Fast optical switch and its applications in optical communication

An optical switch comprising:

• a first optical waveguide and a second optical waveguide,
• wherein the first optical waveguide is less than 5 microns in horizontal width, wherein the second optical waveguide is less than 5 microns in horizontal width,
• wherein a section of the first optical waveguide is substantially parallel within manufacturing tolerance to a section of the second optical waveguide,
• wherein the section of the first optical waveguide is optically coupled with an ultra thin-film of a vertical thickness or a vertical depth less than 0.5 microns,
• wherein the ultra thin-film comprises:
• a phase transition material,
• wherein the phase transition material on the first optical waveguide is receiving a first stimulant, just to induce insulator-to-metal (IMT) phase transition in the phase transition material on the first optical waveguide,
• wherein the said insulator-to-metal (IMT) phase transition is with a change in lattice structure or without a change in lattice structure, and/or,
• wherein the section of the second optical waveguide is optically coupled with the ultra thin-film of a vertical thickness or a vertical depth less than 0.5 microns,
• wherein the ultra thin-film comprises:
• the phase transition material,
• wherein the phase transition material on the second optical waveguide is receiving a second stimulant, just to induce insulator-to-metal (IMT) phase transition in the phase transition material on the second optical waveguide, and
• wherein the said insulator-to-metal (IMT) phase transition is with a change in lattice structure or without a change in lattice structure;
• and
• wherein the optical switch is flip-chip mounted on a nanoscaled fin array and/or a heat dissipating substrate, wherein the nanoscaled fin array comprises an array of nanoscaled metal pillars embedded in a thermally conducting thin-film.