Beam-steering micromirrors for large optical cross-connects

This paper describes Si-micromachined two-axis beam- steering micromirrors and their performance in 256 x 256- and 1024 x 1024-port large optical cross-connects (OXCs). The high-reflectivity wavelength-independent mirrors are electrostatically actuated; capable of large, continuous, controlled, dc tilt in any direction at moderate actuation voltages; and allow setting times of a few milliseconds. Packaged two-dimensional (2-D) arrays containing independently addressable identical 256 and 1296 mirrors are used to build fully functional bitrate and wavelength- independent single-stage, low-insertion-loss, single-mode fiber OCX fabrics.