Client-configurable eight-channel optical add/drop multiplexer using micromachining technology

A client-configurable optical add/drop multiplexer (OADM) is demonstrated u sing a micromachined 8 x 6 matrix switch. The matrix switch can he configur ed to add/drop any of the eight input channels from/to any of the sig add/d rop ports, For the switching fabric, the insertion loss is 2 similar to 3 d B for the dropped channels and 8 similar to 9 dB fur the added channels by using the backsides of the micromirror switches, The switching extinction r atio is over 40 dB, the crosstalk between channels is less than -40 dB, and they are equipment-limited in this experiment.