# US 2019/0170946 A1 · Optical Switch and Optical Switching System > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0170946 A1 - Document ID: US20190170946A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/262,585 - Filed: 2019-01-30 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-01 - Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Xin TU - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190170946A1 ## CPC - G02B 6/3502: {involving direct waveguide displacement, e.g. cantilever type waveguide displacement involving waveguide bending, or displacing an interposed waveguide between stationary waveguides} - G02B 6/12: of the integrated circuit kind (electric integrated circuits H10B, H10D84/00 - H10D89/00, H10F19/00, H10F39/00, H10H29/00, H10K19/00, H10K39/00, H10K59/00, H10N19/00, H10N39/00, H10N59/00, H10N69/00, H10N79/00, H10N89/00) - G02B 6/35: having switching means (by changing the optical properties of the medium G02F1/00) - G02B 6/3536: {involving evanescent coupling variation, e.g. by a moving element such as a membrane which changes the effective refractive index (mode converters G02B6/14; adjustable lateral coupling between waveguides G02B6/283; electro- optical refractive index variations G02F1/0118)} - G02B 6/354: {Switching arrangements, i.e. number of input/output ports and interconnection types} - G02B 6/3546: {NxM switch, i.e. a regular array of switches elements of matrix type constellation} - G02B 6/3584: {constructional details of an associated actuator having a MEMS construction, i.e. constructed using semiconductor technology such as etching (MEMS per se B81B, B81C)} - G02B 2006/12145: {Switch} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract This application discloses an optical switch and an optical switching system. The optical switch includes a first waveguide, a second waveguide, and a first movable waveguide. The first waveguide and the second waveguide are immovable relative to a substrate. The first waveguide and the second waveguide are located in a first plane, and the first waveguide and the second waveguide do not intersect. The first movable waveguide is movable relative to the substrate. If the first movable waveguide is at a first location, the first movable waveguide is optically decoupled from the first waveguide and the second waveguide, and the optical switch is in a through state. If the first movable waveguide is at a second location, the first movable waveguide is optically coupled to the first waveguide and the second waveguide, and the optical switch is in a drop state. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical switch, wherein the optical switch is disposed on a substrate, and the optical switch comprises: a first waveguide; a second waveguide; and a first movable waveguide; wherein: the first waveguide is immovable relative to the substrate, and the first waveguide has a first input port (IP1) and a first output port (OP1); the second waveguide is immovable relative to the substrate, the second waveguide has a second output port (OP2), the first waveguide and the second waveguide are located in a first plane, and the first waveguide and the second waveguide do not intersect; the first movable waveguide is movable relative to the substrate; if the first movable waveguide is at a first location, (1) the first movable waveguide and the first waveguide are optically decoupled, and the first movable waveguide and the second waveguide are optically decoupled; and (2) the IP1 and the OP1 are optically connected, and the IP1 and the OP2 are optically disconnected; and if the first movable waveguide is at a second location, (1) the first movable waveguide and the first waveguide are optically coupled, and the first movable waveguide and the second waveguide are optically coupled; and (2) the IP1 and the OP1 are optically disconnected, and the IP1 and the OP2 are optically connected by using the first movable waveguide. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical switch according to claim 1, wherein the first movable waveguide is not located in the first plane, and the first movable waveguide perpendicularly moves relative to the first plane or deforms in a direction perpendicular to the first plane. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical switch according to claim 1, wherein the first movable waveguide is located in the first plane, and the first movable waveguide rotates in the first plane around a rotation axis perpendicular to the first plane. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optical switch according to claim 1, wherein the first movable waveguide comprises a first input section and a first output section, and if the first movable waveguide is at the second location, the first input section of the first movable waveguide and the first waveguide form a first coupler, and the first output section of the first movable waveguide and the second waveguide form a second coupler. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The optical switch according to claim 4, wherein the first movable waveguide further comprises a connecting section, configured to connect the first input section and the first output section, and the optical switch further comprises a support component, configured to connect to the connecting section, so that a middle section of the first movable waveguide is fixed relative to the substrate, and two ends of the first movable waveguide perpendicularly move relative to the first plane. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The optical switch according to claim 1, wherein the second waveguide further has a second input port (IP2), the optical switch further comprises a second movable waveguide, and the first movable waveguide and the second movable waveguide intersect; if the second movable waveguide is at a third location, (1) the second movable waveguide and the first waveguide are optically decoupled, and the second movable waveguide and the second waveguide are optically decoupled; and (2) the IP2 and the OP2 are optically connected, and the IP2 and the OP1 are optically disconnected; and if the second movable waveguide is at a fourth location, (1) the second movable waveguide and the first waveguide are optically coupled, and the second movable waveguide and the second waveguide are optically coupled; and (2) the IP2 and the OP2 are optically disconnected, and the IP2 and the OP1 are optically connected by using the second movable waveguide. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The optical switch according to claim 6, wherein the first movable waveguide comprises a first input section and a first output section, the second movable waveguide comprises a second input section and a second output section, the optical switch further comprises a cross connecting section, configured to connect to the first input section, the first output section, the second input section, and the second output section, and the optical switch further comprises a support component, configured to connect to the cross connecting section, so that a middle section of the first movable waveguide and a middle section of the second movable waveguide are fixed relative to the substrate, and two ends of the first movable waveguide and two ends of the second movable waveguide perpendicularly move relative to the first plane. