This optical switch content come from: www.acfiber.com technology engineers group

The optical switch is one kindly of transmission port with one or more optional port.

Its role is an optical device which is used to achieve mutually transformation or logically operation of optical signals in transmission line or optical integrated circuits.

Optical switches, optical zoom, optical signal storage and so on are all used optical device materials. The optical switch can be operated within a picosecond (10 ^ -12 seconds). At present based on lithium niobate and gallium aluminum arsenide compound, it has been formed from the womb in the electronics industry. There are some new materials had better optical utility than lithium niobate, such as LCD, polyacetylene etc.

Classified on production process, the optical switch can be divided to MEMS Optical Switch and Non-MEMS Optical Switch. The former one can be further divide to 3 subclasses:

Optical Fiber Type:

Electromagnetic drive optical fiber:

Using electromagnetic coils to drive the optical fiber driver, coating the fiber exterior with a layer of magnetic film: power on the coils when in OFF state and drive the driver, then use the permanent magnet to attract the fiber back when at ON state.

Silicon Stage driver optical fiber:

Select the movement of silicon stage to conduct the optical path. Fixed the stage skateboard by the guide groove and optical fiver, V-shaped groove is made ​​of silicon anisotropic etching. The conventional technique is to stack magnetic film on the stage, slide the permanent magnets to the target position to conduct the optical path. Now, the technique is using a photolithography technique to manufacture the coil pattern.

Three-dimensional mirror rotary fiber:

Using three-dimensional mirror rotation to conduct or close the optical path.

Lens driver switch:

Using the movement of the lens (perpendicular to the optical axis direction of movement) to change the relationship between the optical path direction, focal length, movement amount and partial light angle;

Planar Waveguide

Except for the Lorentz force, as well as static electricity;

Bubble-driven: take use of hot capillarity and inkjet;

Taking and delivering method of micro mirror: similar to the optical fiber,, there are a variety of ways.

MARS: mechanical anti-radiation switch;

GLV: grating light valve,

Can change the diffraction light¡¯s grating distance;

Mainly included£º

Prism Driving Switch: to switch circuit by a slight movement of the prism;

EO electro-optic Effect Switch: to switch circuit by the change of the electric field¡¯s refractive index;

Optical Switch with TO Thermo-optic Effect and Interference, Mach - Zehnder interference, Plasma Effect;

MO Magneto-optical Effect Switch: using the magnetic field to change the direction of polarized light;

Mechanical Optical Switch

Optical Switch Module

Desktop Optical Switch

Micro-mechanical Optical Switch

Handheld Optical Switch instrument

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