DiCon Unveils MEMS Switch

RICHMOND, Calif. -- DiCon Fiberoptics, a leading manufacturer of fiberoptic components, modules, and test instruments, today announced commercial availability of a MEMS 1x4 Switch based on a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) chip. The MEMS chip consists of an electrically movable mirror on a silicon support. A voltage applied to the MEMS chip causes the mirror to rotate, which changes the coupling of light between a common fiber and four input/output fibers. The MEMS 1x4 Switch features low insertion loss, low power consumption, excellent repeatability, and C and L band operation. It is a non-latching device which acts as a shutter when the electrical power is removed. Samples are now available for customer evaluation. The MEMS 1x4 Switch is used to reduce the cost of channel or band monitoring within DWDM networks by connecting multiple fibers sequentially to the same test modules. Housed in a laser-style 14-pin DIP package, the same as is used for DiCon's MEMS 1x2 and 2x2 Switches, the MEMS 1x4 Switch drastically reduces the size and cost of channel monitoring cards. DiCon Fiberoptics Inc.