Patent ID: 6868198

Claim:
An optical switch for switching between a plurality of main light emitters respectively emitting light components having wavelengths different from each other and a backup light emitter adapted to replace any of said main light emitters; said optical switch comprising: a base member formed with a plurality of main waveguides for respectively inputting main light components from said main light emitters and guiding said main light components to a multiplexer; and a backup waveguide, disposed so as to intersect said main waveguides obliquely, for introducing a backup light component from said backup light emitter from the downstream side to upstream side in the advancing direction of said main light components, wherein said backup waveguide comprises a single backup waveguide provided for said plurality of main waveguides and said common backup waveguide crosses said plurality of main waveguides; a plurality of mirrors, disposed so as to be insertable into and retractable from respective intersections between said backup waveguide and said main waveguides, for blocking said main light components from said main light emitters and reflecting said backup light component from said backup light emitter toward said multiplexer when inserted; and a plurality of driving sections for the respective mirrors for inserting said mirrors into and retracting said mirrors from said intersections; wherein said base member is further formed with a verification waveguide for picking up at least a part of backup light from said backup light emitter.