An all-optical cross-connect switching system provides optical switching
that may reduce processing requirements by three orders of magnitude over
conventional techniques by associating at least one optical detector with
an optical beam steering element. In one embodiment, a first beam
steering element, having a reflective surface in optical association with
a first optical fiber array, and a second beam steering element, having a
reflective surface in optical association with a second optical fiber
array, are optically arranged to direct an optical beam from a first
optical fiber in the first optical fiber array to a second optical fiber
in the second optical fiber array. The optical detector provides
information about a first position of the optical beam on the second beam
steering element. Based on this information, the angle of the first beam
steering element may be adjusted to cause the optical beam to change to a
second position on the second beam steering element.