Alcatel activity :
The aim of Alcatel within the ACTS LOIS (AC306) project was to demonstrate the feasibility of large-scale optical space switches.
While previously reported approach world-wide proposed monolithic or hybrid planar integration of the whole N x N switching matrix, a new concept has been developed within LOIS which is expected to provide improved modularity and industrialisation potential . It is based on three building blocks which consist of 1 x N passive power splitter (planar or fibre-based), a flexible perfect shuffle (fibres in flexible foils), and planar Nx1 space switch.
Both the passive splitters and the flexible perfect shuffles are today available from several suppliers.
More specific are the Nx1 elementary space switches which use an opto-hybrid approach involving flip-chip mounted GC-SOA's/SiO2/Si. The technology used for these switch fabrication has potential not only for fibre switching (few ms switching time would be required) but also for packet switching in WDM regime, due to high gate speed (ns range) and SOA's gain clamping.
The fabricated devices fabricated and delivered within the project are at the "state-of-the art" (post dead line at OFC'00) and paves the way towards a number of OE advanced products to be used in the next generation WDM systems.
Additionally, the proposed modular approach for the NxN switches integration makes sense in a techno-economical perspectives, for next generation switching products introduction.