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The optical switch according to claim 5, wherein the support component is a meshed component made of a thin silicon film. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The optical switch according to claim 1, wherein the first waveguide and the second waveguide are both curved waveguides, and the curved waveguide is an arc-shaped optical waveguide or a curvature-gradient optical waveguide. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The optical switch according to claim 1, wherein the optical switch further comprises at least one actuator, a location of the first movable waveguide is controlled by the at least one actuator, and the at least one actuator and the first movable waveguide are connected to each other by a cantilever. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The optical switch according to claim 1, wherein the optical switch further comprises an optical power monitor, and the optical power monitor is configured to monitor optical power of at least one of the first waveguide, the second waveguide, the IP1, the OP1, or the OP2. ### Claim 12 An optical switching system, wherein the optical switching system is an M×N optical switch matrix, comprising M×N optical switches, wherein each optical switch is disposed on a substrate, and the optical switch comprises a first waveguide, a second waveguide, and a first movable waveguide; wherein the first waveguide is immovable relative to the substrate, and the first waveguide has a first input port (IP1) and a first output port (OP1); wherein the second waveguide is immovable relative to the substrate, the second waveguide has a second output port (OP2), the first waveguide and the second waveguide are located in a first plane, and the first waveguide and the second waveguide do not intersect; wherein the first movable waveguide is movable relative to the substrate; if the first movable waveguide is at a first location, (1) the first movable waveguide and the first waveguide are optically decoupled, and the first movable waveguide and the second waveguide are optically decoupled; and (2) the IP1 and the OP1 are optically connected, and the IP1 and the OP2 are optically disconnected; and if the first movable waveguide is at a second location, (1) the first movable waveguide and the first waveguide are optically coupled, and the first movable waveguide and the second waveguide are optically coupled; and (2) the IP1 and the OP1 are optically disconnected, and the IP1 and the OP2 are optically connected by using the first movable waveguide, the second waveguide of the optical switch further comprises a second input port IP2, and each optical switch is denoted as SCij, wherein a value of i is 1, 2, . . . , M, and a value of j is 1, 2, . . . , N; and the M×N optical switches are set as follows: (1) an IP1i,j and an OP2i,j-1 are optically connected; and (2) an IP2i,j and an OP 1i-1,j are optically connected, wherein a value range of i is 2 to M, and a value range of j is 2 to N. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The optical switching system according to claim 12, wherein at least one path that comprises only one optical switch whose first movable waveguide is at a first location exists between an IP1i,1 and an OP1M,j, wherein a value range of i is 1 to M, and a value range of j is 1 to N. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The optical switching system according to claim 12, wherein the first movable waveguide is not located in the first plane, and the first movable waveguide perpendicularly moves relative to the first plane or deforms in a direction perpendicular to the first plane. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The optical switching system according to claim 12, wherein the first movable waveguide is located in the first plane, and the first movable waveguide rotates in the first plane around a rotation axis perpendicular to the first plane. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The optical switching system according to claim 12, wherein the first movable waveguide comprises a first input section and a first output section, and if the first movable waveguide is at the second location, the first input section of the first movable waveguide and the first waveguide form a first coupler, and the first output section of the first movable waveguide and the second waveguide form a second coupler. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The optical switching system according to claim 16, wherein the first movable waveguide further comprises a connecting section, configured to connect the first input section and the first output section, and the optical switch further comprises a support component, configured to connect to the connecting section, so that a middle section of the first movable waveguide is fixed relative to the substrate, and two ends of the first movable waveguide perpendicularly move relative to the first plane. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The optical switching system according to claim 12, wherein the second waveguide further has a second input port IP2, the optical switch further comprises a second movable waveguide, and the first movable waveguide and the second movable waveguide intersect; if the second movable waveguide is at a third location, (1) the second movable waveguide and the first waveguide are optically decoupled, and the second movable waveguide and the second waveguide are optically decoupled; and (2) the IP2 and the OP2 are optically connected, and the IP2 and the OP1 are optically disconnected; and if the second movable waveguide is at a fourth location, (1) the second movable waveguide and the first waveguide are optically coupled, and the second movable waveguide and the second waveguide are optically coupled; and (2) the IP2 and the OP2 are optically disconnected, and the IP2 and the OP1 are optically connected by using the second movable waveguide. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The optical switching system according to claim 18, wherein the first movable waveguide comprises a first input section and a first output section, the second movable waveguide comprises a second input section and a second output section, the optical switch further comprises a cross connecting section, configured to connect to the first input section, the first output section, the second input section, and the second output section, and the optical switch further comprises a support component, configured to connect to the cross connecting section, so that a middle section of the first movable waveguide and a middle section of the second movable waveguide are fixed relative to the substrate, and two ends of the first movable waveguide and two ends of the second movable waveguide perpendicularly move relative to the first plane. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The optical switching system according to claim 17, wherein the support component is a meshed component made of a thin silicon film.