The actual purpose of a network is to have the signal from a sender to reach a specific recipient among many.

And the network must have two capabilities to switch or reroute the signal and to add or drop the signal at node. Connection between two nodes in a network is a point to point link and in these networks switching play important role and hence the Optical switches came out.

Basically, Optical switching is the concept related to Fiber Optic Communication. Generally Optical switch is similar as that of the switches we use but here its design is on the basis of Optical Fiber Communication. A Fiber Optic Communication system is a particular type of telecommunications system and this is distinguished as transmission link and a network. A Fiber Optic link consists basically of a transmitter, an optical fiber, and a receiver. In point to point telecommunication link, an information signal travels from a transmitter to receiver without being diverted.

There are different principles of switching such as Semiconductor optical amplifier, Moving prism switch, Spherical mirror switch, Frustrated total internal reflection, etc., Semiconductor Optical amplifier switch uses a the property of biasing with diodes. Moving prism switch uses the mechanism of reflection of light at different angles due to movement of the prism. Spherical mirror switch deals with the focus of light due to the reflection at the spherical surface. And frustrated total internal reflection deals with the reflection of light using lens and prism. These principles are used to focus or send the light (information in the form of light) into the specific fiber required by means of reflection or by means of voltage division (in Semiconductor optical amplifier).

Fiber optic telecommunication lines are being widely used to provide higher bandwidth and greater reliability than copper wire lines, microwave relay stations or satellites. In a typical optical communication system, switching systems located along the fiber spans connect the spans of optical fibers. switching systems are used both to route the optical signals to their destination, and to add and remove optical signals from the optical fibers.
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Fiber optic switching is an important component in any telecommunication system

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Today, there are many multiplexing techniques used in the field of communication In the same way goes DWDM(Dense wavelength division multiplexing) in the case of Optical Fibre communication. Like FDM, TDM in the case of mobile communications DWDM is a technique used in Fibre Optic communication in which the light before sent into the fibre is divided into different wavelengths so that many signals may travel at a time with different wavelengths in a single fibre

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SWITCHES

2.O-O-O SWITCHES

Examples of optical switches

Network-management functions, which are an important part of operating a network, are available today using an optical switch having an electronic-based switching matrix. Available today with proven technology, these intelligent O-E-O switches address the need for high-bandwidth management while continuing the tradition of providing easy fault location and the performance-monitoring information necessary to monitor and report on the health of a network. The intelligent O-E-O switch using an electronic fabric is also able to offer bandwidth grooming, which is not available in an all-optical switch.

OPTICAL TO ELRCTRICAL CONVERTER

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ELECTRICA L TO OPTICAL CONVERTO R

All-optical switches are made possible by a number of technologies that allow the managing and switching photonic signals without converting them into electroni c signals. Only a couple of technologies appear ready to make the transition from the laboratory to the network, where they must support the basic feature set of a carrierrade, scalable optical switches. Arguably, the leading technology for developing an economically viable, scalable all-optical, O-O-O switch is the 3D micro-electromechanical system (MEMS). 3D MEMS uses control mechanisms to tilt mirrors in multiple directions (3imensional).

A logical evolution path to the next-generation network must include the deployment of intelligent O-E-O switches to ensure that current needs are met as well as the addition of all-optical O-O-O switches when and where they make sense.

O-E-O SWITCHES

90% less space 50-70% power reduction. 60-70% lower capital cost. Bandwidth services.

O-O-O SWITCHES
92% reduction in floor space. 96% reduction in power requirements. High speed pass through. Wavelength services are provided

1)Telecommunications: Optical switches are widely used in the telecommunication arena in the case of fiber optic communication. 2) Automatic Switching: Optical switches are also used as automatic on and off switches where sudden action takes place due to another action. 3) Optical add/drop multiplexing: This is a technique used to add or drop certain frequencies in the middle of passage of the signal. 4) Short time switching: These optical switches are also used in the case where on and off action is required to take place within a very short interval of time. Optical switches can make the action on or off within the range of few micro and nano seconds.

Most carrier services are currently bandwidth-based but will evolve to support more wavelength-based services, including optical virtual private networks and end-to-end wavelength services, where the end user has the power to change the bit rate at will. The increased rate of deployment of intelligent O-E-O switches is driving the emergence of next-generation optical networks. The addition of an all-optical O-O-O switch holds the promise of making this network even more flexible and manageable. Together the intelligent O-E-O switch and the all-optical O-O-O switch ensure a scalable next-generation network that can accommodate the dynamic nature of bandwidthintensive broadband services.