Optical Crossconnects

Abstract

Optical network provides enormous bandwidth for the increasing information traffic. It will relieve potential capacity bottlenecks, reduce hardware complexity and costs, and make it easier for carriers to deploy future developments. Optical crossconnects are one of the key elements to deliver and manage this optical layer for rapid provision, routing and network monitoring. Silicon‐based optical MEMS have shown to be the technology of choice for low cost and scalable optical crossconnects because they allow mass manufacturing of highly accurate miniaturized parts and use materials with excellent mechanical and electrical properties.