DiCon launches 1X8 MEMS Optical Switch - New Products/New Services - DiCon Fiberoptics Inc - Brief Article
DiCon Fiberoptics Inc., a manufacturer of fiber optic components, modules, and test instruments, announced commercial availability of a MEMS 1X8 Optical Switch, based on a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) chip, as used in DiCon’s existing MEMS 1X4 Switch. The MEMS chip consists of a “3D” electrically movable mirror on a silicon support. Voltages applied to the MEMS chip cause the mirror to rotate on two axes, which changes the coupling of light between a common fiber and eight input/output fibers.
With only a single switching element in the optical path, the MEMS 1X8 Switch features low insertion loss, low power consumption, excellent repeatability, and C and L band operation. It is a non-latching device that acts as a shutter when the electrical power is removed. Samples are now available for customer evaluation. The MEMS 1X8 Switch is available in a laser-style 14-pin DIP package that incorporates a digital control interface, and integrated control electronics for calibration. Package dimensions are 20.8mm long (30.3mm including the ferrule) X 12.7mm wide X 7.5mm high.
The MEMS 1X8 Switch can be used to reduce the cost of channel or band monitoring within DWDM networks by connecting multiple fibers sequentially to shared test and monitoring equipment. The MEMS 1X8 Switch drastically reduces the size and cost of channel monitoring cards. Multiple MEMS 1X8 Switches can also be combined with DiCon’s existing 1X2, 1X4, On-Off, and 2X2 MEMS Switches, to implement larger fanin/fan-out 1XN switches, as well as MXN optical cross-connect switch matrices.