Broadband hitless bypass switch for integrated photonic circuits

A new microphotonic hitless switch is proposed. By enabling continuous, uninterrupted transition to a bypass path, it permits tuning of wavelength add-drop filters without disturbing intermediate channels. The scheme comprises two symmetrically actuated, 2 times 2 Deltabeta-type optical switches, an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE photonics technology letters 2006-05, Vol.18 (10), p.1137-1139
Main Authors: Haus, H.A., Popovic, M.A., Watts, M.R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Add-drop filters
Balancing
Bypasses
Channels
hitless switching
Interferometers
Laboratories
Optical filters
Optical interferometry
Optical losses
Optical resonators
Optical switches
Optical switching
Optical tuning
Optical waveguides
Phase shifting interferometry
Photonics
resonators
Switches
Switching circuits
Tuning
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Description
Summary:A new microphotonic hitless switch is proposed. By enabling continuous, uninterrupted transition to a bypass path, it permits tuning of wavelength add-drop filters without disturbing intermediate channels. The scheme comprises two symmetrically actuated, 2 times 2 Deltabeta-type optical switches, antisymmetrically cascaded in a balanced Mach-Zehnder configuration, and a pi differential phase shift in the interferometer arms. By symmetry, it provides for wavelength-independent hitless operation before, during and after switch reconfiguration, permitting slow switching independent of bit rate. Compact implementations using high-index-contrast microelectromechanical-system (MEMS)-actuated switches are proposed
ISSN:1041-1135
1941-0174
DOI:10.1109/LPT.2006.873929