An optical communications apparatus includes a branching unit and a switching module. The branching unit is configured to be connected to first, second, and third optical cables each including an optical fiber. The branching unit includes a branch optical path configured to route a fixed pre-determined range of wavelengths that are input to the branching unit from the optical fiber of the first cable to the optical fiber of the third cable. The switching module includes at least one optical switch having a bypass configuration and a branch connecting configuration. In the bypass configuration, a connection via the branch optical path to a distal portion of the third cable is bypassed. In the branch connecting configuration, the branch optical path is enabled so that the pre-determined range of wavelengths that are input to the branching unit are routed to the optical fiber of the distal portion of the third cable.

An optical connection component comprising optical fibers, a ferrule and a tube, is disclosed. The optical fibers are provided with coating removal portions and coated fiber portions. The coating removal portions includes first fiber portions held by a first inner hole of the ferrule and second fiber portions positioned between the first fiber portions and the coated fiber portions. The tube places, in a second inner hole, a part of the ferrule, the first fiber portions held by the part of the ferrule, the second fiber portions, and a part of the coated fiber portions adjacent to the second fiber portions. The first fiber portions are fixed onto an inner circumferential surface of the first inner hole with an adhesive agent, and a region, in which the second fiber portions are placed in the second inner hole, is not filled with an adhesive agent, and a void is provided there.

An optoelectronic device (20, 50) includes a planar substrate (30), an optical bus (40, 82, 84, 96, 140, 150, 180, 182, 224) disposed on the substrate and configured to convey coherent radiation through the bus, and an array (32, 72) of sensing cells (34, 74, 90, 160, 170, 200, 212, 380) disposed on the substrate. Each sensing cell includes at least one tap (92, 94, 144, 146, 226, 228) coupled to extract a portion of the coherent radiation propagating through the optical bus, an optical transducer (36, 108, 162, 172, 202, 204, 214) configured to couple optical radiation between the sensing cell and a target external to the substrate, and a receiver (114, 174, 178, 216, 218), which is coupled to mix the coherent radiation extracted by the tap with the optical radiation received by the optical transducer and to output an electrical signal responsively to the mixed radiation.

Telecommunications switches are presented, including expandable optical switches that allow for a switch of N inputs?M outputs to be expanded arbitrarily to a new number of N inputs and/or a new number of M outputs. Switches having internal switch blocks controlling signal bypass lines are also provided, with these switches being useful for the expandable switches.

A path-switchable dual polarization controller includes an input polarization beam splitter (PBS) switchably connected to either one of two optical controllers configured to tunably remix polarization components received from the PBS to obtain two target polarization components of input light. When one of the optical controllers requires a reset, PBS outputs are switched to the other optical controller, and the first optical controller is reset offline. The circuit may be used for polarization demultiplexing.

An optical communications apparatus includes a branching unit and a switching module. The branching unit is configured to be connected to first, second, and third optical cables each including an optical fiber. The branching unit includes a branch optical path configured to route a fixed pre-determined range of wavelengths that are input to the branching unit from the optical fiber of the first cable to the optical fiber of the third cable. The switching module includes at least one optical switch having a bypass configuration and a branch connecting configuration. In the bypass configuration, a connection via the branch optical path to a distal portion of the third cable is bypassed. In the branch connecting configuration, the branch optical path is enabled so that the pre-determined range of wavelengths that are input to the branching unit are routed to the optical fiber of the distal portion of the third cable.

A fiber optic network (10) includes a mobile switching center (MSC) (12) which distributes fiber optic signals to one or more remote cabinets (40, 42, 44). The remote cabinets (40, 42, 44) distribute signals to one or more customers. The cabinets (40, 42, 44) receive service from the MSC (12) or from a temporary service provider, such as a vehicle (500), in the event of a catastrophic failure of the MSC (12). The cabinets (40, 42, 44) include equipment which allows patching to a temporary service provider through a patch panel (200), and sub-racks (154, 156, 158) and supporting cabling (134, 136) to provide service to each of the cabinets in the network.

An optical source switching apparatus including first optical sources, an optical cross-connect device, second optical sources, and a first coupler. The optical cross-connect device is connected to the first optical sources and the first coupler, and the first coupler is connected to the second optical source; both the first optical source and the second optical source are configured to output continuous optical energy, and the optical cross-connect device is configured to enable optical energy output by at least one of the first optical sources to enter the first coupler when at least one of the second optical sources fails; and the first coupler is configured to implement beam splitting of the optical energy output by the first optical source or the second optical source.

Integrated optical devices include various configurations of active optical switches and other passive components such as splitters that are useful for controlling signals in optical data transmission networks. An optical switch may be used to switch light between waveguides on different substrates. The active optical switch may include one or more microfluidic droplets that are controllably movable relative to the coupling region to change the amount of light couplable between the first and second switch waveguides. Different configurations of the droplets can be controlled for operating the switch in different switching states. An optical switch can be included in an end use transceiver device for remotely controlling an optical time domain measurement. A microfluidic switch can be used to control wavelength-selective reflection in a waveguide reflector.

A passive optical fiber switch includes: a housing defining a plurality of ports configured to receive fiber optic connectors; a substrate positioned within the housing, the substrate defining a plurality of waveguide paths; and an arm positioned relative to one of the plurality of ports such that the arm moves as a fiber optic connector is positioned in the one port, movement of the arm causing the waveguide paths to shift to break a normal through configuration.