A photonic switch includes an array of waveguides (optical fibers) that are
rigidly mounted together and arranged as a matrix. One waveguide acts as
an input for the switch, and is used to transmit a light beam into free
space. The other waveguides then function individually as outputs for the
switch. Operationally, a switch connection is made by moving a steering
mirror to direct the light beam from the input waveguide to a selected
output waveguide. For one embodiment, the mirror is flat. For this
embodiment the switch incorporates a collimating lens positioned between
the array and the mirror, with the mirror at the telecentric stop of the
lens. In another embodiment, the mirror has a concave surface.
