What is all switching matrix optical switch?

The  all switching matrix optical switch (AOS) is a device used in fiber-optic communication networks that can directly route and process optical signals without converting them into electrical signals. In traditional optical communication systems, when information needs to be exchanged or processed, an optoelectronic converter is usually used to convert the optical signal into an electronic signal, which is then processed by an electronic circuit and then converted back to an optical signal by an electro-optical converter for continued transmission. This process is called optical-electrical-optical (O-E-O) conversion.

An all-optical switch avoids this conversion, allowing the optical signal to remain in its optical form and switch directly between different paths in the network. This not only reduces the delay caused by the conversion, but also improves the efficiency and bandwidth utilization of the system, while also reducing power consumption and cost. An all-optical switch is one of the key technologies for realizing an all-optical network (AON), and is of great significance for future high-speed, large-capacity communication networks.

An all-optical switch can work based on different physical principles, such as nonlinear optical effects, thermo-optical effects, electro-optical effects, etc. Depending on the specific application scenarios and technical implementation methods, they may use semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOA), micromechanical systems (MEMS), liquid crystal materials, etc. as their core components.

The optical switch products produced by Xionghua photoelectric include: mechanical optical switch, all-fiber polarization switch, magneto-optical switch, and MEMS optical switch.