Other

Oplux, Inc.

Jiangjun Zhang

Ming Xu

Peiching Ling

Jinliang Chen

The present invention discloses an optical switching element that uses reversible electroplating mirrors includes a trench with transparent sidewalls located at the intersection of two waveguides A and B. The trench has two electrodes; one, which is transparent, is placed on the trench sidewall and the other is placed on the trench floor. The trench is filled with an index-matching electrolytic solution containing ions of a metal that can electro-deposit on these two electrodes. To actuate the switching element, a negative electrical potential is applied to the sidewall electrode. Actuation causes metal deposits to form on the sidewall electrode, creating a mirror that reflects light from waveguide A to waveguide B. To deactivate the switching element, a positive electrical potential is applied to the sidewall electrode. Deactivation causes metal deposits move off the sidewall and form on the trench floor. The lack of metal deposits on the sidewall allows light to pass through the switching element and continue along the original waveguide A

Optical switch with reversible electroplating mirrors

The present invention is a wavelength-selective optical switching system. The switching system includes an input waveguide designated as waveguide WG() for receiving a multiplexed optical signal comprising optical signals transmitted over a plurality of wavelength channels represented by &#x3bb;, &#x3bb;, &#x3bb;, , &#x3bb;, where N is a positive integer wherein the input waveguide extending over a first direction. The switching system further includes a two dimensional waveguide array comprising a plurality of first direction waveguides WG(i), i=1, 2, 3, , M extending over the first direction substantially parallel to the input waveguide WG() where M is a positive integer and a plurality of second direction waveguides WG'(j), j=1, 2, 3, N, extending over a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction and intersecting with the input waveguide and each of the first direction waveguide WG(i), i=0, 1, 2, 3, ,M, thus forming (M+1)&#xd7;N intersections. The switching system further includes a plurality of wavelength selective grating-based switches SW(i, j) where i=0, 1, 2, 3, , M and j=1, 2, 3, , N, each disposed on one of the (M+1)&#xd7;N intersections for selectively transmitting an optical signal of wavelength &#x3bb;j into a waveguide WG&#x2032;(j) and for selectively transmitting an optical signal of a predefined combination of wavelengths into at least one of the waveguide WG(i) for i=1, 2, 3, M.

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Jiangjun Zhang