Design, reliability and qualification of photonic crossconnects based on digital MEMS

The MEMS based fiber optical switch matrix is clearly an advanced technology for medium and large port-count optical cross-connects in optical networks. Regarding expandability, performance (as integration, insertion loss, polarization dependence loss, crosstalk, uniformity, wavelength flatness, directivity, return loss) and long-term reliability (temperature storage and cycling, FIT rate) the digital MEMS based switches meet the applicable Telcordia Generic Requirements. For the first time we show that MEMS based optical switches can meet those rigorous requirements.