USING BLENDER 3D TO MODEL MEMS OPTICAL SWITCHES

Optical MEMS (micro electro mechanical systems) have found applications in many telecommunication systems. One of them is the implementation of optical cross-connect switches for traffic routing in optical networks. In a MEMS optical switch, a micro-mirror is used to reflect a light beam. The direction in which the light beam is reflected can be changed by rotating the mirror to different angles, allowing the input light to be connected to any output port. To explain its principle of operation to engineering students, 3D visualization techniques are required. To this end, 3D animations of light routing into an optical MEMS have been implemented using Blender. Blender is a free and open-source software program for 3D modelling, animation, and rendering. Teachers throughout the world have found Blender and are using the software in their courses because it provides excellent resources for 3D animation and visualization of plenty of physical concepts. In this paper, the complete process of modelling and implementing a 3D MEMS optical switch in Blender is described in detail.