An optical switch and an optical switching chip

Abstract

This application discloses an optical switch and an optical switching chip. The optical switch includes a substrate, a first cladding, a first transmission waveguide, and a switching waveguide. The first cladding is stacked on one side of the substrate. The first transmission waveguide has a first coupling surface facing away from the substrate, the first transmission waveguide is embedded in the first cladding, and the first coupling surface is exposed in the first cladding. The switching waveguide includes a first coupling arm, which is suspended on the side of the first cladding facing away from the substrate. The first coupling arm is configured to be operatively close to or away from the first coupling surface of the first transmission waveguide for optical coupling or decoupling from the first transmission waveguide. This application reduces the optical transmission loss of the transmission waveguide in the optical switch by embedding the transmission waveguide within the cladding.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of optical communication device technology, specifically to an optical switch and an optical switching chip. Background Technology

[0002] On-chip OCS (Optical Circuit Switch) systems based on MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) silicon photonics solutions have become the preferred solution for all-optical switching due to their advantages such as low cost and small size.

[0003] However, on-chip OCS is affected by various factors, resulting in significant losses. These include waveguide transmission loss, inter-waveguide coupling loss, and cross-structure loss. Among these, waveguide transmission loss is primarily caused by the roughness of the transmission waveguide sidewalls. Since the sidewall roughness of transmission waveguides is typically quite poor, uneven waveguide sidewalls easily cause optical transmission loss, thus affecting the transmission efficiency and quality of the on-chip OCS optical signal. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned deficiencies of the prior art, the technical problem to be solved by this application is how to reduce the loss of the transmission waveguide in order to improve the working performance of the optical switch.

[0005] To address at least one of the aforementioned technical problems, this application discloses an optical switch and an optical switching chip.

[0006] According to one aspect of this application, an optical switch is provided, comprising:

[0007] Substrate layer;

[0008] The first cladding layer is stacked on one side of the substrate layer;

[0009] A first transmission waveguide has a first coupling surface facing away from the substrate layer, the first transmission waveguide is embedded in a first cladding layer, and the first coupling surface is exposed in the first cladding layer.

[0010] A switching waveguide includes a first coupling arm suspended on the side of a first cladding layer away from the substrate layer. The first coupling arm is configured to be operatively close to or away from a first coupling surface of a first transmission waveguide for optical coupling or optical decoupling from the first transmission waveguide.

[0011] Optionally, the first cladding has a first surface facing the switching waveguide;

[0012] The optical switch also includes:

[0013] The first protective layer covers the first surface of the first cladding.

[0014] Optionally, the first coupling surface of the first transmission waveguide is exposed to the first protective layer;

[0015] Alternatively, the first protective layer is made of the same material as the first transmission waveguide, and the first cladding covers both sides of the first transmission waveguide;

[0016] Alternatively, the first protective layer covers the first surface of the first cladding and the first coupling surface of the first transmission waveguide.

[0017] Optionally, the thickness of the first protective layer is less than or equal to 100 nm; the refractive index of the first protective layer is less than or equal to the refractive index of the first transmission waveguide.

[0018] Optionally, the optical switch further includes a second transmission waveguide having a second coupling surface;

[0019] The switching waveguide also includes a second coupling arm that is optically connected to the first coupling arm. The second coupling arm is configured to be operatively close to or away from the second coupling surface of the second transmission waveguide for optical coupling or decoupling from the second transmission waveguide.

[0020] Optionally, the second transmission waveguide and the first transmission waveguide are disposed on different layers, with the second transmission waveguide disposed on the side of the first transmission waveguide away from the substrate layer;

[0021] The optical switch also includes a second cladding layer that covers the side of the second transmission waveguide; wherein the second coupling surface is exposed in the second cladding layer.

[0022] Optionally, the second transmission waveguide is disposed on the side of the switching waveguide away from the first cladding, and the second coupling surface faces the second coupling arm;

[0023] The optical switch also includes a connection structure located between the first cladding layer and the second cladding layer, creating a gap between the first cladding layer and the second cladding layer, with the first coupling arm and the second coupling arm located within the gap.

[0024] Optionally, the optical switch further includes a support layer disposed on the side surface of the second cladding layer opposite to the substrate layer.

[0025] Optionally, the second cladding has a second surface facing the switching waveguide;

[0026] The optical switch also includes:

[0027] The second protective layer covers the second surface of the second cladding.

