According to various aspects of the present disclosure, an apparatus is provided. In an aspect, the apparatus includes an optical transceiver having a first port, a second port and an optical switch coupled to the first port and the second port. The optical switch is switchable between a unidirectional port operation mode and a bidirectional port operation mode. When the optical switch is in the unidirectional port operation mode, the first port is configured to send a first optical signal, and the second port configured to receive a second optical signal. When the optical switch is in the bidirectional port operation mode, the first port configured to send the first optical signal and receive the second optical signal, and the second port configured to receive a third optical signal and not send the first signal. Furthermore, a second bidirectional port operation mode is supported with the second port configured to send the first optical signal and receive the second optical signal, and the first port configured to receive a third optical signal and not send the first signal.

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.

According to various aspects of the present disclosure, an apparatus is provided. In an aspect, the apparatus includes an optical transceiver having a first port, a second port and an optical switch coupled to the first port and the second port. The optical switch is switchable between a unidirectional port operation mode and a bidirectional port operation mode. When the optical switch is in the unidirectional port operation mode, the first port is configured to send a first optical signal, and the second port configured to receive a second optical signal. When the optical switch is in the bidirectional port operation mode, the first port configured to send the first optical signal and receive the second optical signal, and the second port configured to receive a third optical signal and not send the first signal. Furthermore, a second bidirectional port operation mode is supported with the second port configured to send the first optical signal and receive the second optical signal, and the first port configured to receive a third optical signal and not send the first signal.

Described are various configurations of reduced crosstalk optical switches. Various embodiments can reduce or entirely eliminate crosstalk using a coupler that has a power-splitting ratio that compensates for amplitude imbalance caused by phase modulator attenuation. Some embodiments implement a plurality of phase modulators and couplers as part of a dilated switch network to increase overall bandwidth and further reduce potential for crosstalk.

The present invention discloses a photonic crystal all-optical anti-interference self-locking trigger switch which includes a photonic crystal structure unit, an optical switch, an absorbing load and an internal or external reference light source, wherein said photonic crystal structure unit includes two signal-input ends, a signal-output end; a first input end of said photonic crystal structure unit is connected to a logic signal X; the input end of the optical switch is connected with the reference light source, the first intermediate signal-output end of the optical switch is connected with the second input end of the photonic crystal structure unit, and the second intermediate signal-output end of the optical switch is connected with the wave absorbing load. The present invention has the advantages of high contrast of high and low logic output, high computing speed, strong anti-interference capability, and ease of integration with other optical logic elements.

Optical inputs to photonic switches may incorporate a polarization controller in order to change the polarization of the input signal to a pre-determined polarization for operation with the silicon photonics. A last stage of components of the polarization controller may overlap with a first input switching stage. A polarization controller that overlaps with the first stage of the switch input may provide lower insertion loss and power consumption for the photonic switch.

An aspect of the disclosure provides for an optical-phased array (OPA) comprising a star coupler coupled to a plurality of grating couplers, wherein the star coupler comprises multiple inputs and multiple outputs. In some embodiments, each output of the star coupler is coupled to a grating coupler of the plurality of grating couplers. In some embodiments, the star coupler is coupled to the plurality of grating couplers by a plurality of optical delay lines. In some embodiments each output of the star coupler is coupled to a grating coupler of the plurality of grating couplers via an optical delay line of the plurality of optical delay lines. In some embodiments, the OPA further includes an optical switch coupled to the multiple inputs of the star coupler, and at least one tunable laser. Another aspect of the disclosure provides a method for steering light using the OPA.

Described are various configurations of reduced crosstalk optical switches. Various embodiments can reduce or entirely eliminate crosstalk using a coupler that has a power-splitting ratio that compensates for amplitude imbalance caused by phase modulator attenuation. Some embodiments implement a plurality of phase modulators and couplers as part of a dilated switch network to increase overall bandwidth and further reduce potential for crosstalk.

An optical module of a configuration that ensures use of commercially available electronic components and reduction of the number of current generation circuits and electric wirings. The optical module includes an electronic component mounted on a separate board from a light wave circuit board provided with an optical component such as an optical switch, and they are each electrically connected by wire bonding. For this reason, the optical module can use a commercially available electronic component. In addition, the module has a configuration in which heaters of optical switches, which do not simultaneously flow currents, are grouped and a current from one current generation circuit is supplied to any one of the heaters in the group by means of one electrical switch. For this reason, the optical module does not have to be prepared with the same number of electrical switches and current generation circuits as the number of heaters.

An optical module of a configuration that ensures use of commercially available electronic components and reduction of the number of current generation circuits and electric wirings. The optical module includes an electronic component mounted on a separate board from a light wave circuit board provided with an optical component such as an optical switch, and they are each electrically connected by wire bonding. For this reason, the optical module can use a commercially available electronic component. In addition, the module has a configuration in which heaters of optical switches, which do not simultaneously flow currents, are grouped and a current from one current generation circuit is supplied to any one of the heaters in the group by means of one electrical switch. For this reason, the optical module does not have to be prepared with the same number of electrical switches and current generation circuits as the number of heaters.