Implementation of an optical crossbar network based on directional switches

Abstract
We have implemented an all-optical digital switching network based on ferroelectric liquid crystal arrays used as directional switches. It connects eight input to eight output channels simultaneously and randomly. The reconfiguration rate of the system can reach 100 kHz by using a parallel-driven 6 × 6 ferroelectric liquid crystal array. The modulation bandwidth in each channel depends only on the transmitters and receivers, not on the system itself.