Light switch and the light switch system

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize an optical switch which, by switching without using an electric signal, enlarges the scale, increases throughput, and reduces power consumption.SOLUTION: An input-use slab waveguide 110 and an output-use slab waveguide 120 are connected by a plurality of array waveguides 130a-130k. Each of the array waveguides 130a-130k has inserted therein nonlinear media 131a-131k differing in length in the order stated. When a pump light Pand a signal light Pare inputted in synchronism, the nonlinear media 131a-131k have their refractive index changed in accordance with the intensity of the pump light Pand imparted a phase difference, so that a port, among the output ports of the output-use slab waveguide 120, from which the signal light Pis outputted changes.