Patent ID: 7224860

Claim:
An optical switch comprising: a) N≧4 first optical ports including a first dual fiber collimator providing two of said first ports, wherein said dual fiber collimator comprises: i) two optical fibers disposed parallel to each other and corresponding to said two of said first ports; ii) a single lens optically disposed such that two tilted collimated beams on a side of the lens facing away from said fibers are coupled to said fibers by said single lens; iii) a polarization independent light deflecting device disposed such that two parallel collimated beams on a side of said deflecting device facing away from said fibers are optically coupled to said tilted collimated beams by said deflecting device, wherein said parallel collimated beams are parallel to said fibers; b) M≧1 second optical ports; c) a switching subassembly comprising one or more controllable polarization rotators, wherein said switching subassembly can provide switchable optical coupling between any one of said first ports and any one of said second ports depending on control inputs to said polarization rotators.