Abstract

A new approach to implementing an optical crossbar using a single acoustooptic device is presented. This novel device configuration can permute an array of single mode fiber inputs to outputs without suffering from fan-in and fan-out losses. Generalized crossbars with broadcast capabilities can also be implemented with the same device by simply changing the driving signals, and this will achieve the minimum possible loss, given by the degree of fanout. The reconfiguration time of the switching network is governed by the acoustic aperture, which is on the order of one microsecond. The device addressing requires only a single driving signal which contains N simultaneous frequencies. This fiber optic switching system avoids optical to electronic conversion permitting the transmission of arbitrary format high bandwidth signals. We will present results of the operation of the switch using a bulk phased-array acoustooptic Bragg cell driven with multiple input frequencies that permutes an array of inputs to an array of outputs. A surface acoustic wave integrated optics implementation of the device optimized for permuting the 12 single mode fibers in a fiber ribbon is being built and tested for application as a switch for digital signals in parallel processors and in video and telecommunication switching environments.

© 1991 Optical Society of America