Total internal reflection optical switch and method of operating the same

An N×N cross bar switch, comprising:

• a cascaded plurality of interconnected optical switches yielding N optical fiber inputs and N optical fiber outputs, each of said cascaded plurality of interconnected optical switches including:
• a primary refracting body having a total internal reflecting surface and capable of transmitting optical energy therethrough,
• a frustrating refracting body having a frustrating surface located proximate said total internal reflecting surface, wherein said frustrating refracting body is composed of glass, and
• an actuator, coupled to said primary refracting body and said frustrating refracting body, that drives at least a center portion of said frustrating refracting body thereby to reduce an indentation in said frustrating surface and frustrate a reflection of said total internal reflecting surface.

An N×N cross bar switch, comprising:

• a cascaded plurality of interconnected optical switches yielding N optical fiber inputs and N optical fiber outputs, each of said cascaded plurality of interconnected optical switches including:
• a primary refracting body having a total internal reflecting surface and capable of transmitting optical energy therethrough,
• a frustrating refracting body having a frustrating surface located proximate said total internal reflecting surface, and
• an actuator, coupled to said primary refracting body and said frustrating refracting body, that drives at least a center portion of said frustrating refracting body thereby to reduce an indentation in said frustrating surface and frustrate a reflection of said total internal reflecting surface, wherein said actuator is composed of a piezoelectric bimorph.

An N×N cross bar switch, comprising:

• a cascaded plurality of interconnected optical switches yielding N optical fiber inputs and N optical fiber outputs, each of said cascaded plurality of interconnected optical switches including:
• a primary refracting body having a total internal reflecting surface and capable of transmitting optical energy therethrough,
• a frustrating refracting body having a frustrating surface located proximate said total internal reflecting surface, and
• an actuator, coupled to said primary refracting body and said frustrating refracting body, that drives at least a center portion of said frustrating refracting body to a position thereby to reduce an indentation in said frustrating surface and only partially frustrate a reflection of said total internal reflecting surface.

An N×N cross bar switch, comprising:

• a cascaded plurality of interconnected optical switches yielding N optical fiber inputs and N optical fiber outputs, each of said cascaded plurality of interconnected optical switches including:
• a primary refracting body having a total internal reflecting surface and capable of transmitting optical energy therethrough,
• a frustrating refracting body having a frustrating surface located proximate said total internal reflecting surface, wherein said frustrating refracting body comprises a mirror and
• an actuator, coupled to said primary refracting body and said frustrating refracting body, that drives at least a center portion of said frustrating refracting body thereby to reduce an indentation in said frustrating surface and frustrate a reflection of said total internal reflecting surface.

An N×N cross bar switch, comprising:

• a cascaded plurality of interconnected optical switches yielding N optical fiber inputs and N optical fiber outputs, each of said cascaded plurality of interconnected optical switches including:
• a primary refracting body having a total internal reflecting surface and capable of transmitting optical energy therethrough,
• first and second collimating lenses coupled to respective surfaces of said primary refracting body,
• a frustrating refracting body located proximate said total internal reflecting surface and having a mirror, and
• an actuator, coupled to said primary refracting body and said frustrating refracting body, that drives said frustrating refracting body between an open state, in which a collimated beam emanating from said first collimating lens reflects off said total internal reflecting surface and travels toward said second collimating lens, and a closed state, in which said collimated beam emanating from said first collimating lens reflects off said mirror and travels back toward said first collimating lens.