Does optical switch have another name?

[NewtonApple]

I need to know about optical switch for my optoelectronics course for physics majors. So far I only know its a switch which is controlled by light. I tried to search net but couldn't find any thing. Is optical switch have another name?

 

[UltrafastPED]

Try http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/48554/optical-switch
And http://www.lightreading.com/ethernet-ip/all-optical-switching-tutorial-part-1/d/d-id/576456

 

[NewtonApple]

I'm trying to understand all optical switch from

http://www.phy.duke.edu/~qelectron/proj/switch/intro.php

in this page they mentioned,

As a first example, we illustrate the behavior of our switch, shown to the right. In this device, a single beam of light (blue) is emitted from a nonlinear material and exits in a certain direction. This is one of the two states of the switch; let's call it the "off" state. The switch is turned to the "on" state, when a second light beam, the switching beam (red), is injected into the nonlinear optical material. As a result, the output beam (blue) is emitted in a different direction.

I'm confused about nonlinear material and from where that blue light came? don't we need some kind of photon bombardment . . .

 

[UltrafastPED]

For example, in this paper the Kerr effect is used:
http://www.ipap.jp/proc/books2/pdf/books2_293f.pdf

Most nonlinear effects are intensity dependent.

 

[NewtonApple]

can't open the link :(

I'm an undergrad student - if optical switch suppose to be this difficult then it should be taught at graduate level.

 

[davenn]

UltrafastPED

try again the link won't open for me either

Dave