Apparatus and method for providing a polarization independent optical switch

An apparatus for providing a polarization independent optical switch comprising:

• means for splitting arbitrary polarized light waves into a first TE radiation component and a first TM radiation component;
• first converting means connected to the splitting means for converting the first TE radiation component into a second TM radiation component;
• photonic switching means for switching both the first and second TM radiation components, the switching means receiving both the first and second TM radiation components at a pair of input ports and routing both switched first and switched second TM radiation components to a pair of output ports;
• second converting means connected to the switching means for converting the switched second TM radiation component into a switched TE radiation component;
• and
• means connected to the switching means and second converting means for combining the switched first TM radiation component and the switched TE radiation component into arbitrary polarized light waves.

An apparatus for providing a polarization independent optical switch comprising:

• means for splitting arbitrary polarized light waves into a first radiation component and a second radiation component orthogonal to the first radiation component;
• first converting means connected to the splitting means for converting the first radiation component into a third radiation component orthogonal to the first radiation component;
• photonic switching means for switching both the second and third radiation components, the switching means receiving both the second and third radiation components at a pair of input ports and routing both the second and third radiation components to a pair of output ports as switched first and switched second radiation components;
• second converting means connected to the switching means for converting the switched first radiation component into a switched third radiation component orthogonal to the switched first radiation component;
• and
• means connected to the photonic switching means and second converting means for combining the switched second radiation component and the switched third radiation component into arbitrary polarized light waves.

A method of providing a polarization independent optical switch comprising the steps of:

• splitting arbitrary polarized light waves into a first TE radiation component and a first TM radiation component;
• converting the first TE radiation component into a second TM radiation component;
• switching both the first and second TM radiation components in a photonic switch, the first and second TM radiation components being received by the photonic switch at a pair of input ports on the photonic switch and the switching step routing both the first and second TM radiation components to a pair of output ports on the photonic switch as switched first and switched second TM radiation components;
• converting the switched first TM radiation component into a switched TE radiation component;
• and
• combining the switched second TM radiation component and the switched TE radiation component into arbitrary polarized light waves.