[0028] Optionally, the second coupling surface of the second transmission waveguide is exposed to the second protective layer;

[0029] Alternatively, the second protective layer is made of the same material as the second transmission waveguide, and the second cladding covers both sides of the second transmission waveguide;

[0030] Alternatively, the second protective layer covers the second surface of the second cladding and the second coupling surface of the second transmission waveguide.

[0031] Optionally, the thickness of the second protective layer is less than or equal to 100 nm; the refractive index of the second protective layer is less than or equal to the refractive index of the second transmission waveguide.

[0032] According to a second aspect of this application, an optical switching chip is disclosed, comprising a plurality of optical switches as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0033] In this embodiment of the optical switch, a first transmission waveguide is embedded in a first cladding layer, and the first coupling surface of the first transmission waveguide faces the switching waveguide and is exposed within the first cladding layer. This arrangement allows the sidewalls of the first transmission waveguide to be embedded in the first cladding layer without affecting the coupling between the first transmission waveguide and the switching waveguide. Embedding the sidewalls of the first transmission waveguide in the first cladding layer reduces the refractive index difference between the inside and outside of the transmission waveguide, thereby reducing the impact of sidewall roughness on transmission performance, reducing light scattering, and further reducing optical transmission loss and improving device performance.

[0034] Other features and advantages of this application will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0035] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0036] To gain a more complete understanding of this application and its beneficial effects, the following description will be provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals in the following description denote the same parts.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an optical switch provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an optical switch provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an optical switch provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of an optical switch provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the BB cross-section of the optical switch shown;

[0042] Figure 6 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the AA cross-section of the optical switch shown;

[0043] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second coupling arm and the second transmission waveguide of an optical switch provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an optical switch provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 9 This is an architectural diagram of an optical switching chip provided in another embodiment of this application.

[0046] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0047] 1-Optical switch, 2-Driver;

[0048] 10-Substrate layer, 11-First cladding layer, 12-First surface, 13-Second cladding layer, 14-Second surface, 15-Connection structure, 16-Gap, 17-Support layer;

[0049] 20 - First transmission waveguide; 21 - First coupling surface;

[0050] 30 - Switch waveguide, 31 - First coupling arm, 32 - Second coupling arm;

[0051] 40 - First protective layer, 41 - Second protective layer.

[0052] 50 - Second transmission waveguide, 51 - Second coupling surface. Detailed Implementation

[0053] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this specification will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this specification, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this specification, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this application.

[0054] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such as a process, method, system, product, or server that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or devices.

[0055] Various exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote elements that have the same or similar functions. Although various aspects of the embodiments are shown in the drawings, they are not necessarily drawn to scale unless specifically indicated otherwise.

[0056] The term “exemplary” as used herein means “serving as an example, embodiment, or illustration.” Any embodiment illustrated herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as superior to or better than other embodiments.

[0057] In this document, the term "and / or" describes a relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three cases: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. Additionally, the term "at least one" in this document means any combination of at least two of any one or more elements. For example, including at least one of A, B, and C can mean including any one or more elements selected from the set consisting of A, B, and C.

[0058] Furthermore, to better illustrate this application, numerous specific details are provided in the following detailed description. Those skilled in the art should understand that this application can be implemented without certain specific details. In some instances, methods, means, components, and circuits well-known to those skilled in the art have not been described in detail in order to highlight the main points of this application.

[0059] On-chip optical switches (OCS) integrating MEMS-driven waveguide switches offer advantages such as low cost and small size, making them a preferred solution for all-optical switching. This application provides an on-chip integrated optical switch solution and optical switching chip to reduce optical transmission loss and improve the optical transmission efficiency and quality of the optical switching chip. The optical switch and optical switching chip of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0060] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an optical switch 1 provided in an embodiment of this application. The optical switch 1 may include at least: a substrate layer 10, a first cladding layer 11, a first transmission waveguide 20, and a switching waveguide 30.

[0061] like Figure 1 As shown, the first cladding layer 11 is stacked on one side of the surface of the substrate layer 10.

[0062] The first transmission waveguide 20 has a first coupling surface 21 facing away from the substrate layer 10. The first transmission waveguide 20 is embedded in the first cladding layer 11, and the first coupling surface 21 is exposed in the first cladding layer 11.

[0063] The switching waveguide 30 includes a first coupling arm 31, which is suspended on the side of the first cladding 11 away from the substrate 10. The first coupling arm 31 is configured to be operatively close to or away from the first coupling surface 21 of the first transmission waveguide 20 for optical coupling or optical decoupling from the first transmission waveguide 20.

