JPS58117504A - Optical switch - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a less-loss optical switch which has improved array precision by providing plastic optical waveguides with curved optical waveguides so that respective light guides cross both surfaces of a base material mutually. CONSTITUTION:Optical fibers 26-29 are connected to the plastic optical waveguides 19 and 20 at a fixed part 24. When a movable part 23 is positioned as shown in a figure, a optical signal from an optical fiber for transmission is supplied to an optical receiver 5 through the optical fiber 26, optical waveguide 19, and optical fiber 27. The optical signal after signal processing is led out from an optical transmitter to the optical fiber for transmission through the optical fiber 28, optical waveguide 20, and optical fiber 29. Then when the movable part 23 moves as shown by an arrow A, the optical signal from the optical fiber 2 for transmission is led out to the optical fiber 2 for transmission again through the optical fiber 26, optical waveguid 21, and optical fiber 29 to obtain a by-pass state.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an optical switch using optical fibers for use in the following systems.

Prior art and its problems Figure 1 shows an example of a nine-system system using optical fibers. This system consists of 1 master station, 7 optical fibers, and 2 optical fibers.
, terminal stations 31, 32 .・Composed of 3n,
Terminal stations 31, 32 and 3n are optical switches 4
, an optical receiver 5, an optical transmitter 6, and a station logic section 7. To briefly explain the operation of this system, the optical signal from the master station l is transmitted to the transmission optical 7
The signal is transmitted by the eyeper 2 and converted into an electrical signal by the optical receiver 5 via the optical switch 4. The converted electrical signal is subjected to necessary processing in the station logic section 7, converted into an optical signal by the optical transmitter 6, and guided to the transmission optical fiber 2 via the optical switch 4, and then transmitted to the next terminal station 32. transmit signals. In such a regenerative repeating system, each terminal station has a route from the optical receiver a5 to the optical transmitter 6 in order to prevent the line from being disconnected due to maintenance, repair, etc. of the terminal stage. An optical switch is required for bypass. As this bypass optical switch, an optical switch having a structure as shown in FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) has been proposed. 8.9 is an output optical fiber, 10.11 is an input optical fiber, and 17 is a movable part for optical path switching. Movable part 17 medium pressure is optical fiber 8M10
．． Optical fibers 12, 13, 14, 15 are formed to connect 8-11, 9→10, 9-ell. The bifibers 12.13 and 14.15 are arranged in the same direction and at the same spacing. For example, the optical receiver 5 is connected to the output optical fiber 8, the transmission optical fiber 2 is connected to the output optical fiber 9, the transmission optical fiber 2 is connected to the input optical fiber 10, and the input optical fiber 11 is connected to the output optical fiber 8. An optical transmission 36 is connected to. When the oJ moving part 17 is placed in the state shown in FIG. is applied to the optical fiber 11, 1 from the optical transmission 6.
4.9 to the transmission optical fiber 2, and the optical signal is regenerated and relayed. If the movable part 17 is moved in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 9142, the optical signal from the transmission optical fiber 2 is connected to the transmission optical fiber 2 again via the optical fibers 10, 15.9, and a bypass state is established. Further, the optical signal from the optical transmitter 7 is connected to the optical receiver 65 via the optical fibers 11, 13.8, so that maintenance and inspection of the terminal stations 31.about.323n can be easily performed. If the movable $17 is moved in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 2(b), the regenerative relay state will be resumed. In such a fiber movable bypass optical switch, coupling loss is degraded due to alignment accuracy of the optical fibers 12, 13°, 14.15°. Also, optical fibers 12, 13,
It is necessary to bend and form 14.15. Heat forming is a possible method for forming this bend, but it is difficult to form the desired bend and also causes deterioration in the strength of the optical fiber.

Purpose of the Invention The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to improve alignment accuracy, improve reproducibility, and facilitate curved 9-forming. Our goal is to provide the following.

Summary of the invention: A plastic optical waveguide is formed into curved optical waveguides on both sides of a base material using a selective photopolymerization method or the like so that the optical waveguides do not intersect with each other, improving alignment accuracy and creating a low-loss optical switch. possible.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. fA
Figure J (a), (bl, (el, Figure 4 fa3,
(b) shows an embodiment of the present invention.

18 in Figure 3 is the plastic optical waveguide base material, 19°21
), 21 and 22 are plastic guide waveguides, 23 is a movable part, 24 is a fixed part, and 25 is a positioning pattern. Figure 3+a) is the arrangement of the optical waveguides when the optical switch is viewed from the top, and Figure 183 (bl is a diagram when the optical switch is viewed from the front, Figure 3IC) is the optical waveguide arrangement when the optical switch is viewed from the bottom. It is an array of wave paths. '43 Optical waveguide 1 in Figure (a)
9.20 do not intersect with each other and are formed into a zero shape with a desired curvature. W2B diagram (also in C1, the optical waveguide 21
, 22 similarly do not intersect with each other and have the desired curvature.
formed into a letter. The shape of the optical waveguide is, for example, formed into a square of about 0.9 gas in consideration of coupling with a glass fiber. The shape of the optical waveguide is determined by the coupling fiber.

The mutual relationship between the arrangement of the optical waveguides 19, 20, 21, and 22 is as shown in the broken lines shown in Figure 3 +a) or +C) as shown in Figure 3 fb), where they face each other in the upward direction with good precision. Form.

