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We report the fabrication and testing of several models of a complex integrated Ti: LiNb03 switch array, a one-input-to-sixteenoutput switch that is polarization independent for use with standard single-mode fibers. The switch array has 15 directional couplers arranged in a binary tree with four ranks. The device is fitted with connectorized single-mode fiber pigtails and housed in a package that permits convenient transport and use. The best measured losses (fiberwaveguide-fiber) are 3.0 dB for the TE polarization and 3.6 dB for the TM. Permanent attachment of the pigtails adds 0.65-dB loss. Crosstalk suppression averages 10 dB below the transmitted signal for the brightest unwanted path.

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Before the potential for large scale use of guided wave devices can be realized, low-loss and lowcost methods for fiber attachment must be developed. Several years ago, this problem was addressed by the flip-chip approach1 in which the waveguide substrate was placed on a silicon chip and aligned to fiber holding grooves. The flip-chip method has given way in recent years to the end-face-coupled method2–4 in which an array of fibers in a silicon chip is butt-joined to the guided wave device. This latter method has been demonstrated for large arrays with excess losses approaching the theoretical minimum.2 Unfortunately, this method requires the time-consuming and tedious alignment of six degrees of freedom.