Introduce To Opto-mechanical Switch

The Fiber Optical Switch can be a mechanical, opto-mechanical, or electronic device that opens or closes an optical circuit.The switch can be used for complete or break an optical path.Passive fiber optic switches will route an optical signal without electro-optical or optometrists conversion.However, a passive optical switch can use an electromechanical device to physically position the switch.An optical switch can get one or more input ports and two or more output ports.

As with any other type of switch, the MEMS Optical Switch has many uses, being dependent on the complexity of the design.In essence, the switch is the control for making, breaking, or modifying the connections within an optical circuit.This definition can be extended to incorporate the concept of the switch as the control that interconnects or transfers connections from one optical circuit to another.
It is important to note of the basic switch parameters for an optical switch.Some of the performance parameters to consider are the number of input and output ports(required size of the switch) ,optical fiber type,connector type,center wavelength,bandwidth,losses,crosstalk,switching speed ,durability (number of switching cycles),power handing ,and repeatability (the amount of change in output power each time the switch changes stage).

An Opto-mechanical Switch  redirects an optical signal by moving fiber or  bulk optic elements by means of mechanical devices.These types of switches are normally stepper motor driven.The stepper will move a mirror that guides the light from the input to the desired output.Although photomechanical switches are inherently slow due to the actual physical movement of the optical elements, their reliability, moderate insertion losses, and minimal crosstalk make them a widely deployed type of switch.


The opto-mechanical switch works on the premise that the input and output light beams are collated and "matched" within the switching device--the beams are moved within the device to make sure the switched connection from the input to the output.The opto-mechanical switch can be physically larger than alternative switches.But many micromechanical fiber-optic switches are available.

Introduce To Mechanical Optical Switch

The development of practical optical switches will probably be the final step in the deployment of the complete optical network of the next decade switching has always bottleneck that has yielded many innovative solutions and novel implementations ,so there should be an array of switching techniques developed as designs shift toward the Mechanical Optical Switch .We have defined a whole new set of signals that not only need to be multiplexed and demilitarised, but is required to provide the vast switching matrix required for efficient communications.Optical switches and cross connects will take the place of today's intermediate devices, maintaining the functionality of current switches, routers, and gateways.

Several optical fiber switches are generally used for telecommunicatoins using an optical network.Mechanical 1*2 optical switches which adjust the optical axis of fibers by mechanical motion of a movable fiber have been developed using several micro actuator.Including SMA actuators.The switches have advantages of low insertion loss and high cross -channel isolation because of the admirable optical property of optical fibers.

Utilizing standard optical fibers, mechanical 1*2 optical switches have been fabricated.A meandering SMA actuator for lateral displacement of a movable fiber has been fabricated by laser cutting of an SMA sheet.V-grooves for precise positioning of the movable fiber are fabricated by anisotropic etching of the Si substrate.

Mechanical 1*2 optical switches using Plastic Optical Fiber Cable (POF) with a relatively large core diameter have been developed.A magnetic latch keeps the position of the movable POF on the left or right side at a steady state.SMA microcode is included with a magnetic material ring and electrodes by soldering.

The evolution of optical communications systems indicates that the optical networks of the near future will be mesh-based WDM nodes with multilaterally switching capabilities.This innovative optical transport layer will use optical cross connects and Roadms,. To establish fast reconfiguration and provisioning of bandwidth for the transport of all types of communications protocols, since a constant Mechanical Optical Switch is not yet available, MEMS Optical Switch  is currently utilized.

Introduction To Optical Switches

We are aware of using numerous types of electronic switches in the field of conventional communications networks.No communication network can exist without switches.The basic telecommunications network came into existence only when the set of dedicated wires between a number of customers was replaced by a switching box.Switches are the vital components of a fiber -optic communications network.

Since electronic switching, the vital components of a fiber -optic communications network.Since electronic switching is a well -developed technology, it would seem natural to utilize these switches to fiber optic network .However, the price for using this mature technology is optical to electrical conversion with all the associated drawbacks of this method.O/E and E/O conversion result in the loss of data -stream transparency, that is,such conversion can be done only for a specific bit rate and data format.In addition, the extraordinary power consumption and cost associated with the amount of electronic equipment required.Diminish the attractiveness of this switching technique.Nonetheless, electronic switching is no other switching technique, in today's fiber optic network.Such as telephone networks, where optical fiber serves as the transmission medium and all terminal equipment is still automated.

We will concentrate on optical switches are the components of fiber optic networks.These switches rout components because they require external power for operation and they are actuated by a 5V electrical signal.Fiber Optical Switch  have ever found a number of applications in today's fiber -optic communications systems and they will be vital components in tomorrow's fiber -optic networks.We will discuss these applications when we consider the specific types of switches, since optical switches terminology and optical switch architecture come from electronic telecommunications switching technology,for example,the term space switch refers to the switch that physically connects one fiber to another.That is,it provides circuit switching.



We can break optical switches into broad categories: single switches and multistage switches.Single switches are made in latching and non latching styles.The latching operation ensures that the switch remains in its selected position if power is lost.Switches are available in electro -optical,onto mechanical,thermo-optical and aristocratical forms.Opto-mechanical Switch  are built on the mechanical motion of the optical components.For example,vertical moving the prism. Enables switching of an optical signal from 2to fiber 3.The same result can be achieved by slightly pivoting a spherical mirror.

The Case For Optical Switching

We have seen that switching evolved over decades using manual, electromechanical, and electronic devices and systems.Optical switching presents a future alternative which is currently starting to be deployed.Our discussion is currently turned to the subject of optical switching.In the remainder of this article, we examine the history of Fiber Optical Switch  and investigate the drivers to introduce it into communications networks.We categorize optical, optical switching methods, optical switching domains and optical switching technologies.Finally, we try to clear up some important terminological issues pertinent to this field of science and engineering.

