Abstract: An apparatus and method of optical switching wherein the output ends of input optical channels 142 are held by and movable by actuator arm 108 of a conventional computer disk drive assembly and the input ends of output optical channels 144 are held by and movable by the disk 102 of the assembly. Fixed supports 120 and 136 stabilize the input and output optical channels prior to entry into the optical switch 100. A high resolution voice coil motor receives the switching signal and moves the actuator arm which in turn moves the input optical channels to align them with the selected output channels. Disk 102 is preferably partially rotatable by a disk motor so that the output optical channels are movable and switching speed can be increased. A linear embodiment operates in an equivalent manner with a linearly movable disk and linear actuator arm. An alternative embodiment operates with two or more voice coil motor driven actuator arms, without the use of a disk.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of optical switching wherein a plurality of individual activation strips (18) are adhered longitudinally upon an optical channel, such as an optical fiber (14) to cause the fiber to undulate in 2½ dimensions when the activation strips are activated. The activation strips are activated with a constant or varying electrical source and are located at the free end of the optical fiber. Contraction and expansion of respective activation strips causes a free end of the optical fiber to be displaced or to undulate. A multichannel switch (100) operates by moving the free end of the selected input fiber and the free end of the selected output fiber toward one another so that the signal is sent from the input to the output fiber.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of optical switching wherein a plurality of activation strips (18) are adhered longitudinally around an optical channel, such as an optical fiber (14) to cause the fiber to undulate in 2½ dimensions when the activation strips are activated. The activation strips are activated with a voltage source. By varying the polarity of the activation strip itself or the source used to activate the activation strip, the optical fiber can be caused to undulate by contraction and expansion of respective activation strips.