<title>Matrix description of a novel 4x4 polarization-independent optical switch</title>

Abstract

A novel optical implementation method of 4 X 4 polarization-independent bi-directional fiber optical switch in free-space optical architecture is presented in this paper. This 4 X 4 fiber optical switch is based on elementary 2 X 2 optical switch module. The 4 X 4 optical switch constituted by polarization beam splitters (PBS), 1/4 waveplates (QWP), polarization light modulator (PLM), right angle prism (RAP), and total reflection mirror (TR). Operation is independent by input signals of polarization of the optical beams. This new kind of configuration of the optical switch grants the features of less optical components, high compactness, low optical interchannel crosstalk, fast switching speed, polari insensitivity, and easiness to optical assembly. A matrix description is deduced with respect to this 4 X 4 fiber optical switch architecture.