Optical switch

Abstract

An optical switch comprising two layers of input-side optical fibers and backup optical fibers arranged side by side and output-side optical fibers arranged side by side, and a fixed prism (14) arranged facing their end faces. On one side slope of the fixed prism (14), a prism (15b) for the preparation fiber is arranged opposite to the preparation fiber (20), so that the drive prism (15a) can be contacted and separated from the side slope of the fixed prism (14). The driving prism (15a) can move along the input side optical fiber. When the driving prism (15a) is in contact with the position on the slope of the fixed prism (14), the outgoing light from the input-side optical fiber is not totally reflected by the slope of the fixed prism (14) and enters into the driving prism (15a), and is transmitted from the driving prism (15a). After the prism (15a) is sent out to the prism (15b) for the preliminary fiber, it enters the preliminary fiber (20) from the prism (15b) for the preliminary fiber. With this optical switch, the insertion loss can be reduced, and the stroke of the driving part can also be shortened.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to an optical switch, in particular to an optical switch used as an optical communication device. Background technique [0002] The principle of the existing standby optical switch (8×8 rectangular optical switch) is expressed in figure 1 (a). In this optical switch 1, an input-side optical fiber bundle composed of eight input-side optical fibers In1-In8 is opposed to an output-side optical fiber bundle composed of eight output-side optical fibers Out1-Out8. In the space between Out1 to Out8, a plurality of first reflection mirrors 2a to 2h are arranged in a pair of diagonals facing each of the input side optical fibers In1 to In8 and forming an angle of 45°. Outside the spaces between the input-side optical fibers In1-In8 and the output-side optical fibers Out1-Out8, the second reflectors 3a-3h are respectively arranged in the reflection directions of the light of the first reflectors 2a-2h. In the reflection direction of the ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0005] But because this kind of optical switch needs to have the optical path switch mechanism that is made of the first and second reflection mirrors and driver, so just need to have the bigger space that is used for disposing switch mechanism between input-side optical fiber and output-side optical fiber, from The optical path length of the light emitted from the optical fiber on the input side of the optical switch and injected into the optical fiber on the output side increases, and the insertion loss of the optical signal in the optical switch increases.

Or if you want to supplement the insertion loss to achieve low loss in the optical switch, you must perform optical axis alignment of the input side and the output side optical fiber with high precision, which may reduce the productivity of the optical switch.

[0006] In order to reduce the space between the optical fiber on the input side and the optical fiber on the output side, it is necessary to reduce the size of the switch mechanism, so technologies such as micro-machining technology MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanica Systems) are required, and there is a problem that the price of the optical switch is very high.

Moreover, since multiple reflectors and drivers are required (16 in an 8×8 rectangular optical switch), the efficiency is not high, poor adjustment and failure are prone to occur, and the manufacturing cost is also high.

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