Optimum Design of an 8x8 Optical Switch with Thermal Compensated Mechanisms

Authors: Tien-Tung Chung, Chin-Te Lin, Chung-Yun Lee, Kuang-Chao Fan, Shou-Heng Chen

Abstract:

This paper studies the optimum design for reducing optical loss of an 8x8 mechanical type optical switch due to the temperature change. The 8x8 optical switch is composed of a base, 8 input fibers, 8 output fibers, 3 fixed mirrors and 17 movable mirrors. First, an innovative switch configuration is proposed with thermal-compensated design. Most mechanical type optical switches have a disadvantage that their precision and accuracy are influenced by the ambient temperature. Therefore, the thermal-compensated design is to deal with this situation by using materials with different thermal expansion coefficients (α). Second, a parametric modeling program is developed to generate solid models for finite element analysis, and the thermal and structural behaviors of the switch are analyzed. Finally, an integrated optimum design program, combining Autodesk Inventor Professional software, finite element analysis software, and genetic algorithms, is developed for improving the thermal behaviors that the optical loss of the switch is reduced. By changing design parameters of the switch in the integrated design program, the final optimum design that satisfies the design constraints and specifications can be found.

Keywords: Optical switch, finite element analysis, thermal-compensated design, optimum design.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1082225

References:

[1] D. T. Neilson, R. Frahm, P. Kolodner, C. A. Bolle, R. Ryf, J. Kim, A. R. Papazian, C. J. Nuzman, A. Gasparyan, N. R. Basavanhally, V. A. Aksyuk and J. V. Gates, "256 256 Port optical cross-connect subsystem," Journal of Lightwave Technology, vol. 22, no. 6, pp.1499-1509, 2004.
[2] X. C. Shan, T. Ikehara, Y. Murakoshi and R. Maeda, "Applications of micro hot embossing for optical switch formation," Sensors and Actuators, vol. 119, pp.433-440, 2004.
[3] J. Bao, Z. Cao, Y. Yuan and X. Wu, "A non-silicon mirco-machining based scalable fiber optic switch," Sensors and Actuators, vol. 116, pp. 209-214, 2004.
[4] H. T. Hsieh, C. W. Chiu, T. Tsao, F. Jiang and G. D. J. Su, "Low-actuation-voltage MEMS for 2-D optical switches," Journal of Lightwave Technology, vol. 24, no.11, pp.4372-4379, 2006.
[5] X. Li, Z. Zhou and M. Hamdi, "Non-violation set scheduling for two-dimensional optical MEMS switch," IEEE Communications Letters, vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 308-310, 2006.
[6] X. H. Ma and G. S. Kuo, "A novel integrated multistage optical MEMS-mirror switch architecture design with shuffle Benes inter-stage connecting principle," Optics Communications, vol. 242, pp.179-189, 2004.
[7] J. Q. Wang, S. C. Lin and J. S. Wu, "Method of mirror layout of multi-level optical switch," Taiwan R.O.C. Patent No. 434418, 2000.
[8] W. W. Morey and W. L. Glomb, "Incorporated Bragg filter temperature compensated optical waveguide device," U.S. Patent No. 5,042,898, 1991.
[9] G. W. Yoffe, P. A. Krug, F. Ouellette and D. A. Thorncarft, "Passive temperature-compensated package for optical fiber gratings," Applied Optics, vol. 34, pp.6859-6861, 1995.
[10] L. G. de Peralta, A. A. Bernussi, V. Gorbounov and H. Temkin, "Temperature-insensitive reflective arrayed-waveguide grating multiplexers," IEEE Photonics Technology Letter, vol. 16, no. 3, pp.831-833, 2004.
[11] D. L. Weidman, G. H. Beall, K. C. Chyung, G. L. Francis, R. A. Modavis and R. M. Morena, "A novel negative expansion substrate material for a themalizing fiber bragg gratings," 22nd European Conference on Optical Communication-ECOC-96, Oslo, pp.1.61-1.63, 1996.
[12] H. Tanobe, Y. Kondo, Y. Kadota, K. Okamoto and Y. Yoshikuni, "Temperature insensitive arrayed waveguide gratings on InP substrates," IEEE Photonics Technology Letter, vol. 10, no. 2, pp.831-833, 1998.
[13] P. J. Lemaire and G. J. Shevchuk, "Fiber grating package," U.S. Patent No. 5,841,920, 1998.
[14] T. T. Chung, C. T. Lin and H. Fan, "Design and analysis of a 8x8 optical switch," The 12th International Conference on Mechatronics Technology(ICMT 2008), Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, 2008.