An optical switch having a plurality of switch cells. The optical switch
has n inputs (n is a natural number) and m outputs (m is a natural
number). The optical switch has a unit size defined as the distance
between any two adjacent ones of the switch cells. The optical switch
comprises a substrate having a switch size of K.times.L (K is an integer
satisfying n.ltoreq.K, and L is an integer satisfying m.ltoreq.L), first
and second mirrors parallel to each other and perpendicular to a
principal surface of the substrate, and an optical unit providing a
plurality of input optical paths for the n inputs and a plurality of
output optical paths for the m outputs. The plurality of input optical
paths are inclined relative to the first and second mirrors, and the
plurality of output optical paths are inclined relative to the first and
second mirrors. Each switch cell comprises a switch mirror provided
movably relative to the substrate. With this configuration, the path
dependence of loss is substantially eliminated.