Fiber Optic Crossbar Switch for 1.55um Wavelength

CoreTek, Inc. proposes to develop and commercialize the first multipurpose, integrated, dynamically reconfigurable fiber optic cross bar switch (DRFOCS). This unique device will find applications ranging from DOD's C3 and computer networks to upcoming commercial Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) telecommunication systems. Our innovative approach combines Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers (SOAs), state-of-the-art silicon VLSI, and LiNbO3 fiber optic switching technologies to produce a manufacturable device with tremendous switching flexibility and bandwidth capability (>10 Gbits/s/channel). The hybrid implementation offers significant improvements in reliability, cost, physical size and power consumption over current board level or box level switches. Furthermore, the reprogrammability of the device allows new switching protocols to be downloaded in milliseconds. Given a particular downloaded protocol, the network can be rapidly reconfigured in less than 20 ns., to meet changing traffic conditions to provide efficient fault tolerant data flow between closely coupled military computers and sensor/control systems or for commercial CATV and ATM links. In Phase I, CoreTek will demonstrate the feasibility of the approach by building a prototype 4x4 reconfigurable crossbar switch. In Phase II, an 8x8 preproduction prototype will be fabricated and its capabilities in both commercial and BMDO related applications will be demonstrated.