Abstract: An optical device having a first substrate having a fast optical axis and a slow optical axis and a first end and a second substrate having a fast optical axis and a slow optical axis and a second end, the second end is positioned adjacent to the first end such that the fast optical axis of the first substrate is coupled to the slow optical axis of the second substrate and the slow optical axis of the first substrate is coupled to the fast optical axis of the second substrate, thereby permitting an optical signal to pass between the first and second substrates. The first substrate and the second substrate have substantially equal length to thereby substantially eliminate polarization dispersion.

Abstract: A hybrid optical switching-fabric architecture, for implementation via Y-branch switching elements, comprises an 8.times.8 array (100) of eighty Y-branch switching elements (110) configured as a Benes outer layer (105) consisting of two columns (105a, 105b) of four 2.times.2 networks (103) and an active-splitter/active-combiner inner layer (106) consisting of one column of two 4.times.4 active-splitter/active-combiner networks (104).

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for implementing a polarization-independent optical switch wherein switchable communication signals are retained in the optical mode while being switched between optical links in an optical communication network. The polarization-independent optical switch comprises polarization-dependent components which are advantageously arranged to switch arbitrary polarized light waves. The polarization-independent optical switch is achieved by splitting incoming arbitrary polarized light waves into two paths, a light wave with a TE radiation component and a light wave with a TM radiation component. The light wave with the TE radiation component is converted to a light wave with a TM radiation component. Both light waves having the TM radiation component are then switched in a polarization-dependent photonic switch device.