气压驱动的N×N微流控光开关阵列

N×N Optofluidic Switch Array with Pneumatic Actuation

提出以一种2×2微流控光开关为单元的N×N光开关阵列,采用波导结构,利用微流控气压驱动技术和压电陶瓷阀来控制各个微流道内气体和液体的相对位置,实现开关阵列的光路选择和开关功能。同时给出N×N光开关阵列的部分阻塞型和完全无阻塞型两种拓扑结构,研究和讨论了N×N光开关阵列的最优路径和光传输特性,并进行结构优化。研究结果表明N×N光开关阵列的插入损耗和串扰远小于一般光开关阵列。对于1550 nm波长,其中4×4光开关阵列的插入损耗为0.28 dB~0.54 dB,最大串扰为-43.5 dB~-23.2 dB。该研究实现了微流控光开关阵列,解决了一般光开关阵列中普遍存在的插入损耗和串扰大的问题,具有阵列可控性好、偏振相关性损耗可忽略、宽波带(从可见光到近红外波段)的优点。

An N×N optical switch array,which uses a 2×2 optofluidic switch as the switch unit,is proposed in this paper.This switch array adopts a waveguide structure and utilizes the microfluidic pneumatic actuation and piezoelectric ceramic valves to control the relative positions of gas and liquid in each microchannel and thus achieve the optical path selection and switching function.Meanwhile,two topologies of partial blocking and complete nonblocking optical N×N switch arrays are also presented.The optimal path and optical transmission characteristics of the N×N optical switch array are researched and discussed,and the structure is optimized.The research results reveal that the insertion loss and crosstalk are much lower than those of general optical switch arrays.For the wavelength of 1550 nm,the insertion loss of the 4×4 optical switch array is 0.28 dB-0.54 dB,and the maximum crosstalk is−43.5 dB-−23.2 dB.This paper implements the optofluidic switch array and solves the common problems of large insertion loss and crosstalk in general optical switch arrays.Moreover,the proposed array has the advantages of good array controllability,negligible polarizationdependent loss,and a broad band(from visible light to nearinfrared bands).