Optical switching system with power balancing

A method of switching each of a plurality of optical signals, that travel on respective input waveguides, from the respective input waveguide thereof to a desired one of a plurality of output waveguides, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an optical switch matrix including:
• for each output waveguide:
• for each input waveguide:
• at least one respective attenuator for diverting an adjustable portion of the signal that travels on said each input waveguide to said each output waveguide;
• (b) selecting said attenuators that divert the optical signals to the desired output waveguides;
• and
• (c) adjusting said selected attenuators to balance powers of the optical signals in the output waveguides.

An optical switching system, for switching optical energy from a plurality of input waveguides to a plurality of output waveguides, comprising:

• for each output waveguide:
• for each input waveguide:
• at least one respective attenuator for diverting an adjustable portion of the optical energy entering via said each input waveguide to said each output waveguide;
• wherein:
• for each output waveguide:
• for each input waveguide:
• one of said at least one respective attenuator includes a 2×2 switch having an idle input port;
• and
• wherein for each input waveguide, said 2×2 switch, of said one of said at least one respective attenuator that diverts optical energy from said each input waveguide to a last output waveguide, has an idle output port.

An optical switching system, for switching optical energy from a plurality of input waveguides to a plurality of output waveguides, comprising:

• for each output waveguide:
• for each input waveguide:
• at least one respective attenuator for diverting an adjustable portion of the optical energy entering via said each input waveguide to said each output waveguide;
• wherein:
• for each output waveguide:
• for each input waveguide:
• one of said at least one respective attenuator includes a 2×2 switch having an idle output port;
• and
• wherein:
• for each output waveguide, said 2×2 switch, of said one of said at least one respective attenuator that diverts optical energy from a first input waveguide to said each output waveguide, has an idle input port.