Abstract: | A high-speed, switched, binary photonic switching fabric based on two acousto-optic devices arranged in a compact self-aligning (by acousto-optic device-based Bragg matching) optical geometry is introduced for photonic signal processing and control. This fabric has the unique capability to provide simultaneously both high switching speeds and high optical isolation, a critical need for advanced low-noise high-speed signal-processing applications. The proof-of-concept experimental fabric demonstrated nearly 60% light throughput, a 39-dB optical isolation level for both states of the switching fabric, and a 138-ns switching time. |