Magneto-optical switch: working principle, wavelength range, characteristics and application details
1. Working principle
Magneto-optical switch is a device that uses the Faraday rotation effect to achieve optical path switching. When linearly polarized light passes through a magneto-optical crystal along the direction of an external magnetic field, its polarization plane rotates. This phenomenon is called the Faraday rotation effect. By changing the direction of the external magnetic field, the rotation direction of the magneto-optical crystal to the polarization plane of the incident polarized light can be controlled, thereby achieving the switching of the optical path. The magneto-optical switch has no mechanical moving parts and has the characteristics of solid-state, high speed, high life, high stability and high reliability.

2. Wavelength range
The magneto-optical switch exhibits a significant Faraday magneto-optical rotation effect in the near-infrared radiation region of 1-2 microns. This wavelength range covers the commonly used bands in optical communications, making magneto-optical switches have broad application prospects in optical communication systems.

3. Insertion loss and polarization-dependent loss
Insertion loss is one of the important indicators for measuring the performance of optical switches. The insertion loss of a magneto-optical switch is usually between 0.6-0.7dB, which indicates that the optical signal has less energy loss when passing through the magneto-optical switch, which is conducive to maintaining the efficient transmission of the optical signal. The polarization-dependent loss reflects the sensitivity of the optical switch to the polarization state. The polarization-dependent loss of the magneto-optical switch is about 0.1dB, indicating that it is insensitive to changes in the polarization state and is suitable for optical signals of various polarization states.

4. Features

The magneto-optical switch has the following significant features:

> Solid-state without mechanical parts: The magneto-optical switch controls the switching of the optical path through electrical signals, without the need for mechanical moving parts, thereby improving the stability and life of the device.

> High-speed response: The switching speed of the magneto-optical switch is usually at the level of tens of microseconds, which can quickly respond to changes in optical signals.

> High stability and reliability: Due to the design without mechanical parts, the magneto-optical switch has extremely high stability and reliability, and is suitable for various complex environments.

> Low driving voltage: Compared with other non-mechanical optical switches, the magneto-optical switch has a lower driving voltage, which helps to reduce system power consumption.

5. Application fields

The excellent performance of magneto-optical switches has made them widely used in many fields:

> Aerospace equipment: In aerospace equipment, magneto-optical switches can be used in optical sensing systems, system monitoring, etc. to achieve precise control and transmission of optical signals.

> Optical communication systems: In optical communication systems, magneto-optical switches can be used in routing selection, signal protection, testing and maintenance of optical networks to improve the flexibility and reliability of the network.

> Scientific research institutions: In the field of scientific research, magneto-optical switches can be used for precise optical experiments and measurements, providing strong support for the research and development of optical communication technology.

XiongHua Photoelectric sells 1×2 /2×2/1X4 magneto-optical switches.