Development of microoptical waveguide on microactuating platform technologies for reconfigurable optical networking

Abstract

This paper reports on new hybrid optomechanical technology for reconfigurable optical networking applications. Unique and versatile functions in the technology were provided by micrometer-scale fused-taper waveguides mounted on microelectromechanical actuating platforms. The proposed technology can endow new degrees of freedom to control spectral response and port-to-port output power of the throughput of multiport fiber-fused-taper devices. Applications in a reconfigurable optical switch, an interband router, and a high-power optical attenuator for optical neworking are discussed.