Optical switch
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Abstract
An optical switch having a plurality of switch cells. The optical switch has n inputs (n is a natural number) and m outputs (m is a natural number). The optical switch has a unit size defined as the distance between any two adjacent ones of the switch cells. The optical switch comprises a substrate having a switch size of K×L (K is an integer satisfying n≦K, and L is an integer satisfying m≦L), first and second mirrors parallel to each other and perpendicular to a principal surface of the substrate, and an optical unit providing a plurality of input optical paths for the n inputs and a plurality of output optical paths for the m outputs. The plurality of input optical paths are inclined relative to the first and second mirrors, and the plurality of output optical paths are inclined relative to the first and second mirrors. Each switch cell comprises a switch mirror provided movably relative to the substrate. With this configuration, the path dependence of loss is substantially eliminated.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. (canceled)
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2. An optical switch having a plurality of switch cells, wherein:
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said optical switch has n inputs (n is a natural number) and m outputs (m is a natural number);
said optical switch has a unit size defined as the distance between any two adjacent ones of said switch cells;
said optical switch comprises;
a substrate having a switch size of K×
L (K is an integer satisfying n≦
K, and L is an integer satisfying m≦
L);
first and second mirrors parallel to each other and perpendicular to a principal surface of said substrate; and
an optical unit providing a plurality of input optical paths for said n inputs and a plurality of output optical paths for said m outputs, said plurality of input optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors, said plurality of output optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors; and
each of said switch cells comprises a switch mirror provided movably relative to said substrate, wherein each switch cell switches between a first condition where said switch mirror is parallel to said principal surface of said substrate and a second condition where said switch mirror is perpendicular to said principal surface of said substrate.
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3. An optical switch having a plurality of switch cells, wherein:
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said optical switch has n inputs (n is a natural number) and m outputs (m is a natural number);
said optical switch has a unit size defined as the distance between any two adjacent ones of said switch cells;
said optical switch comprises;
a substrate having a switch size of K×
L (K is an integer satisfying n≦
K, and L is an integer satisfying m≦
L);
first and second mirrors parallel to each other and perpendicular to a principal surface of said substrate; and
an optical unit providing a plurality of input optical paths for said n inputs and a plurality of output optical paths for said m outputs, said plurality of input optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors, said plurality of output optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors; and
each of said switch cells comprises a switch mirror provided movably relative to said substrate, wherein;
said plurality of switch cells comprise n×
m switch cells;
said n×
m switch cells being provided at n×
m lattice positions on said principal surface.
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4. An optical switch having a plurality of switch cells, wherein:
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said optical switch has n inputs (n is a natural number) and m outputs (m is a natural number);
said optical switch has a unit size defined as the distance between any two adjacent ones of said switch cells;
said optical switch comprises;
a substrate having a switch size of K×
L (K is an integer satisfying n≦
K, and L is an integer satisfying m≦
L);
first and second mirrors parallel to each other and perpendicular to a principal surface of said substrate; and
an optical unit providing a plurality of input optical paths for said n inputs and a plurality of output optical paths for said m outputs, said plurality of input optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors, said plurality of output optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors; and
each of said switch cells comprises a switch mirror provided movably relative to said substrate, wherein n=m=K=L.
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5. An optical switch having a plurality of switch cells, wherein:
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said optical switch has n inputs (n is a natural number) and m outputs (m is a natural number);
said optical switch has a unit size defined as the distance between any two adjacent ones of said switch cells;
said optical switch comprises;
a substrate having a switch size of K×
L (K is an integer satisfying n≦
K, and L is an integer satisfying m≦
L);
first and second mirrors parallel to each other and perpendicular to a principal surface of said substrate; and
an optical unit providing a plurality of input optical paths for said n inputs and a plurality of output optical paths for said m outputs, said plurality of input optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors, said plurality of output optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors; and
each of said switch cells comprises a switch mirror provided movably relative to said substrate, wherein said plurality of input optical paths comprise odd-numbered channels and even-numbered channels crossing each other, and said plurality of output optical paths comprise odd-numbered channels and even-numbered channels crossing each other.
