Methods and apparatuses for mode conversion. An apparatus that includes a substrate, a first waveguide, a second waveguide, a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) perturber, and a controller is provided. The first waveguide is formed on the substrate includes: (i) an input section, (ii) a bend section, and (iii) an output section. The second waveguide is also formed on the substrate and is disposed adjacent to a portion of the input section of the first waveguide. A portion of the second waveguide is separated from the input section of the first waveguide by a coupling gap. The perturber is disposed above the first waveguide and configured to move between a first position that is distal from a surface of the input section of the first waveguide and a second position that is closer to the surface of the input section of the first waveguide than the second position. The controller is configured to control a movement of the perturber between the first position and the second position. When the perturber is in the first position, a mode effective refractive index of the first waveguide is lower than the mode effective refractive index of the first waveguide when the perturber is in the second position.

An optical switch has latched switch states and includes optical fibers that are laterally joined together to define an optical switching portion. At least one phase change material (PCM) layer is on the optical switching portion so that a phase of the PCM layer determines a latched switch state from among the latched switch states.

Switching technology may be incorporated into various systems, components, and/or architectures in a fiber optic network to promote network reconfigurability and design flexibility. A signal access unit comprises an input, an output, an access port, a switch arrangement including a switch, and a controller. The switch optically couples the input to the output and not to the access port when in a first configuration, and optically couples the access port to at least one of the input and the output without optically coupling the input and the output together when in a second configuration. The controller is configured to receive an indication of a selected wavelength and to operate the switch arrangement to change the switch between the first and second configurations based on the indication of the selected wavelength.

An optical switching device (20) includes a substrate (39) and first and second optical waveguides (23, 25) having respective first and second tapered ends (62, 64), which are fixed on the substrate in mutual proximity one to another. A pair of electrodes (36, 38) is disposed on the substrate with a gap therebetween. A cantilever beam (32) is disposed on the substrate within the gap and configured to deflect transversely between first and second positions within the gap in response to a potential applied between the electrodes. A third optical waveguide (21) is mounted on the cantilever beam and has a third tapered end (60) disposed between the first and second tapered ends of the first and second waveguides, so that the third tapered end is in proximity with the first tapered end when the cantilever beam is in the first position and is in proximity with the second tapered end when the cantilever beam is in the second position.

Systems, devices, and methods may use input/output (I/O) apparatus and an optical switching medium to switch, or route, optical data signals. The optical switching medium may include a plurality of optical switching regions. The I/O apparatus may transmit optical data signals to and receive optical data signals from the optical switching medium to provide switching functionality.

An optical switch includes a bus waveguide and an optical antenna supported by a substrate, a first and second coupling waveguide, a first and second actuation electrode, and a first and second reaction electrode. The first coupling waveguide is disposed parallel with the substrate and aligned with the bus waveguide. The first reaction electrode is coupled with, and adjacent to, the first coupling waveguide. The second coupling waveguide is optically connected with the first coupling waveguide and suspended over and configured to optically couple with the optical antenna. The second reaction electrode is coupled with, and adjacent to, the second coupling waveguide. The first and second actuation electrodes are supported by the substrate and configured to control the position of the first and second coupling waveguide, respectively, relative to the bus waveguide and optical antenna, via the first and second reaction electrodes.

Systems, devices, and methods may use input/output (I/O) apparatus and an optical switching medium to switch, or route, optical data signals. The optical switching medium may include a plurality of optical switching regions. The I/O apparatus may transmit optical data signals to and receive optical data signals from the optical switching medium to provide switching functionality.

Switching technology may be incorporated into various systems, components, and/or architectures in a fiber optic network to promote network reconfigurability and design flexibility. A signal access unit comprises an input, an output, an access port, a switch arrangement including a switch, and a controller. The switch optically couples the input to the output and not to the access port when in a first configuration, and optically couples the access port to at least one of the input and the output without optically coupling the input and the output together when in a second configuration. The controller is configured to receive an indication of a selected wavelength and to operate the switch arrangement to change the switch between the first and second configurations based on the indication of the selected wavelength.

This disclosure relates to counterfeit detection and deterrence using advanced signal processing technology including steganographic embedding and digital watermarking. Digital watermark can be used on consumer products, labels, logos, hang tags, stickers and other objects to provide counterfeit detection mechanisms.

Systems, devices, and methods may use input/output (I/O) apparatus and an optical switching medium to switch, or route, optical data signals. The optical switching medium may include a plurality of optical switching regions. The I/O apparatus may transmit optical data signals to and receive optical data signals from the optical switching medium to provide switching functionality.