JPS60112018A - Optical switch - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an optical switch with a small insertion loss by forming the optical switch by sticking two dielectric plates together with the part forming a total reflecting film inside. CONSTITUTION:The optical switch consists of a lens L1 which converts projection light from the optical fiber F1 of a port P1 into parallel light 10, a lens L2 which make the parallel light 10 incident to the optical fiber F2 of a port P2, a lens L3 which converts projection light from the optical fiber F3 of a port P3 into parallel light 11, a lens L4 which makes the parallel light 11 incident to the optical fiber F4 of a port P4, and optical parts 12. The optical element 12 is formed by sticking two dielectric plates 13 and 14 which are nearly equal in thickness, e.g. glass plates are laminated together with an optical adhesive, and the total reflecting film 15 is formed partially on the stuck surfaces of the dielectric plates 14. When the transmission surface in the surface where the optical element 12 is stuck is placed in the intersection surface of the parallel light beams 10 and 11, the P1, P2, P3 and P4 are connected.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to an optical switch that is inserted into an optical transmission line and switches the optical path.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

Until now, optical switches that switch optical transmission lines have been shown in Figure 1 (
Input when ON (solid line) as shown in a) or input when ON (solid line) as shown in Figure 1(b) (■,)
and output (02), input (■2) and output (0,) are optically coupled, and when it is OFF (broken line), the optical path is switched and the input (Il)
A bypass 2×2 switch in which a spring and an output (01) are optically coupled has been put into practical use.

However, as optical transmission systems become more diverse, two inputs (i+) and two outputs (01) are used both when ON (solid line) and OFF (dashed line) as shown in Figure 2.
.

A complete 2×2 optical switch that can switch the optical path with (02) is desired. In other words, this light switch is
For example, a loop-shaped system L consisting of six stations from (A) to (Fl) as shown in FIG.
..., (TF') and optical receiver (RA), (RB)
,..., (几,) is an optical transmission line and a complete 2x2 optical switch (SWA), (SWB),...
.

(SWP). In Figure 3 (,), there are six optical switches (SWA), (SWB),...
CSWP) are all in the ON state, and for example, a signal sent to the station (El receiving unit otg) is relayed through the station (El and sent to this transmitting unit (F8).
The signal is further sent to the receiving section (ILA) of the station (N) through the switches (swB) and (SWA).

Thereafter, signals are sent to all stations via each station in the same manner.

Here, if some trouble occurs at the station (5), the switch (SWA) switches the optical path to the state shown in FIG. 3(b). This makes it possible to directly connect the station (Takumi) and station (B) and to disconnect station (5), which has a problem, from the optical transmission line.Secondly, it is possible to repair station (A) while maintaining system operation. Furthermore, since the transmitter (one person) and receiver (RA) of station (A) are directly connected, station (A)
4) It is possible to send and receive signals only within the system, and it has a great function of being able to return to the system after confirming that the repair is completed.

As an example of a complete 2x2 optical switch, as shown in Fig. 4, four focusing rod lenses (R1) to (M) arranged in each boat (Pl) to (F4) and total internal reflection There is one consisting of two film-coated prisms <1+ (2) and a transparent prism (3). Figure 4 (,
), the prism (3) is connected to the light beam (4), (5
), (Pl) and (F3), (F2) and (F4) are connected, and the prism (
3) is placed at a position where the light beams (41, (5) cross), (Pl) and (F2), (F3) and (F4) are connected.

However, this optical switch has disadvantages in that it requires a large number of optical components and is not economical, and requires a prism movement distance equivalent to at least two light beams, resulting in a slow response speed.

Another example of a complete 2×2 optical switch is as shown in FIG. F4)
There is one consisting of four lenses (Ll) to (R4) arranged in the same direction, and a glass plate (7) with a total reflection film (6) deposited on one side. When the total reflection surface of the glass plate (7) is separated from the areas of parallel light (8) and (9) as shown in Figure 5 (,), (Pl) and (F2), (F3) and (F4) are connected, and when the total reflection surface of the glass plate (7) is brought to the intersection of the parallel beams (8) and (9) as shown in Figure 5(b), the result is (
Pl) and (F4), and (F2) and (F3) are connected.

However, in this optical switch, in the case of FIG. 5(b), since the parallel light (9) is refracted inside the glass plate (force), the axis of the parallel light (9) is shifted and the insertion loss increases.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made to solve these conventional drawbacks, and provides an economical two-man power two-output optical switch that has a small number of optical components and low insertion loss, has a fast response speed, and is economical. With the goal.

[Summary of the invention]

In other words, the present invention provides an optical component made by laminating two dielectric plates each having a total reflection film formed on a portion of at least one side thereof with the side on which the total reflection film is formed on the inside, and an optical component comprising: The present invention is characterized in that it includes a drive unit that moves the two parallel beams so that the intersecting plane of the two parallel beams is always located within the beam.

