An optical switch network, comprising: a common input/output port; a waveguide (1208-1216, 1410) having a length and being optically coupled to the common input/output port; and a plurality of binary optical switches (1228-1231, 1234-1236, 1238, 1240-1242) disposed on a planar surface, the plurality of binary optical switches (1228-1231, 1234-1236, 1238, 1240-1242) being disposed along the length of the waveguide (1208-1216, 1410), wherein each binary optical switch of the plurality of binary optical switches (1228-1231, 1234-1236, 1238, 1240-1242) comprises: a translatable optical grating configured to translate between at least two positions, a first position of the at least two positions being sufficiently close to the waveguide (1208-1216, 1410) to optically couple between the waveguide (1208-1216, 1410) and free space (106, 1246, 1602) beyond the planar surface with a coupling efficiency of at least about 25%, and a second position of the at least two positions being sufficiently far from the waveguide (1208-1216, 1410) to optically couple between the waveguide (1208-1216, 1410) and the free space (106, 1246, 1602) with a coupling efficiency of at most about 5%; and a MEMS structure configured to selectively translate the translatable optical grating to the first position and to the second position. a common input/output port; a waveguide (1208-1216, 1410) having a length and being optically coupled to the common input/output port; and a plurality of binary optical switches (1228-1231, 1234-1236, 1238, 1240-1242) disposed on a planar surface, the plurality of binary optical switches (1228-1231, 1234-1236, 1238, 1240-1242) being disposed along the length of the waveguide (1208-1216, 1410), wherein each binary optical switch of the plurality of binary optical switches (1228-1231, 1234-1236, 1238, 1240-1242) comprises: a translatable optical grating configured to translate between at least two positions, a first position of the at least two positions being sufficiently close to the waveguide (1208-1216, 1410) to optically couple between the waveguide (1208-1216, 1410) and free space (106, 1246, 1602) beyond the planar surface with a coupling efficiency of at least about 25%, and a second position of the at least two positions being sufficiently far from the waveguide (1208-1216, 1410) to optically couple between the waveguide (1208-1216, 1410) and the free space (106, 1246, 1602) with a coupling efficiency of at most about 5%; and a MEMS structure configured to selectively translate the translatable optical grating to the first position and to the second position. a translatable optical grating configured to translate between at least two positions, a first position of the at least two positions being sufficiently close to the waveguide (1208-1216, 1410) to optically couple between the waveguide (1208-1216, 1410) and free space (106, 1246, 1602) beyond the planar surface with a coupling efficiency of at least about 25%, and a second position of the at least two positions being sufficiently far from the waveguide (1208-1216, 1410) to optically couple between the waveguide (1208-1216, 1410) and the free space (106, 1246, 1602) with a coupling efficiency of at most about 5%; and a MEMS structure configured to selectively translate the translatable optical grating to the first position and to the second position.