Integrated signal monitoring and connection verification in MEMS optical crossconnects

We propose and demonstrate integrated signal-monitoring and connection-veri fication schemes for microelectromechanical-system (MEMS) optical crossconn ects, The schemes utilize monolithically integrated beamsplitters and hybri d-integrated photodetectors as output signal-monitoring modules, To achieve connection verification, on-chip micromirror dithering is employed to enco de optical signals with pilot tones that are used only internally to the cr ossconnect, The approaches described offer a potentially compact means of i mplementing several critical network-management and surveillance features.