Optical implementation of a polarization-independent bidirectional 3 × 3 optical switch

Based on the important role of optical switching in all-optical communications, a novel 3 × 3 optical switch is proposed using Phase Spatial Light Modulators (PSLM), Polarizing Beam-Splitters (PBS), mirrors, and Quarter-Wave Plates (QWP). This new configuration of optical switch has the advantages of being compact in structure, efficient in performance, and insensitive to polarization of the signal beam. Moreover, the functions of the 3 × 3 optical switch have been implemented bidirectionally in free-space. According to the routing-state table of the polarization-independent 3 × 3 optical switch, its operational processes are analyzed, and the results show that the experimental module of the 3 × 3 optical switch can connect an arbitrary output port to any input port beams. Simultaneously, the module is scalable to large array sizes and has the capability of reconfiguration. Therefore, it should be helpful in the design of a large-scale switching matrix.

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