The biggest problem with creating an all-optical network would be the switching; re-routing the information from source "A" to destination "B". When information is sent, it does not flow directly from point A to point B. It passes through a series of switches that narrow the path down, and eventually the signal reaches point B. These switches have thousand's of possible routes which information can be transfered. Right now, the optical networks that stretch across the globe switches electronically. This is a huge set back, if you are trying to make a network that works at the speed of light. Light travels at about 982,080,000 feet per second, and electrons at 300,000 ft/sec. So when an optical network uses an electronic switch, the light first has to be converted to an electronic signal, then it has to go through the switch, and finally the electrons are converted back to a light beam. This process only takes a few milliseconds, but these seconds can be compared to what an optical switch operates at which is nanoseconds. The signal is slowed down so much that it can be compared to going down the highway at top speed, then when you reach the off ramp you stop, get out of your car, stumble and w

Many corporations have took interest in this problem and decided to take action by inventing optical prototype switches. Some of which are faster then others, but are all faster than optical-electric switches. One of the best working switches is the MEMS Switch (shown on diagram). It uses mirrors that are less than half a millimeter in diameter. These mirrors reflect the light from one pipe to another. There are 256 mirrors that fit onto one piece of silicon that is 2.5 cm squared. There is room to improve in the number of mirrors in MEMS. But in order to make the switch efficient there will need to be over 1000 mirrors. In operation the light beam runs through an input pipe, bounces off of a MEMS mirror then diflects off of the reflector, which sends it to a mirror that reflects the light a third time into an outgoing pipe. This process takes a few milliseconds, and is thousands of times faster than any optical electric switch; it also uses hundreds of times less energy. The one problem with a mirror switch is that the mirrors may get misaligned, and send data off in strange directions. Another type of switch is the bubble switch. It uses a very unique method of reflecting a beam of li

Some common words found in the essay are:
MEMS Switch, Optical Switches, liquid crystals, inkjet head, switch liquid crystals, type switch, process takes milliseconds, process takes, top speed, mems switch, times faster, light beam, switch liquid, takes milliseconds,
Approximate Word count = 804
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)