Patent ID: 7116480

Claim:
A 2×2 optical switch comprising: a first port adapted to receive an optical input and generate an optical output; a second port adapted to receive an optical input and generate an optical output; a switching component group including a singular polarization switch; a first component group coupled between the first port and the switching component group; a second component group coupled between the second port and the switching component group; wherein, when the singular polarization switch is disabled, the switching component group being adapted to pass each light beam exiting from the first component group, each exiting light beam having a first chosen polarization, and reintroduce to the first component group the light beams without changing the polarization of the light beams, and to pass each light beam exiting from the second component group, each exiting light beam having a second chosen polarization, and reintroduce to the second component group the light beams without changing the polarization of the light beams, and when the singular polarization switch is enabled, the switching component group being adapted to convert light beams exiting from the first component group with the first chosen polarization into light beams entering the second component group with the second chosen polarization, and to convert light beams exiting from the second component group with the second chosen polarization into light beams entering the first component group with the first chosen polarization.