Patent ID: 6285473
Filing Date: 2001-09-04
Classification: G02B,G02F,H04Q

Abstract:
A polarization control optical space switch, comprising:a plurality of polarization control optical switches which are arranged in cascade along light paths of light information traveling in parallel to each other, each of said polarization control optical switches comprising:polarization control means having polarization control units, the number of units is equal to the number of light paths of incident light information, for rotating the polarizing direction of incident light information through 90.degree. or otherwise retaining the polarizing direction thereof with no introduction of rotation; anda light path routing element for routing the light path for the light information output from each of said polarization control units of said polarization control means in accordance with the polarization direction of each said light paths of light information, whereineach of said polarization control units is selected from the group of: polarization control units which rotate the polarizing direction of incident light information when voltage is applied and which do not rotate the polarizing direction of incident light information when no voltage is applied; and polarization control units which do not rotate the polarizing direction of incident light information when voltage is applied and which rotate the polarizing direction of incident light when no voltage is applied, andsaid light path routing element comprises:a first polarized-light routing element transmitting the light information incident from said polarization control units in a rectilinear forward direction when the polarizing direction thereof is p-polarization, and diffracting the light information incident from said polarization control units toward a light path one path downward when the polarizing direction thereof is s-polarization;a phase element not rotating the polarizing direction of light information incident along a top light path and a bottom light path out of the light information incident from said first polarized-light routing element, and rotating through 90.degree. the polarizing direction of the light information incident from said first polarized light routing element, except said light information incident along the top and the bottom light paths; anda second polarized-light routing element transmitting the light information incident from said phase element in a rectilinear forward direction when the polarizing direction thereof is p-polarization, and for diffracting the light information incident from said phase element toward a light path one path upward when the polarizing direction thereof is s-polarization.