Keil, N.N.Keil2022-03-032022-03-031995https://publica.fraunhofer.de/handle/publica/187466Conventional semiconductor materials are encountering competition from plastics for integrated optical components. The author's Institute is investigating the properties of a future optical transparent communication network. Important functional elements within a network node are spatial switches, which direct high-bit-rate data signals to the selected exit fibres. The world's first microprocessor-controlled 4.4 spatial switch matrix with thermo-optical control in polymer technology has been developed to the order of Deutsche Telekom, with eight 2.2 directional coupler switches integrated on an area of 40*2 mm.deintegrated opticsoptical directional couplersoptical switchesplasticsthermo-optical effectsplasticintegrated optical componentsoptical transparent communication networkspatial switch matrixthermo-optical controlpolymer technologydeutsche telekomdirectional coupler switches621journal article