Self-aligned mechanical m.times.n optical switch

Abstract

A mechanically stable self-aligned M.times.N optical switch having a low insertion loss is achieved by employing three cleaved silica optical structures containing a plurality of waveguides. A monolithic silica optical structure is cleaved into the three corresponding structures. Each of the first and third structures has a cleaved edge and a respective set of waveguides extending parallel to a corresponding structure surface. The second structure has two substantially parallel cleaved edges and a plurality of sets of waveguides extending parallel to a corresponding structure surface. The corresponding surfaces of the first, second and third structures are positioned on, for example, surfaces of respective first, second and third bases aligned in a common plane. The structures are further positioned with the cleaved edges of the second structure arranged adjacent to and facing respective ones of the cleaved edges of the first and third structures. In operation, the second structure is moveable in a direction along the cleaved edges relative to the first and third structures to selectively align different waveguide sets with the waveguides of the first and third structures to provide various different optical connections between the waveguide sets of the first and third structures.