[0064] In some embodiments, the first coupling arm 31 of the switching waveguide 30 is suspended above the first transmission waveguide 20. A first cladding layer 11, the first transmission waveguide 20, and the switching waveguide 30 are sequentially stacked on the substrate layer 10. The first transmission waveguide 20 is embedded within the first cladding layer 11, allowing the sidewalls of the first transmission waveguide 20 to be buried within the first cladding layer 11, thereby reducing waveguide transmission loss caused by the roughness of the sidewalls of the first transmission waveguide 20.

[0065] The material of the first cladding layer 11 can be silicon dioxide. The materials of the first transmission waveguide 20 and the switching waveguide 30 can be lithium niobate, silicon, or silicon nitride, etc. The material of the substrate layer 10 can be silicon.

[0066] Please see Figure 1 In this embodiment, both the switching waveguide 30 and the first transmission waveguide 20 are ridge waveguides. The ridges of both the switching waveguide 30 and the first transmission waveguide 20 face the substrate layer 10. The planar portion of the first transmission waveguide 20 faces the switching waveguide 30 and has a first coupling surface 21 capable of optically coupling with the switching waveguide 30. The ridge of the first transmission waveguide 20 is completely embedded within the first cladding layer 11, and all surfaces of the planar portion of the first transmission waveguide 20 except for the first coupling surface 21 are embedded within the first cladding layer 11.

[0067] The first coupling arm 31 of the switching waveguide 30 can move along a first direction or a second direction to approach the first transmission waveguide 20, thereby achieving optical coupling between the two and realizing optical path switching. The first direction can be the stacking direction of the substrate layer 10 and the first cladding layer 11, and the second direction can be a direction parallel to the surface of the substrate layer 10 and perpendicular to the extension direction of the first transmission waveguide 20. In other embodiments, the first coupling arm 31 of the switching waveguide 30 can also rotate in a plane parallel to the surface of the substrate layer 10 to approach or move away from the first transmission waveguide 20.

[0068] In addition, the orientation of the ridge of the switching waveguide 30 is related to its manufacturing process. Therefore, in some embodiments, the ridge of the switching waveguide 30 may also be disposed away from the substrate layer 10.

[0069] In this embodiment, the sidewall of the first transmission waveguide 20 is embedded in the first cladding 11. This reduces the refractive index difference between the inside and outside of the first transmission waveguide 20, thereby mitigating the impact of the sidewall roughness on the waveguide transmission performance. This reduces light scattering and consequently lowers optical transmission loss. Simultaneously, the first coupling surface 21 is exposed within the first cladding 11, ensuring that the arrangement of the first cladding 11 does not affect the optical coupling between the switching waveguide 30 and the first transmission waveguide 20.

[0070] Another optical switch 1 in this application embodiment is as follows: Figure 2 As shown. This embodiment and Figure 1 The difference in the corresponding embodiment is that the optical switch 1 also includes a first protective layer 40.

[0071] Please see Figure 2 The first cladding 11 has a first surface 12 facing the switching waveguide 30, and the first protective layer 40 covers the first surface 12 of the first cladding 11.

[0072] Specifically, the first surface 12 is the surface on the same side as the first cladding 11 and the exposed first coupling surface 21. In this embodiment, the first surface 12 is the surface of the first cladding 11 facing away from the substrate layer 10. During the manufacturing process of the optical switch 1, a structure release process combined with a release gas is required to etch the structure. For example, hydrogen fluoride gas is used to remove excess oxide layer to achieve structure release. Therefore, in order to avoid damage to the first cladding 11 and the first transmission waveguide 20 by the release gas during the structure release process, a first protective layer 40 can be provided on the first surface 12 of the first cladding 11. The first protective layer 40 is a material that will not react with the release gas, such as aluminum oxide.

[0073] like Figure 2As shown, in this embodiment, the first protective layer 40 covers the first surface 12 of the first cladding 11 and the first coupling surface 21 of the first transmission waveguide 20. To avoid the first protective layer 40 affecting the optical coupling between the switching waveguide 30 and the first transmission waveguide 20, in this embodiment, the thickness of the first protective layer 40 is less than or equal to 100 nm, and the refractive index of the first protective layer 40 is less than the refractive index of the first transmission waveguide 20.

[0074] In other embodiments, when the released gas has no effect on the transmission waveguide, the first protective layer 40 can cover the first cladding 11 on both sides of the first transmission waveguide 20, exposing the first coupling surface 21 of the first transmission waveguide 20, thereby avoiding the first protective layer 40 from affecting the coupling efficiency.

