Optical Switches

Two PurePath optical switches will enable carriers to manage the dynamic delivery of bandwidth in metropolitan and long-haul Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) systems. The importance of accessing and switching channels optically continues to increase as networks become more diverse, driven by the need to handle multiple communication protocols such as SONET, ATM, and IP, and to accommodate a variety of data transmission rates.

The wavelength selective switch, based on liquid crystal technology, is a high-count, wavelength-selective optical switch that offers high isolation, low insertion loss, and a bi-directional design. The current model can switch up to 40 channels individually, each at 100 GHz, with uniformity of better than 1.0 dB across all channels. System equipment manufacturers can use the switch to provide dynamic wavelength routing for optical path protection or for the interconnection of metropolitan rings. The switch can also be used as a 40 wavelength, reconfigurable add-drop module.

The wavelength modular switch is a reconfigurable optical add/drop module, capable of individually adding or dropping specific wavelengths, at 100 GHz or 200 GHz, without any interruption of through traffic. The module can be designed for 2 to 12 wavelengths, depending on configuration requirements.

The company's integration of patented MicroPlasma thin-film optical filters and switch functions results in improved insertion loss uniformity and the elimination of pass band narrowing for pass through channels. The combination of improved channel uniformity and signal quality allows carriers to transmit optical signals farther before requiring electrical conversion and regeneration. The switch also offers small size and latching switch functionality.

Corning, One Riverfront Plaza, Corning, NY 14831 Phone: 607-974-9000 Fax: 607-974-8091