Optical switch and optical routing method and system

An optical switch for routing an optical transmission signal according to an optical control signal, the optical switch comprising:

• one or more optical control ports, and three or more optical transmission ports, wherein:
• each optical control port can be an optical transmission port,
• each optical transmission port can be an optical control port, and
• each optical control port and each optical transmission port can be distinct;
• three or more optical transmission ports;
• a light director;
• and
• a thermally driven light mill;
• wherein the thermally driven light mill and the light director are arranged with respect to each other, to the one or more optical control ports and to the three or more optical transmission ports such that:
• illumination of a respective one of the one or more optical control ports by a control beam carrying the optical control signal drives the thermally driven light mill to rotate towards a respective position in which the light director is arranged so as to direct a transmission beam carrying the optical transmission signal, entering the optical switch via a respective one of the three or more optical transmission ports, to exit the optical switch via a respective other one of the three or more optical transmission ports.