Design and simulation of MEMS optical crossconnect with integrated nanophotonic crystals technology

Evolving optical transport networks of wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) systems has lead to rapid growth in demand for functions inside the optical layer to manipulate traffic on the wavelength basis. In this paper, a novel method to make in-plane reactive-ion-etching (RIE) micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) optical switch devices in optical communication easier and better is explored, through nano fabrication technology, with the integration of nano photonic-bandgap (PBG) crystal waveguides to improve the performance of MEMS optical-cross-connects (OXCs).