ports.

29. The optical switch of claim 27, wherein said first plurality of mirrors and said second plurality of mirrors each includes greater than about 1000 mirrors.

30. The optical switch of claim 27, wherein each of said first plurality of mirrors and each of said second plurality of mirrors has an orientation controllable with an angular resolution greater than about 0.005°

.

31. The optical switch of claim 27, wherein said first plurality of ports, said second plurality of ports, said first plurality of mirrors, and said second plurality of mirrors are arranged symmetrically.

32. The optical switch of claim 27, wherein light output by one of said first plurality of ports is focused to a waist between said first plurality of mirrors and said second plurality of mirrors.

33. An optical switch comprising:

a first plurality of ports;

a second plurality of ports;

a first plurality of mirrors disposed on a first surface; and

a second plurality of mirrors disposed on a second surface;

wherein light output by one of said first plurality of ports is focused to a waist between said first plurality of mirrors and said second plurality of mirrors;

wherein each one of said first plurality of mirrors is individually controllable to direct light output from a corresponding one of said first plurality of ports to any one of said second plurality of mirrors; and

wherein each one of said second plurality of mirrors is individually controllable to direct to a corresponding one of said second plurality of ports light incident on said one of said second plurality of mirrors from any one of said first plurality of mirrors.

34. The optical switch of claim 33, wherein said first plurality of ports and said second plurality of ports each includes greater than about 1000 ports.

35. The optical switch of claim 33, wherein said first plurality of mirrors and said second plurality of mirrors each includes greater than about 1000 mirrors.

36. The optical switch of claim 33, wherein each of said first plurality of mirrors and each of said second plurality of mirrors has an orientation controllable with an angular resolution greater than about 0.005°

.

37. The optical switch of claim 33, wherein said first plurality of ports, said second plurality of ports, said first plurality of mirrors, and said second plurality of mirrors are arranged symmetrically.