RUGGED FIBER OPTIC WAVEGUIDE SWITCHES FOR LOCAL AREA NETWORKS

THIS PROGRAM WILL DEVELOP A RUGGEDIZED FIBER OPTIC SWITCH THAT CAN OPERATE UNDER ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSES. THE SWITCH HAS MAJOR APPLICATIONS FOR LOCAL AREA NETWORKS. THE SWITCH OPERATES ON THE PRINCIPLE OF MODULATION OF THE CUTOFF CONDITION IN WAVEGUIDES BY USING AN ELECTRO-OPTIC CLADDING LAYER BETWEEN TWO GUIDES. IT CAN BE DESIGNED FOR USE WITH MULTIMODE FIBERS WHERE THE TIR CONDITION IN A THICK GUIDING LAYER IS CHANGED TO SWITCH LIGHT BETWEEN TWO SUCH GUIDES, OR FOR SINGLE MODE FIBERS AND WAVEGUIDES, WHERE THE COUPLING CONSTANT BETWEEN TWO GUIDES IS MODULATED. THE DEVICE DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY MOVING PARTS; THUS, IT IS MECHANICALLY STABLE. THERMAL AND HUMIDITY RESISTANCE ARE ENSURED BY SELECTION OF SUITABLE MATERIALS. THE SWITCH ITSELF INTRODUCES MINIMAL LOSSES. COUPLING LOSSES ARE MINIMIZED BY USING HIGHLY EFFICIENT GRATING COUPLERS OR END COUPLING. ANOTHER DESIGN OPTION IS TO REPLACE THE FIBER CLADDING WITH THE ELECTRO-OPTIC MATERIAL AND TO SWTICH DIRECTLY BETWEEN FIBERS. THE FIBER OPTIC SWITCH CAN ALSO BE EXPANDED TO A MULTICHANNEL VERSION. POC'S EXPERTISE IN HOLOGRAPHIC DIFFRACTION GRATINGS ALSO ALLOWS EXTENSION TO MULTI-WAVELENGTH SYSTEMS IN WHICH WAVELENGTH DIVISION MULTIPLEXING/DEMULTIPLEXING IS PERFORMED.