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6. An optical switch having a plurality of switch cells, wherein:
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said optical switch has n inputs (n is a natural number) and m outputs (m is a natural number);
said optical switch has a unit size defined as the distance between any two adjacent ones of said switch cells;
said optical switch comprises;
a substrate having a switch size of K×
L (K is an integer satisfying n≦
K, and L is an integer satisfying m≦
L);
first and second mirrors parallel to each other and perpendicular to a principal surface of said substrate; and
an optical unit providing a plurality of input optical paths for said n inputs and a plurality of output optical paths for said m outputs, said plurality of input optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors, said plurality of output optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors; and
each of said switch cells comprises a switch mirror provided movably relative to said substrate, wherein said plurality of input optical paths are parallel to each other, and said plurality of output optical paths are parallel to each other. - View Dependent Claims (7, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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8. An optical switch having a plurality of switch cells, wherein:
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said optical switch has n inputs (n is a natural number) and m outputs (m is a natural number);
said optical switch has a unit size defined as the distance between any two adjacent ones of said switch cells;
said optical switch comprises;
a substrate having a switch size of K×
L (K is an integer satisfying n≦
K, and L is an integer satisfying m≦
L);
first and second mirrors parallel to each other and perpendicular to a principal surface of said substrate; and
an optical unit providing a plurality of input optical paths for said n inputs and a plurality of output optical paths for said m outputs, said plurality of input optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors, said plurality of output optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors; and
each of said switch cells comprises a switch mirror provided movably relative to said substrate, wherein;
n=m=K, L=n+1, and n is an even number; and
when K and L represent the number of rows and the number of columns, respectively, said optical switch further comprises n lenses provided in the (n/2+1)-th column. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. An optical switch having a plurality of switch cells, wherein:
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said optical switch has n inputs (n is a natural number) and m outputs (m is a natural number);
said optical switch has a unit size defined as the distance between any two adjacent ones of said switch cells;
said optical switch comprises;
a substrate having a switch size of K×
L (K is an integer satisfying n≦
K, and L is an integer satisfying m≦
L);
first and second mirrors parallel to each other and perpendicular to a principal surface of said substrate; and
an optical unit providing a plurality of input optical paths for said n inputs and a plurality of output optical paths for said m outputs, said plurality of input optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors, said plurality of output optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors; and
each of said switch cells comprises a switch mirror provided movably relative to said substrate, wherein;
n=m=K, L=n+1, and n is an odd number; and
when K and L represent the number of rows and the number of columns, respectively, said optical switch further comprises n lenses provided in the [(n+1)/2+1]-th column. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. An optical switch having a plurality of switch cells, wherein:
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said optical switch has n inputs (n is a natural number) and m outputs (m is a natural number);
said optical switch has a unit size defined as the distance between any two adjacent ones of said switch cells;
said optical switch comprises;
a substrate having a switch size of K×
L (K is an integer satisfying n≦
K, and L is an integer satisfying m≦
L);
first and second mirrors parallel to each other and perpendicular to a principal surface of said substrate; and
an optical unit providing a plurality of input optical paths for said n inputs and a plurality of output optical paths for said m outputs, said plurality of input optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors, said plurality of output optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors; and
each of said switch cells comprises a switch mirror provided movably relative to said substrate, wherein;
n=m=K, and L=n+1; and
when K and L represent the number of rows and the number of columns, respectively, said optical switch further comprises n lenses provided in an arbitrary one of said columns.
