Patent ID: 6961485

Claim:
An optical switch comprising: an electromagnetic driving mechanism which comprises: (a) a U-shaped magnetic core including two leg parts and an intermediate part between the two leg parts, (b) a coil wound on the U-shaped magnetic core, (c) a soft magnetic armature which includes two end portions respectively facing the two leg parts, and which is supported such that the armature is capable of making an oscillating motion, and (d) a permanent magnet provided to apply a magnetic flux to the U-shaped magnetic core and the armature; at least one optical path switching unit directly fixed on the armature; at least one incidence-side optical fiber for making light incident on the optical path switching unit; and at least one emission-side optical fiber to receive light having an optical path switched by the optical path switching unit; wherein the optical path switching unit comprises a first mirror, which is installed on the armature such that the first mirror reflects light within a plane that is substantially parallel to an oscillating direction of the armature.