Rearrangeable Nonblocking 8 × 8 Matrix Optical Switch Based on Silica Waveguide and Extended Banyan Network

Based on the crossbar network and the Banyan network (BN), a new rearrangeable nonblocking structure of extended Banyan network (EBN) was proposed for implementing an 8 times 8 optical matrix switch. The interconnection characteristics of the rearrangeable nonblocking EBN were studied, and the diagram of the logic program for driving the operation of switching units was provided. A silica waveguide 8 times 8 matrix optical switch was designed and fabricated according to the calculated results. The silica waveguide propagation loss of 0.1 dB/cm and waveguide-fiber coupling loss of 0.5 dB/facet were measured. With the fabricated 8 times 8 matrix optical switch, the insertion loss of 4.6 dB, the crosstalk of -38 dB, the polarization-dependent loss of 0.4 dB, the averaged switching power of 1.6 W, and the switching time of 1 ms were achieved. A basic agreement between experimental results and theoretical calculated values was achieved