The Principle and Advantages of Magneto Optical Switches

What is Magneto Optical Switch

The working principle of magneto optical switch is to change the effect of magneto-optic crystal on the polarization plane of incident polarized light through the change of external magnetic field by using Faraday optical rotation effect, so as to achieve the effect of switching optical path. Compared with the traditional mechanical optical switches, it has the advantages of fast switching speed and high stability. Compared with other non-mechanical optical switches, it has the advantages of low drive voltage and small crosstalk.

Performance Advantages

1. Magneto optical switch has the characteristics of thin structure, being flexible and bendable, large-scale high-density integration and expansion, and can design a variety of magneto-optic switch array integration methods.

2. Magneto optical switch has the characteristics of small size, higher utilization rate of magnetic field, lower energy consumption and lower driving voltage, so it is very convenient and efficient in practical use.

3. Because magneto optical materials have the characteristics of variety and wide application, and with the development of laser, optical fiber communication and other fields, the development of various kinds of magneto optical materials such as magneto optical glass, magneto optical thin films, magnetic photonic crystals and magnetic liquid is extremely rapid, making the realization of the application of magneto optical switch of all optical network and application possible.

4. Magneto Optical switch does not require a power supply and is controlled by magnetic induction. When the magnetic or iron trigger is near the magnetic field of the switch, it is controlled and closed by the internal magnetic force of the switch, so it has the characteristics of being non-contact, maintenance-free, environmentally friendly and so on.

5. Because the magneto optical switch is using Faraday effect, fiber type polarization splitter/coupler magneto optical crystal/magneto optical glass fiber, nanosecond pulse generator and high-speed magnetic field control technology, it has the characteristics of simple structure, fast switching speed and high integration.