[0075] In other embodiments, when the released gas has no effect on the transmission waveguide, the first protective layer 40 may also be made of the same material as the first transmission waveguide 20, and the first cladding layer 11 may cover both sides of the first transmission waveguide 20. For example... Figure 3 When the material of the first protective layer 40 is the same as that of the first transmission waveguide 20, the first transmission waveguide 20 and the first protective layer 40 on both sides can be directly etched into the transmission waveguide layer. In this case, the refractive index of the first protective layer 40 is equal to the refractive index of the first transmission waveguide 20.

[0076] Specifically, such as Figure 3 As shown, when the first transmission waveguide 20 is a ridge waveguide, the first protective layer 40 can extend from both ends of the flat plate portion of the first transmission waveguide 20 along the second direction and cover the first surface 12 of the first cladding 11 to protect the first cladding 11 from being damaged by the released gas, thereby improving the structural stability and reliability of the optical switch 1.

[0077] In some other embodiments, the first transmission waveguide 20 may also be a strip waveguide. When the first protective layer 40 is made of the same material as the strip waveguide, the first protective layer 40 may extend from both ends of the strip waveguide along the second direction and cover the first surface 12 of the first cladding 11.

[0078] Another embodiment of the optical switch 1 in this application is as follows: Figure 4-6 As shown. This embodiment is in Figure 1 Corresponding embodiments and Figures 2 to 3 Based on the corresponding embodiment, the optical switch 1 further includes a second transmission waveguide 50, which has a second coupling surface 51.

[0079] In this embodiment, the switching waveguide 30 further includes a second coupling arm 32, which is optically connected to the first coupling arm 31. The second coupling arm 32 is configured to be operatively close to or away from the second coupling surface 51 of the second transmission waveguide 50 for optical coupling or decoupling from the second transmission waveguide 50.

[0080] The optical switch 1 also includes a driver 2 for driving the first coupling arm 31 and the second coupling arm 32 to operate respectively. When the optical switch 1 is on, the driver 2 drives the first coupling arm 31 to move closer to the first transmission waveguide 20 and the second coupling arm 32 to move closer to the second transmission waveguide 50, so that the switch waveguide 30 is optically coupled to the first transmission waveguide 20 and the second transmission waveguide 50 respectively, thereby realizing optical transmission between the first transmission waveguide 20 and the second transmission waveguide 50. When the optical switch 1 is off, the driver 2 drives the first coupling arm 31 away from the first transmission waveguide 20 and the second coupling arm 32 away from the second transmission waveguide 50, thereby cutting off the optical transmission between the first transmission waveguide 20 and the second transmission waveguide 50.

[0081] like Figure 4-6 As shown, in this embodiment, the second transmission waveguide 50 and the first transmission waveguide 20 are disposed on different layers, with the second transmission waveguide 50 located on the side of the first transmission waveguide 20 facing away from the substrate layer 10. This arrangement can avoid additional losses caused by the intersection of the first transmission waveguide 20 and the second transmission waveguide 50.

[0082] like Figure 6 As shown, in this embodiment, the optical switch 1 further includes a second cladding layer 13. The second cladding layer 13 covers the side of the second transmission waveguide 50. The second coupling surface 51 is exposed within the second cladding layer 13. That is, the second transmission waveguide 50 is also embedded in the second cladding layer 13, exposing the second coupling surface 51. This reduces the impact of sidewall roughness on transmission performance, thereby reducing light scattering and further reducing the optical transmission loss of the second transmission waveguide 50.

[0083] In this embodiment, the second transmission waveguide 50 is disposed on the side of the switching waveguide 30 away from the first cladding 11, and the second coupling surface 51 faces the second coupling arm 32. That is, the switching waveguide 30 is disposed between the first cladding 11 and the second cladding 13.

[0084] In some embodiments, the second transmission waveguide 50 is a ridge waveguide. The ridge of the second transmission waveguide 50 faces away from the switching waveguide 30, and the flat portion of the second transmission waveguide 50 faces the switching waveguide 30. Both the ridge and the flat portion are embedded in the second cladding 13, with only the second coupling surface 51 near the switching waveguide 30 exposed in the second cladding 13. The second coupling arm 32 of the switching waveguide 30 can move along a first direction or a second direction to approach the second transmission waveguide 50, thereby achieving optical coupling between them to transmit optical signals. In other embodiments, the second coupling arm 32 of the switching waveguide 30 can also rotate in a plane parallel to the surface of the substrate layer 10 to approach or move away from the second transmission waveguide 50.

