1X4 Optical Switch Based on Digital Actuator

In this article, an optical fiber switch based on a digital actuator is presented. Four discrete positions are obtained through a magnetic holding of a Mobile Permanent Magnet (MPM) placed in a fixed square cavity. The MPM can switch, thanks to Lorentz's force, between the four corners of the cavity. A 1X4 optical fiber switch is obtained by fixing a prismatic mirror on the top side of the MPM and an N × N switch array can be obtained using a matrix of this unit. After a presentation of the actuator principle, the optical switch is detailed and characterized for telecommunication purpose.