OPTICAL INTERCONNECTION TECHNIQUES USING FERROELECTRIC LIQUID CRYSTALS

THE PROPOSED PROJECT AIMS TO EXPLOIT THE HIGH-SPEED ELECTRO-OPTIC PROPERTIES OF FERROELECTRIC LIQUID CRYSTALS (FLCS) TO MAKE OPTICAL CROSSBAR SWITCHES. THESE SWITCHES WOULD ALLOW LARGE NUMBERS (HUNDREDSTO THOUSANDS) OF INPUT LIGHT BEAMS MODULATED AT GHZ RATES TO BE CONNECTED IN ANY POSSIBLE ONE-TO-ONE PATTERN TO AN EQUALLY LARGE NUMBER OF OUTPUTS. THE PROPOSED SWITCH GEOMETRIES PROMISE THAT ONLY A SMALL (1 0 2 DB) AMOUNT OF LIGHT WOULD BE LOST BETWEEN INPUT AND OUTPUT. THE FAST SWITCHING CHARACTERISTIC OF FLCS ALLOW THE ENTIRE CONNCTION PATTERN OF THE SWITCH TO BE RECONFIGURED IN MICROSECOND TO SUBMICROSECOND TIMES WITH ENERGY DISSIPATIONS OF ONLY PICOJOULES. THE LOWPOWER, LOW-VOLTAGE BISTABLE SWITCHING CHARACTERISTICS OF FLCS MAKE EITHER ELECTRICAL OR OPTICAL ADDRESSING EQUALLY FEASIBLE. THE PROPOSED N X N CROSSBAR SWITCHES WILL BE MADE UP OF ON THE ORDER OF N2 INDIVIDUAL SWITCHING ELEMENTS FABRICATED ON A SINGLE SUBSTRATE. PHASE I OF THE PROPOSED EFFORT WILL SELECT AN APPROPRIATE GEOMETRY, DESIGN, FABRICATE, AND TEST AN INDIVIDUAL "PROOF-OF-CONCEPT" SWITCH ELEMENT. DURING PHASE II, COMPLETE MULTI-LINE CROSSBAR SWITCHES WILL BE DESIGNED AND FABRICATED.