Automation of alignment and packaging of a mechanical optical switch

This research develops a dynamic self-alignment technique for an innovated 1×2 mechanical optical switch, in which the input fiber can automatically reach to the optimum position and package immediately. First, we used precision manufacture technology and micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) to create the small size (20×16×7.5mm )、low cost (US$10) and high reliability 1×2 mechanical optical switch. By adopting fiber to fiber configuration and geometrical reduction tolerance principle, the designed alignment tolerance could reduce to 0.1μm. The new design of optical switch can achieve automatic alignment by using image process and the developed control program with the LABVIEW software. After utilizing the CCD image process and PZT self-alignment program to search the optimum balanced condition, under the constraint that the difference of both channels be under 0.1dB, we finally attain the best insertion loss of ch1= -0.51dB and Ch2= -0.47dB within 10 minutes of computation time.