Optiworks, Inc.

Opti Work, Inc.

Zuyun Fang

Jianhua Wang

Jian J Chen

Siyu Shen

In some embodiments, a 1&#xd7;N optical switch includes: a plurality of co-planar, parallel output optical fiber collimators oriented to receive light substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction; and a plurality of switching units each corresponding to an output collimator. Each switching unit includes a rhomboid switching prism movable between a first position and a second position, and a fixed right-angle reflector facing the output collimator. When the switching prism is in the first position, the switching prism receives a longitudinal light beam and directs the light beam to the reflector for transmission to the output collimator. When the switching prism is in the second position, the switching prism is situated out of a path of the light beam. The described configurations may be optically reversed to yield N&#xd7;1 switches.

Optical switching systems and methods

In some embodiments, an optical switch includes multiple individually-retractable wedge switching prisms stacked in a longitudinal channel, corresponding plural transverse-translation rhomboid prisms extending transversely away from the longitudinal channel, and corresponding plural fiber collimators oriented longitudinally and aligned along a transverse line on both sides of the longitudinal channel. To switch light to a selected fiber collimator, its corresponding wedge switching prism is inserted in the longitudinal channel to deflect light to a corresponding transverse-translation prism and on to the selected fiber collimator; the other switching prisms are retracted from the channel. In some embodiments, longitudinally-adjacent switching prisms are oriented in opposite directions. A reverse-deflection wedge prism can be provided between each switching prism and its corresponding transverse-translation prism. The described preferred systems allow improved system stability, as well as ease of manufacturing and alignment.

Wedge prism optical switches

In one embodiment, an optical switch includes: a first dual-fiber collimator comprising a first pair of optical fibers; a second fiber collimator comprising an output optical fiber; a switching prism movable between a first position and a second position, and a first mirror facing the first collimator. In the first position, the switching prism directs light from an input fiber of the first collimator into the output fiber of the second collimator. In the second position, the switching prism is positioned out of an optical path of light emitted from the input fiber of the first collimator. The first mirror is aligned to reflect light from the input fiber of the first collimator into an output fiber of the first collimator when the switching prism is in the second position. The second collimator may be a dual-fiber collimator, and a second mirror may be placed facing the second collimator.

Compact high-stability optical switches

In a preferred embodiment, a motorized variable optical attenuator comprises an input fiber collimator; an output fiber collimator disposed substantially along the first collimator; and a right-angle reflector movable relative to the input collimator and the output collimator along a translation direction forming a non-zero angle with a direction of a light beam emitted by the input collimator. The reflector comprises two mutually-perpendicular reflective surfaces for sequentially reflecting the light beam emitted by the input collimator to the output collimator. A variable attenuation imparted by the attenuator on the light beam is determined by a position of the reflector relative to the input collimator and the output collimator, along the translation direction. The reflector preferably comprises a right-angle prism adhered to a nut mounted on a threaded axle driven by a stepper motor. The attenuator can achieve stable, ripple-free attenuation characteristics at insertion losses beyond &#x2212;40 dB.

Tilted-translation variable optical attenuator

A 1&times;N optical switch includes an input fiber collimator, an x-y scanning device including two perpendicular galvanometer-driven rotatable mirrors, and a 2-D array of output fiber collimators arranged over an output surface so as to be aligned with a corresponding ray extending from the x-y scanning device. Each of the output fiber collimators corresponds to a unique pair of rotation angles of the two mirrors. The output surface can have a spherical curvature, or a curvature which accounts for the dependency of optical path on the angles of the two mirrors. The switch allows improved switching speeds, accuracy, and reduced and uniform insertion losses. The architecture can be used for N&times;M switches and N&times;M cross-connects.

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Henderson, NV, United States of America

Zuyun Fang