For example, if the base material is transparent, this can be done by aligning a mask for the optical waveguides 21, 22 on the back surface based on the optical waveguides 19, 20 formed first. When the base material is not transparent, the alignment method is to use the alignment pattern 25, make this part of the base material transparent to the back side using the same method as for forming the optical waveguide, and use a mask for forming the optical waveguides 21 and 22. By positioning the alignment pattern 25 so that the transparent portions coincide with each other, alignment can be performed with high accuracy.

The plastic optical waveguide base material 18 on which the plastic optical waveguide has been formed is cut at the position shown by the broken line in FIG. 3(a) or (C) to form the movable part 23 and the fixed part 24. The cut surface is subjected to a layered process.

FIG. 4"+("+(C1) explains the switching operation using the plastic optical waveguide formed as described above.

FIG. 4fdl is a diagram of the present optical switch viewed from the J: side. The optical fibers 26, 27, 28, 2J are connected to the plastic optical waveguides 19, 2Q of the fixed part 24, for example, the optical fiber 26 is connected to the transmission optical fiber 2, and the )T fiber 27 is connected to the optical receiver 55. , the optical fiber 28 is connected to the optical transmitter 6, and the optical fiber 29 is connected to the transmission optical fiber 2. Fig. 4 (Movable part 23 in dog position of bl)
is located, the optical signal from the transmission round fiber 2 is supplied with optical reception 45 vc 1# via the bifiber 26, the optical waveguide 19, and the round fiber 27, and the signal is processed. : From Jun 6 again as circle 1d, the optical fiber 28, the optical waveguide 20, and the fiber 29 are guided to the transmission optical fiber 2.

Next, when the moving part 23 moves in the direction of the arrow A, the dog breed is +c1.
N:, +5...Yobi fiber 26, optical waveguide 21. The light is led out again to the transmission optical fiber 2 via the optical fiber 29 and enters a bypass state. The optical transmitter 6 and the optical receiver 5 are connected via an optical fiber 28, an optical waveguide 22, and an optical fiber 27.

@4 When the movable part 23 moves in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 4(C), the regenerative relay state is entered again.

By performing the series of operations described above, this optical switch can switch the bypass-like MK with low loss and prevent line disconnection.

Figure-5 shows another method of movement.

30 is a fixed block, 31.32 is a stopper, 26°2
7, 28, 29 are optical fibers, 24 is a fixed part, 23
is a moving part. The side of the movable part 23 opposite to the end of the optical waveguide is fixed by a fixed block 30, and the end of the optical waveguide is caused to perform a switching operation by an external force. “It is possible to apply an external force using a solenoid, etc.
The movable distance is optimally adjusted and fixed using stoppers 31 and 32.

This method is particularly suitable for optical switches for plastic optical waveguides.

By forming curved optical waveguides on both sides of the base material so that the optical waveguides do not intersect with each other, as shown in Figure 3 FAT, (BL, FCL), the alignment accuracy is the same, and bending can be easily formed. It is possible to easily and easily realize a low-loss optical switch with good reproducibility.

The best way to manufacture a glass optical waveguide is to prepare a mask with each optical waveguide pattern drawn for the lower surface of E, and form it with high precision by selective photopolymerization or the like.

Effects of Investigation As explained above, according to the optical switch of the present invention, it is possible to have a bypass device, and there is no need to cross the 'N' waveguides, and the optical waveguides can be formed by the optical polymerization method. Can be formed. However, 1) it was 1Mf when the mask was closed.
can be easily formed into curved optical waveguides.
Lower losses and lower prices.

Other embodiments of the invention The same numbers and details are not limited to the embodiments described above. In other words, there are no limitations on the shape, number, or material of the optical waveguides, and there are also limitations on the positional relationship of the manual optical fiber and the output optical fiber, and the connection state of the optical transmitter, optical receiver, and transmission optical fiber. It is not something that can be done.

It goes without saying that a coating is applied to prevent scattering from the boundary surface of the optical waveguide, but it is also limited to the bypass optical switch! It also applies to other light switches.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 shows an example of a system using optical fiber;
in +al, (b) is an example of the configuration of a nine-bypass optical switch using conventional optical fibers.
bl, (cl, Fig. 4 (al, (bl, f)
cl is a diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another example of the movable part in the present invention. l Remote Station 31.32.・3n・ Terminal station 2.8, 9.
10, 11.12.13.14.15...Optical fiber 1
9.20, 21.22... Optical waveguide 25.26, 27
．． 28・Hikari 7 Aipa 18 Hikari Switch (7J17) Agent Patent Attorney Noriyuki Kon (
lt power a1 person figure 1! Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Go to Figure 4 Figure 5

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) A plurality of input optical fibers, a plurality of output optical fibers, and a plurality of non-intersecting, desired curvatures on both sides of the guiding waveguide base material between the input optical fibers and the output optical fibers. 1. An optical switch comprising: a movable part forming an optical waveguide with a movable part; and a fixed part manufactured identically to the optical waveguide. (2) The optical switch according to claim 1, wherein the optical waveguide is a polymer optical waveguide. (3) Claims characterized in that the leading waveguide is a glass optical waveguide! Optical switch described in IIJI. (4) The optical switch according to claim 1, wherein the optical waveguide is an electro-optic crystal optical waveguide.