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Piezoelectrically driven optical Switches

Piezoelectric actuators can be used to move microoptical components, such as optical fibers and microprisms of these components. This application is not only for laboratory adjustment of these components, but also for the creation of special products in the field of optical communication, optical data storage and metrology. On the base of the combination of piezoelectric actuators with different microoptical components piezosystem jena has already developed a broad spectrum of systems for different applications : • 1 x N switches for singlemode fibers for optical communication, data storage, optical measurements • 1 x N switches for multimode fibers for optical measurements (especially spectroscopy) and multi-point sensor systems • Variable optical attenuators for optical communication • Custom made solutions Piezoelectrically driven switches and modulators have several inherent advantages compared to other electromechanically driven systems: • High switching speed – down to submillisecond region • Compactness and stability, low power consumption • Excellent optical parameters