Electrostatically driven fiber-optic micromechanical on/off switch and its application to subscriber transmission systems

Abstract

The structural design of the switch element is evaluated theoretically and experimentally, and an optimum combination of membrane length and insulator thickness is obtained. Based on the results, a 32-element electrostatically driven switch array is fabricated; its switching performance was found to be excellent. The switch array is applied to a subscriber transmission system using an abnormal subscriber end. A disturbance light from an abnormal subscriber end is successfully interrupted.