Channel-switched cross-connect

A waveguided coupled optical resonator device comprising:

• a resonator having a round trip optical path characterized by a round trip optical length defining a free spectral range and a set of longitudinal resonator mode frequencies;
• an intracavity waveguide segment disposed along the optical path of said resonator, said intracavity waveguide having an effective refractive index substantially independent of a variation in an applied actuating field;
• an actuated waveguide segment disposed adjacent and optically coupled to said intracavity waveguide, said actuated waveguide having a refractive index dependent on said actuating field;
• an actuator coupled to said actuated waveguide for applying the actuating field across said intracavity and actuated waveguides;
• wherein a coupling strength of the optical coupling between the actuated waveguide segment and the intracavity waveguide is tuned by the variation in the actuating field and at least a first resonator mode frequency is substantially independent of the variation in the actuating field.

An optical fiber communications signal receiver device, comprising:

• an input waveguide segment for coupling to an optical communications fiber carrying communications signals of one or more optical frequencies in designated channels, said input waveguide segment capable of receiving and propagating said communication signals in a first optical mode,
• a receiver waveguide segment forming a closed recirculating optical path, a portion of said receiver waveguide segment adjacent to said input waveguide segment, said input waveguide segment and said receiver waveguide having different propagation constants, said receiver waveguide segment capable of propagating a selected communication signal in a second optical mode,
• a grating coupler disposed in overlapping relation to said first and second optical modes of said adjacent portions of said input and receiver waveguide segments, said grating coupler characterized by a grating wavenumber substantially equal to a sum or difference of the propagation constants of said input and receiver waveguide segments, said grating coupler having a thermo-optic tuning region with heating means disposed along said grating coupler and traversed by optical energy in said input and receiver waveguide segments for transferring a communication signal of a selected channel from said input waveguide segment to said receiver waveguide segment, and
• a detector optically coupled to receive a portion of said optical communication signal.