[Embodiments of the invention]

The details of the present invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 6, the embodiment of the present invention includes a lens (Ll) that converts the light emitted from the optical fiber (Fl) of the boat (Pl) into parallel light O0, and a lens (Ll) that converts the parallel light (11) into the boat (F2
) lens (R2) that enters the optical fiber (F2) of the boat (F3), a lens (R3) that converts the light emitted from the optical fiber (F3) of the boat (F3) into parallel light (111), and the parallel light (
111 into the optical fiber (F4) of the port (F4), and an optical component α. Optical components (12 are two dielectric plates (12) with approximately the same thickness
3), α(a) For example, glass plates are bonded together with an optical adhesive, and a total reflection film a9 is partially formed on the bonded surface of the dielectric plate I. And Figure 6 (
As shown in a), when the transmitting plane in the bonded plane of the optical component (12+) is placed at the intersection plane of parallel light (lot, (111), (Pl) and (F2), (F3) and (F4) are connected. As shown in Fig. 6 (bl), when two total reflection films α of optical components (12+) are placed at the intersection plane of parallel light α0.(1η), (Pl) and (F4), (F2) and (F3) are Connected.

Various methods can be considered for driving the optical component 021. For example, as shown in FIG.
It'(30), C31) wo iron'j5 (3 pieces, iron core (321m) There is a structure in which the optical component 021 is erected and a permanent magnet is placed inside each of the solenoid (30) and eυ. This is done by instantaneously applying a voltage to the solenoid (to) that cancels out the magnetic field of the permanent magnet, and at the same time instantaneously applying a voltage to the solenoid Gυ to increase the magnetic field of the permanent magnet (by moving the iron core (33) to the solenoid (31) side, Conversely, a voltage that increases the magnetic field of the permanent magnet is instantaneously applied to the solenoid (30), and at the same time, a voltage that cancels the magnetic field of the permanent magnet is instantaneously applied to the solenoid (1'c31) to reduce the iron core C3.
By moving the optical component Q2 to
Move 1.

Also, as shown in Figure 8, the solenoid (to) is connected to the spring (
Connect with the iron core Q [F] with the iron core C35) l
= There is an optical component (121) with a structure that stands up. This means that when voltage is applied to solenoid O■, optical component α2 moves toward the solenoid (toward) side, and when the voltage becomes 0, the spring (341
The optical component O2 is pushed back by the force.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 9, two electromagnets (rows)

Between 0η and 0η, there is a structure that has a permanent magnet in the stand (3) that fixes the optical component θ2.This is an electromagnet (36
) to instantly apply a voltage that attracts a permanent magnet, or an electromagnet c
37) can be instantaneously applied with a voltage that repels the permanent magnet, or both electromagnets (3G) and C (7) can be activated simultaneously to move the permanent magnet to the electromagnet (30 side), or vice versa.
7) Instantly apply a voltage that repels the two permanent magnets, or apply a voltage that attracts the permanent magnet to electromagnet 07, or operate both electromagnets ('i) and (37) simultaneously to attract the permanent magnet. Electromagnet c3? ) side to move the optical component (+2).

The optical switch mentioned as an example is economical because the number of optical parts is small. Furthermore, as can be seen from the above, when the optical path is switched, no axis deviation occurs, and the insertion loss does not become as large as in the conventional case.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the optical switch of the present invention is made by bonding two dielectric plates with the part on which the total reflection film is formed on the inside, so that axis misalignment will not occur even when the optical path is switched. Conventionally, the insertion loss does not become large. In addition, the number of optical parts is small, so it is inexpensive.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1(a) is a schematic diagram showing a 1x2 optical switch.
Figure (b) is a schematic diagram showing a bypass 2x2 optical switch.
Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a complete 2x2 optical switch, Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a loop-type system consisting of six stations, and Figures 4 and 5 are a schematic diagram of a complete 2x2 optical switch. Diagram showing the configuration of a 2×2 optical switch, No. 6
1 threshold is a diagram showing the t''!- formation of the embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 7 to 9 are external perspective views showing the driving means of the optical component. +6), (t■...Total reflection Films (13), (14)...dielectric plates L8), (
9) , (L, CO>...Parallel light (lz...Optical component (Fl), (F2), (F3), (F4)
...Optical fiber (Li), (L2), (L3), (L
4)... Lens agent Patent attorney Noriyuki Chika (and 1 other person) Figure 1 (α) ゛Se=・0, (ε) Figure 2 Figure 8 (cL) Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 1 Figure 6 (α) Figure 7 Figure 8

Claims (1)

[Claims] A first converter that converts the light emitted from the first optical fiber into parallel light.
a second lens that inputs the converted parallel light into a second optical fiber; a third lens that converts the output light from the third optical fiber into parallel light C that intersects the parallel light; , a fourth lens that inputs the converted parallel light into a fourth optical fiber, and two dielectric plates each having a total reflection film formed on a portion of at least one side thereof. an optical component that is laminated with the attached portion on the inside, and a drive unit that moves the optical component so that the intersecting plane of the bimanual beams is always within the laminated plane, and the intersecting plane is on the total reflection film, the light emitted from the first optical fiber and the third optical fiber are made to enter the fourth optical fiber and the second optical fiber, respectively.