Abstract

Wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) can greatly increase the connectivity of a fiber-optic network because information can be aggregated and routed on a wavelength-by-wavelength basis, by using wavelength-selective passive or active switches. In particular, the acousto-optic switch (AOS), an electronically controlled integrated-optic device for directing traffic in multiwavelength systems, is a compelling candidate for wavelength routing in all-optical networks.¹ The AOS is a polarization-independent configuration of the acousto-optic tunable filter that directs incoming light to either of two output ports on a wavelength-band-by-wavelength-band basis, performing wavelength sorting by narrowband TE-TM interconversion. Polarization flipping is restricted to those phase-matched wavelength bands for which the polarization beat length L_b = λ/Δn equals the period of a collinearly propagating surface acoustic wave.

© 1995 Optical Society of America