An optical cross connect switch. In this switch any optical fiber in an input
set of optical fibers, each carrying a communication beam, can be cross connected
to any optical fiber in an output set of optical fibers. An alignment beam is added
to and aligned co-axially with the communication beam carried by each fiber in
the input set of optical fibers to define a communication-alignment beam for each
fiber. Each communication-alignment beam is directed within a confined optical
pathway to a specific exit aperture in an input array structure. The exit apertures
for all of the communication-alignment beams are arranged in a pattern defining
an input array so that each communication-alignment beam can be identified by the
location of its exit aperture in the input array structure. Each communication-alignment
beam is formed into a cross-connection beam by a micro-lens in a first lens micro-lens
array. Each cross-connection beam is directed to a lens in a second lens array
by two mirrors, a first mirror in a first mirror array and a second mirror in a
second mirror array. The lens in the second micro-lens array focuses the communication
beams into a specific input aperture of a confined optical pathway, preferably
an optical fiber, in an output array structure. Each of the confined optical pathways
in the output array structure is optically connected to an optical fiber of an
output set of optical fibers. A first detector array located near the second lens
array monitors the position of each alignment beam and provides position information
to a processor for control of the mirrors in at least one of the mirror arrays.