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13. An optical switch having a plurality of switch cells, wherein:
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said optical switch has n inputs (n is a natural number) and m outputs (m is a natural number);
said optical switch has a unit size defined as the distance between any two adjacent ones of said switch cells;
said optical switch comprises;
a substrate having a switch size of K×
L (K is an integer satisfying n≦
K, and L is an integer satisfying m≦
L);
first and second mirrors parallel to each other and perpendicular to a principal surface of said substrate; and
an optical unit providing a plurality of input optical paths for said n inputs and a plurality of output optical paths for said m outputs, said plurality of input optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors, said plurality of output optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors; and
each of said switch cells comprises a switch mirror provided movably relative to said substrate, wherein;
n=m, K=n+1, and L=n+2; and
said optical switch further comprises 2n lenses provided substantially along a diagonal line of said principal surface. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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28. An optical switch having a plurality of switch cells, wherein:
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said optical switch has n inputs (n is a natural number) and m outputs (m is a natural number);
said optical switch has a unit size defined as the distance between any two adjacent ones of said switch cells;
said optical switch comprises;
a substrate having a switch size of K×
L (K is an integer satisfying n≦
K, and L is an integer satisfying m≦
L);
first and second mirrors parallel to each other and perpendicular to a principal surface of said substrate; and
an optical unit providing a plurality of input optical paths for said n inputs and a plurality of output optical paths for said m outputs, said plurality of input optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors, said plurality of output optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors; and
each of said switch cells comprises a switch mirror provided movably relative to said substrate, wherein;
K=L=n+1=m+1; and
said plurality of switch cells are provided at (n+1)×
(n+1) lattice positions on said principal surface of said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. An optical switch having a plurality of switch cells, wherein:
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said optical switch has n inputs (n is a natural number) and m outputs (m is a natural number);
said optical switch has a unit size defined as the distance between any two adjacent ones of said switch cells;
said optical switch comprises;
a substrate having a switch size of K×
L (K is an integer satisfying n≦
K, and L is an integer satisfying m≦
L);
first and second mirrors parallel to each other and perpendicular to a principal surface of said substrate; and
an optical unit providing a plurality of input optical paths for said n inputs and a plurality of output optical paths for said m outputs, said plurality of input optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors, said plurality of output optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors; and
each of said switch cells comprises a switch mirror provided movably relative to said substrate, wherein said optical switch further comprises a lens provided on said substrate.
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33. An optical switch having a plurality of switch cells, wherein:
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said optical switch has n inputs (n is a natural number) and m outputs (m is a natural number);
said optical switch has a unit size defined as the distance between any two adjacent ones of said switch cells;
said optical switch comprises;
a substrate having a switch size of K×
L (K is an integer satisfying n≦
K, and L is an integer satisfying m≦
L);
first and second mirrors parallel to each other and perpendicular to a principal surface of said substrate; and
an optical unit providing a plurality of input optical paths for said n inputs and a plurality of output optical paths for said m outputs, said plurality of input optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors, said plurality of output optical paths being inclined relative to said first and second mirrors; and
each of said switch cells comprises a switch mirror provided movably relative to said substrate, wherein n=m.
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34-39. -39. (canceled)
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40. An optical switch comprising:
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a plurality of optical input ports;
a plurality of optical output ports; and
a plurality of optical path switching means provided between said plurality of optical input ports and said plurality of optical output ports, each of said plurality of optical path switching means having a movable optical reflecting member;
optical inputs from said optical input ports to adjacent ones of said optical path switching means crossing each other in direction, further comprising reflecting means provided between said plurality of optical input ports and said plurality of optical output ports so as to interpose said plurality of optical path switching means for reflecting light from said optical input ports or light from said optical path switching means.
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41. (canceled)
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42. An optical switch comprising:
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a plurality of optical input ports;
a plurality of optical output ports; and
a plurality of optical path switching means provided between said plurality of optical input ports and said plurality of optical output ports, each of said plurality of optical path switching means having a movable optical reflecting member;
initial operational conditions of adjacent ones of said optical path switching means for receiving light from said optical input ports being reversed to each other, further comprising reflecting means provided between said plurality of optical input ports and said plurality of optical output ports so as to interpose said plurality of optical path switching means for reflecting light from said optical input ports or light from said optical path switching means.
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Specification