Dovetail translational microstages may also be used to create a fiber optic switch for fiber optic communications. Fibers are mounted on the stages and magnetically actuated to align the input fiber to the appropriate output fiber. Switching speeds of less than 8 msec have been achieved with <-80 dB crosstalk and <-1 dB loss.
Typical response of a fiber optic microswitch. The optical energy is switched from the first to the third fiber.
The Micro Instruments & Systems Laboratory
part of the Laboratory for Surface Science & Technology
A Member of the University of Maine System
