Micromechanical optical switch

• US 20060132899A1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cheetah Omni LLC
• Original Assignee: Cheetah Omni LLC
• Inventors: Islam, Mohammed N., Kuditcher, Amos
• Application Number:
  US11/317,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20060132899A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/321
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/001 based on interference in an adjustable optical cavity interference filters G02B5/28; devices or arrangements using multiple reflections in spectrometry or monochromators G01J3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3512 the optical element being reflective, e.g. mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3516 the reflective optical element moving along the beam path, e.g. controllable diffractive effects using multiple micromirrors within the beam
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3518 the reflective optical element being an intrinsic part of a MEMS device, i.e. fabricated together with the MEMS device MEMS devices in general B81B; manufacture of MEM devices in general B81C; micromechanical devices controlling the direction of light G02B26/0833
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/352 the reflective optical element having a shaped reflective surface, e.g. a reflective element comprising several reflective surfaces or facets that function together
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3546 NxM switch, i.e. a regular array of switches elements of matrix type constellation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3548 1xN switch, i.e. one input and a selectable single output of N possible outputs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3552 1x1 switch, e.g. on/off switch
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/356 in an optical cross-connect device, e.g. routing and switching aspects of interconnecting different paths propagating different wavelengths to (re)configure the various input and output links switching polarized beams G02B6/3594; power equalizers G02B6/356 and G02B6/3594; path selecting means H04Q11/0001
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/357 Electrostatic force electrostatic forces controlling reflecting elements in general G02B26/0841
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3584 constructional details of an associated actuator having a MEMS construction, i.e. constructed using semiconductor technology such as etching MEMS per se B81B, B81C
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0005 Switch and router aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0066 Provisions for optical burst or packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0015 using splitting combining
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0016 using wavelength multiplexing or demultiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/002 using optical delay lines or optical buffers or optical recirculation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0039 Electrical control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0077 Labelling aspects, e.g. multiprotocol label switching [MPLS], G-MPLS, MPAS

Abstract

An optical switch element is described, which includes a fixed layer disposed outwardly from a substrate and a movable mirror assembly disposed outwardly from the fixed layer. The moveable mirror assembly is operable to move relative to the fixed layer responsive to a voltage applied to the movable mirror assembly. In a particular embodiment, the movable mirror assembly includes an inner strip spaced apart from the fixed layer by a first distance and an outer strip disposed approximately adjacent to the inner strip and spaced apart from the fixed layer by a second distance which is greater than the first distance. The optical transmission of the optical switch element changes depending on the position of the movable mirror assembly.

Claims

1. An optical system comprising:

an edge node operable to electronically buffer an input payload, to frame the input payload with at least a control header, and to convert the framed input payload into a first optical signal, the edge node also operable to communicate the first optical signal over a network;

a demultiplexer coupled to the network and operable to separate the optical signal into a plurality of portions;

one or more detectors operable to receive at least one portion of the first optical signal, at least one of the one or more detectors operable to generate an electrical signal based at least in part on the received portion of the first optical signal;

an electronic processor operable to receive the electrical signal and to perform a processing function on the electrical signal, the electronic processor further operable to modulate at least a portion of the processed electronic signal onto a second optical signal, wherein substantially all of the electronic processor resides on a single semiconductor substrate and wherein the second optical signal is modulated at approximately 100 nanoseconds or less; and

a wavelength division multiplexer operable to receive the second optical signal and to communicate the second optical signal to the network.

2. The optical system of claim 1, further comprising an optical amplifier operable to amplify at least a portion of the first optical signal, wherein the optical amplifier compensates for at least some of the losses in the network.

3. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the first optical signal operates at line rates of approximately OC-48, OC-192, or higher.

4. The optical system of claim 1, further comprising an optical tap coupled to the network and capable of generating two or more copies of the optical signal.

5. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the single semiconductor substrate is silicon or indium phosphide.

6. The optical system of claim 1, wherein at least some of the one or more detectors reside on the single semiconductor substrate.

7. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the demultiplexer is selected from the group consisting of a wavelength division multiplexer, a wavelength grating router, and an arrayed wave-guide grating.

8. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the second optical signal is modulated at approximately 10 nanoseconds or less.

9. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the second optical signal is modulated using a device selected from the group consisting of a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device, a lithium niobate device, a semiconductor optical amplifier, and an electro-absorption modulator.

10. An optical system comprising:

an edge node capable of electronically buffering an input payload, framing the input payload with at least a control header, and converting the framed input payload into a first optical signal, the edge node also operable to communicate the first optical signal over a network comprising at least one signal mode fiber;

a demultiplexer coupled to the network to separate the optical signal into a plurality of portions;

one or more detectors capable of receiving at least one portion of the first optical signal, at least one of the one or more detectors capable of generating an electrical signal based at least in part on the received portion of the first optical signal;

an electronic processor operable to receive the electrical signal and to perform a processing function on the electrical signal, the electronic processor further operable to modulate at least a portion of the processed electronic signal onto a second optical signal, wherein the second optical signal is modulated at approximately 10 nanoseconds or less; and

a wavelength division multiplexer operable to receive the second optical signal and to communicate the second optical signal over the network.

11. The optical system of claim 10, further comprising an optical amplifier operable to amplify at least a portion of the first optical signal, wherein the optical amplifier compensates for at least some of the losses in the network.

12. The optical system of claim 10, wherein the demultiplexer is selected from the group consisting of a wavelength division multiplexer, a wavelength grating router and an arrayed wave-guide grating.

13. The optical system of claim 10, wherein substantially all of the electronic processor resides on a single semiconductor substrate and wherein at least some of the one or more detectors reside on the single semiconductor substrate.

14. The optical system of claim 10, wherein the second optical signal is modulated using a device selected from the group consisting of a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device, a lithium niobate device, a semiconductor optical amplifier and an electro-absorption modulator.

15. A method of optical communication, comprising:

electronically buffering an input payload;

framing the input payload with at least a control header;

generating a first optical signal for communication over at least a network, wherein the first optical signal comprises the framed input payload;

separating the first optical signal into a plurality of portions;

detecting at least one portion of the first optical signal;

generating an electrical signal based at least in part on the detected portion of the first optical signal;

receiving the electrical signal at an electronic processor, the electronic processor performing a processing function on the electrical signal;

modulating at least a portion of the processed electrical signal onto a second optical signal, wherein substantially all of the electronic processor resides on a single semiconductor substrate and wherein the second optical signal is modulated at approximately 100 nanoseconds or less; and

communicating the second optical signal to the network.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising amplifying at least a portion of the optical signal to compensate for losses in the network.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising tapping the network to generate two or more copies of the optical signal.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the separating the optical signal into the plurality of portion is done using a demultiplexer selected from the group consisting of a wavelength division multiplexer, a wavelength grating router, and an arrayed wave-guide grating.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein modulating at least the portion of the processed electrical signal onto the second optical signal is performed using a device selected from the group consisting of a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device, a lithium niobate device, a semiconductor optical amplifier, and an electro-absorption modulator.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the second optical signal is modulated at approximately 10 nanoseconds or less.