Patent ID: 7684664

Claim:
An optical switch comprising: a microresonator comprising a silicon-rich silicon oxide layer and a plurality of silicon nanoparticles within the silicon-rich silicon oxide layer, the microresonator configured to receive signal light having a signal wavelength and to receive a pump pulse having a pump wavelength, wherein at least a portion of the microresonator is responsive to the pump pulse by undergoing a refractive index change at the signal wavelength; and an optical coupler optically coupled to the microresonator and configured to be optically coupled to a pump source and to a signal source, wherein the optical coupler transmits the pump pulse from the pump source to the microresonator and transmits the signal light from the signal source to the microresonator, wherein the optical coupler comprises an optical fiber having a first end, a second end, and a tapered portion between the first end and the second end and optically coupled to the microresonator.