An all-optical realization of a 2*1 free-space switching node

An experimental all-optical 2*1 free-space switching node that was implemented with semiconductor laser diodes, beam splitters, retardation plates, lenses, mirrors, dichroic filters and binary phase gratings is demonstrated. Two symmetric self-electrooptic effect device arrays used as optical logic elements were cascaded. Two electronically controlled optical signals were used to determine the switch routing. The 2*1 node transmitted at a data rate of 5 kb/s.>