A Scalable MEMS-based “Selector Switch” for High Performance Computing Networks

Tech ID: 26031 / UC Case 2017-036-0

Technology Description

Optical circuit switching may be instrumental in meeting the cost, energy, and aggregate bandwidth requirements of future data center networks. However, conventional MEMS beam-steering cross-connects cannot provide sub-millisecond switching with the port count necessary for data centers. Given here is a novel non-crossbar selector switch architecture and pupil-division switching layout to improve optical switching performance by relaxing the requirement of arbitrary switch configurability. This architecture and switch design enable MEMS beam-steering micromirrors to scale to microsecond response speeds while supporting high port count and low loss switching, and can realize a number of useful interconnection topologies.

Applications

This work will find ready application in data-center networks.

State Of Development

Developed to date are a design, fabrication, and experimental characterization of a proof-of-principle prototype using a single comb-driven MEMS mirror to achieve 150 μs switching of 61 ports between 4 pre-programmed interconnection mappings. The further scalability of this switch design is demonstrated with a detailed optical design of a 2,048-port selector switch with 20 μs switching time.

Intellectual Property Info

This work is patent pending and commercial development partners are welcome to inquire.  (invent@ucsd.edu)

Patent Status

Country Type Number Dated Case
Patent Cooperation Treaty Published Application 2018053527 03/22/2018 2017-036
 

Additional Patent Pending

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Other Information

Keywords

optical circuit, MEMS beam-steering, optical switching, networking, data center

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