[0085] The orientation of the ridge of the second transmission waveguide 50 is related to its manufacturing process. Therefore, in some embodiments, the ridge of the second transmission waveguide 50 may also be oriented toward the switching waveguide 30.

[0086] Please continue reading. Figure 5 and 6 In this embodiment, the optical switch 1 also includes a connection structure 15. The connection structure 15 is disposed between the first cladding layer 11 and the second cladding layer 13, so that a gap 16 is maintained between the first cladding layer 11 and the second cladding layer 13. The switch waveguide 30 is located within the gap 16, and the first coupling arm 31 and the second coupling arm 32 can move within the gap 16.

[0087] Please continue reading. Figure 5 and 6 In this embodiment, the optical switch 1 also includes a support layer 17. The support layer 17 is disposed on the side surface of the second cladding layer 13 facing away from the substrate layer 10.

[0088] In some embodiments, the second transmission waveguide 50 and the second cladding 13 are suspended above the gap 16, which may result in residual stress and cause the second transmission waveguide 50 to bend. To prevent the structure of the second transmission waveguide 50 from being damaged under stress, this embodiment provides a support layer 17 covering the second cladding 13 on the side away from the substrate layer 10. The support layer 17 smoothly supports the second cladding 13 and the second transmission waveguide 50, allowing the second transmission waveguide 50 to extend flatly, thereby improving the structural reliability and stability of the optical switch 1. It also further reduces optical loss caused by deformation of the second transmission waveguide 50.

[0089] In this embodiment, the first surface 12 of the first cladding layer 11 is provided with a first protective layer 40. For the specific configuration of the first protective layer 40, please refer to the previous section. Figure 2 and 3 A corresponding embodiment. The optical switch 1 also includes a second protective layer 41 to protect the second cladding 13 and the second transmission waveguide 50 from damage by the released gas.

[0090] Specifically, the second cladding 13 has a second surface 14 facing the switching waveguide 30. The second protective layer 41 covers the second surface 14 of the second cladding 13. The second surface 14 is the side of the second cladding 13 that exposes the second coupling surface 51. The structure, material selection, etc. of the second protective layer 41 can refer to the first protective layer 40.

[0091] Please see Figure 5 and 6 In this embodiment, the second protective layer 41 covers the second surface 14 of the second cladding 13 and the second coupling surface 51 of the second transmission waveguide 50. To avoid the second protective layer 41 affecting the optical coupling between the switching waveguide 30 and the second transmission waveguide 50, in this embodiment, the thickness of the second protective layer 41 is less than or equal to 100 nm; the refractive index of the second protective layer 41 is less than the refractive index of the second transmission waveguide 50.

[0092] In other embodiments, when the released gas has no effect on the transmission waveguide, the second protective layer 41 can cover the second cladding 13 on both sides of the second transmission waveguide 50, exposing the second coupling surface 51 of the second transmission waveguide 50, thereby avoiding the second protective layer 41 from affecting the coupling efficiency.

[0093] In other embodiments, when the released gas has no effect on the transmission waveguide, the second protective layer 41 may also be made of the same material as the second transmission waveguide 50, and the second cladding 13 may cover both sides of the second transmission waveguide 50. For example... Figure 7 As shown, when the material of the second protective layer 41 is the same as that of the second transmission waveguide 50, the second transmission waveguide 50 and the second protective layer 41 on both sides can be directly etched into the transmission waveguide layer. In this case, the refractive index of the second protective layer 41 is equal to the refractive index of the second transmission waveguide 50.

[0094] In the above embodiments, the first transmission waveguide 20 and the second transmission waveguide 50 are intersecting. In some embodiments, such as Figure 8 As shown, the first transmission waveguide 20 and the second transmission waveguide 50 can also be arranged in parallel.

[0095] In the above embodiments, the switching waveguide 30, the first transmission waveguide 20, and the second transmission waveguide 50 are all ridge waveguides. In other embodiments, the switching waveguide 30, the first transmission waveguide 20, and the second transmission waveguide 50 may all be strip waveguides, or a combination of ridge waveguides and strip waveguides; this application does not impose any limitations on this. For example, Figure 8 In the embodiment shown, the first transmission waveguide 20 and the second transmission waveguide 50 are strip waveguides, and the switching waveguide 30 is a ridge waveguide.

