Optical cross connect switch with axial alignment beam

Abstract

An optical cross connect switch. In this switch any optical fiber in an input set of optical fibers, each carrying a communication beam, can be cross connected to any optical fiber in an output set of optical fibers. An alignment beam is added to and aligned co-axially with the communication beam carried by each fiber in the input set of optical fibers to define a communication-alignment beam for each fiber. Each communication-alignment beam is directed within a confined optical pathway to a specific exit aperture in an input array structure. The exit apertures for all of the communication-alignment beams are arranged in a pattern defining an input array so that each communication-alignment beam can be identified by the location of its exit aperture in the input array structure. Each communication-alignment beam is formed into a cross-connection beam by a micro-lens in a first lens micro-lens array. Each cross-connection beam is directed to a lens in a second lens array by two mirrors, a first mirror in a first mirror array and a second mirror in a second mirror array. The lens in the second micro-lens array focuses the communication beams into a specific input aperture of a confined optical pathway, preferably an optical fiber, in an output array structure. Each of the confined optical pathways in the output array structure is optically connected to an optical fiber of an output set of optical fibers. A first detector array located near the second lens array monitors the position of each alignment beam and provides position information to a processor for control of the mirrors in at least one of the mirror arrays.