Interest in optical switching appeared for the first time in the 1970s, and rose in the 1980s after the inroads made by Fiber Optic Manufacturers  to the transmission area.By the beginning of the 1990s, there was currently considerable research effort on optical switching.Contributions to this effort came from researches in areas of electronic switching, optical and opo-electronic devices, optical computing, and optical communications.At that time, optical switching devices were generally classified, according to their functionality, into the so called recreational devices and logical devices.
Relational devices establish a relation,or mapping ,between the state of the device and this type do not use the information flowing through them to change the state of the device,Logical devices ,no the other hand ,are digital devices and are assumed to be capable of suing the information passing through them to control the switching stage of the divine itself.Logical devices were mainly targeting optical logic applications and optical computing, but were also envisioned to enable building of ophthalmic digital switches for telecommunications.

Clearly,the migration of switching to the optical domain would bring tremendous advantages to the network ,Optical switching extends the reach of the virtually unlimited optical bandwidth from transmission systems to switching nodes,thereby elevating the information carrying capacity of the network to levels that are way beyond reach with Opto-mechanical Switch  .The migration of switching to the optical domain is an opportunity to enhance network agility, flexibility and reliability, and can make the network more cost effective.


The abundance of end -to end bandwidth in optical switching based networks alias creates new opportunities for wavelength based services and applications ,Optical switching is the cornerstone in the vision of the optical layer and is crucial for tomorrow's network architectures,As such ,it is an essential part of the long-trm solution to many network problems.The merits of optical switching, without doubt, constitute a compelling motivation to utilize if extensively in future as soon as all technological ingredient is fully mature and cost effective, and when the telecommunications market is ready for this step.

Different Types Of Optical Switch

Various optical networks incorporate optical switches.Networks that require protection switching.Where key attributes must be reliable operation after a long period in a position, system monitoring, and diagnosis commonly operation after a long time in one position, system monitoring, and diagnosis commonly features these units.Speed is no longer a meaningful parameter for these applications. At speeds up to tens of milliseconds are considered acceptable.Dynamic optical routing later on will require much faster switching speeds.

Or technologies are put in place to optical switching than any other function within the optical networks.Four principal varieties of optical switches include opo-mechanical switches, thermo optic switches.Electro optic switches, and all Fiber Optical Switch .

Opto-mechanical Switch
Move and fiber these collated beams around inside the device.This is anticipated low optical loss, and hosts the distance between the output and input move and fiber optic cable these colli mator beams round inside the device.This allows for low optical loss, and permits distance between the output and input fibers without deleterious effects.These devices have more bulky opposed to other alternatives, although modern micro-mechanical devices overcome this.

Thermo-optic Switches
These are usually based on wave guides made in polymers or silica.For operation, they are dependent on the change of refractive index with temperature created by a resistive heater placed above the wave guide. Their slowness is not opposed to them in current applications.


Elector-optic Swithces
There are typically semiconductor-based, and their operation is a function of the change of refractive index with the electric field.This characteristic renders them intrinsically high -speed devices with low power consumption.Neither the electro -optic or thermo-optic switches can yet match the insertion loss, back reflection and long term stability of optical -mechanical optical switches.

A fiber optic controlled switch has been identified as a potentially promising alternative to the conventional wall mounted light switch which uses copper wire normally run inside conduit.The article paper describes the considerations prior to the switch design and the problems met during fabrication and design, as part of the lighting energy conservation research program hosted by the National Research Council of Canada.

The Fiber Optical Switch which is outlined below is schematically illustrated.The entire switch system is made up of three separate subsystems: the control module, the fiber, as well as the wall switch.The control module is truly a three terminal devices connecting in the electrical line.The module houses the triac switch. Could be much longer, as the attenuation properties of the fiber were minor in comparison to the other system losses.The wall switch is a simple mechanical devices; the two fibers entering are close and aligned together so that light is referred from one to the other.Sliding path, thereby triggering the control module, even though the light -emitting diode source and the photo -duplication detector.The light-emitting diode remains on whether the triac switch is placed on or off.The light from the light-emitting diode is delivered to the wall switch through one of the Fiber Optic Cable Products .The same light is passed back from the wall switch to the control module interfaces with the photo-darlington trigger the triac inside the control module.The optical fiber used was 300 micron core plastics clad silica fiber with a nylon jacket but could easily have been a twin type fiber with adhesive backing to permit easy installation on wall surfaces.The length of each of the two fiber links was 13 meters.

Are attractive because the switch assembly could then be factory packaged without the necessity for a tradesman to make fiber connections at the job site.As the wall switch requires no switch box and is no larger than a cigarette packer, there is greater flexibility in both its design and location, installation of the fiber optic solutions control system requires connecting the control module in the lamp circuit in the ceiling plenum to the wall switch by a dual fiber.Both the optic fiber and the wall switch can be fitted to the surface of the wall switch can be installed on the surface of the wall since both are completely isolated elecrically.The length of optic fiber can be adjusted either by cutting G on site or by coiling extra fiber lengths in the ceiling plenum.The latter lengths.


Some great benefits of the fiber optic switch include: Damp,or generally hostile environments,and flexibility ,as office spaces often undergo changes in work station layout the fiber optic switch can be covered over or relocated very easily, low installation costs because "control wires" and the wall switch can be surface mounted;the switches can be installed on external walls without puncturing vapour barriers;the switches can be installed close to or at work stations;there is increased safety since the switch is completely isolated from the power circuit the electrical isolation means that the switch can be installed safely in explosive.