[0096] Accordingly, the present application also discloses an optical switching chip, including the optical switch 1 as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0097] like Figure 9 As shown, Optical I / O ports are optical input and output ports. In the waveguide array corresponding to optical switch 1, the number of first transmission waveguides 20 is N, and the number of second transmission waveguides 50 is N'. N and N' can be equal or unequal. The first transmission waveguides 20 and second transmission waveguides 50 intersect, and a switching waveguide 30 is provided at each intersection to realize optical transmission or optical cutoff between the first transmission waveguide 20 and the second transmission waveguide 50 corresponding to the intersection node, thereby realizing the switching of light from any input port to any output port. The specific configuration of each switching waveguide 30 can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 4 The corresponding implementation examples will not be described in detail here.

[0098] In the description of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more features. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0099] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions in other embodiments.

[0100] The embodiments, implementation methods, and related technical features of this application can be combined and substituted for each other without conflict.

[0101] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application in any way. Any simple modifications, equivalent variations, or alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of this application without departing from the scope of the technical solution of this application shall still fall within the scope of the technical solution of this application. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical applications, or technical improvements to the market of the various embodiments, or to enable other persons skilled in the art to understand the various embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An optical switch, characterized in that, include: Substrate layer; The first cladding layer is stacked on one side of the substrate layer; A first transmission waveguide has a first coupling surface facing away from the substrate layer, the first transmission waveguide is embedded in the first cladding layer, and the first coupling surface is exposed in the first cladding layer; A switching waveguide includes a first coupling arm suspended on the side of the first cladding layer away from the substrate layer. The first coupling arm is configured to be operatively close to or away from the first coupling surface of the first transmission waveguide for optical coupling or optical decoupling from the first transmission waveguide.

2. The optical switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first cladding layer has a first surface facing the switching waveguide; The optical switch also includes: A first protective layer covers the first surface of the first cladding.

3. The optical switch according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first coupling surface of the first transmission waveguide is exposed to the first protective layer; Alternatively, the first protective layer may be made of the same material as the first transmission waveguide, and the first cladding may cover both sides of the first transmission waveguide. Alternatively, the first protective layer covers the first surface of the first cladding and the first coupling surface of the first transmission waveguide.

4. The optical switch according to claim 2, characterized in that, The thickness of the first protective layer is less than or equal to 100 nm; the refractive index of the first protective layer is less than or equal to the refractive index of the first transmission waveguide.

5. The optical switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The optical switch further includes a second transmission waveguide, the second transmission waveguide having a second coupling surface; The switching waveguide further includes a second coupling arm, which is optically connected to the first coupling arm. The second coupling arm is configured to be operatively close to or away from the second coupling surface of the second transmission waveguide for optical coupling or decoupling from the second transmission waveguide.

6. The optical switch according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second transmission waveguide and the first transmission waveguide are disposed on different layers, and the second transmission waveguide is disposed on the side of the first transmission waveguide away from the substrate layer; The optical switch further includes a second cladding layer, which covers the side of the second transmission waveguide; wherein the second coupling surface is exposed in the second cladding layer.

7. The optical switch according to claim 6, characterized in that, The second transmission waveguide is disposed on the side of the switching waveguide away from the first cladding, and the second coupling surface faces the second coupling arm; The optical switch further includes a connection structure disposed between the first cladding layer and the second cladding layer, such that there is a gap between the first cladding layer and the second cladding layer, and the first coupling arm and the second coupling arm are located within the gap.

8. The optical switch according to claim 6, characterized in that, The optical switch further includes a support layer disposed on the side surface of the second cladding layer opposite to the substrate layer.

9. The optical switch according to claim 6, characterized in that, The second cladding has a second surface facing the switching waveguide; The optical switch also includes: A second protective layer covers the second surface of the second cladding.

10. The optical switch according to claim 9, characterized in that, The second coupling surface of the second transmission waveguide is exposed to the second protective layer; Alternatively, the second protective layer is made of the same material as the second transmission waveguide, and the second cladding covers both sides of the second transmission waveguide; Alternatively, the second protective layer covers the second surface of the second cladding and the second coupling surface of the second transmission waveguide.

11. The optical switch according to claim 9, characterized in that, The thickness of the second protective layer is less than or equal to 100 nm; the refractive index of the second protective layer is less than or equal to the refractive index of the second transmission waveguide.

12. An optical switching chip, characterized in that, The optical switching chip includes a plurality of optical switches as described in any one of claims 1-11.

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