Development and fabrication of monolithically integrated optical packet switches

Feature Issue on Photonics in Switching We report development activities towards realization of fully integrated1×2, 2×2, and 4×4 cross-point optical switches for WDM-packet-based data networking. Two enabling technologies, quantum-well intermixing and etched turning mirrors, are developed and demonstrated in InGaAs/InAlGaAs InP-based material at a wavelength of 1.55 μm. We describe the use of both technologies to fabricate switch chips with different port counts.