Microoptical fiber switch for a large number of interconnects:optical design considerations and experimental realizations usingmicrolens arrays

摘要

The authors investigate a 1 × N free-space microopticalnfiber switch for a large number of interconnects. The system to benstudied is a reflective 4f optical system. Alignment tolerances andncoupling efficiency are investigated and the benefit brought byncollimating microlens arrays is reported (theoretically andnexperimentally). The use of microlenses enables power couplingnefficiency between 3 and 2 dB (including losses due to the opticalnelements) for an optical switch allowing up to 3000 receivernfibers