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A micromechanical optical switch structure, that may be integrated to form an array of optical switches, switches light between a main waveguide and a switched waveguide. The switched waveguide has a coupling portion and two flexible portions and is coupled to a movable cantilever arm. The cantileve

A micromechanical optical switch structure, that may be integrated to form an array of optical switches, switches light between a main waveguide and a switched waveguide. The switched waveguide has a coupling portion and two flexible portions and is coupled to a movable cantilever arm. The cantilever arm is configured to move at least the coupling portion of the switched waveguide between first and second positions with respect to the main waveguide. In the first position, the switched waveguide is evanescently coupled to the main waveguide and in the second position, the switched waveguide is not evanescently coupled to the main waveguide. The movable cantilever arm may be formed with bimaterial arms that move the switched waveguide in response to heat or a piezoelectric potential being applied to the arm or they may be formed with an electrostatic plate that moves the arms in response to an electrostatic potential.

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A micromechanical optical switch structure, that may be integrated to form an array of optical switches, switches light between a main waveguide and a switched waveguide. The switched waveguide has a coupling portion and two flexible portions and is coupled to a movable cantilever arm. The cantileve

A micromechanical optical switch structure, that may be integrated to form an array of optical switches, switches light between a main waveguide and a switched waveguide. The switched waveguide has a coupling portion and two flexible portions and is coupled to a movable cantilever arm. The cantilever arm is configured to move at least the coupling portion of the switched waveguide between first and second positions with respect to the main waveguide. In the first position, the switched waveguide is evanescently coupled to the main waveguide and in the second position, the switched waveguide is not evanescently coupled to the main waveguide. The movable cantilever arm may be formed with bimaterial arms that move the switched waveguide in response to heat or a piezoelectric potential being applied to the arm or they may be formed with an electrostatic plate that moves the arms in response to an electrostatic potential. ifferent from the passbands of the first interleaver. 3. The optical system of claim 2, wherein the second interleaver comprises a plurality of optically matched and directly optically coupled etalons and having periodic passbands of width less than d nm with a period equal to zd nm, where z is an integer value of at least 3 and wherein at least one etalon of the directly optically coupled etalons of the interleaver in a bulk optic etalon comprising first and second selectively transparent thin film mirror coatings on opposite first and second surfaces, respectively, of a bulk optic comprising a solid optically transparent body, the bulk optic defining the cavity spacing of the etalon. 4. The operating system of claim 1, further comprising an array of passband filters optically coupled to an output port of the interleaver, each of the passband filters having a single passband less than d nm in the wavelength band substantially coincident with a passband of the interleaver. 5. The optical system of claim 1, further comprising a series of interleavers each operative to receive a semi-demultiplexed signal reflected from the input port of the interleaver preceding each interleaver in the series, each interleaver is operative to semi-demultiplex channels 1 through n, and have periodic passbands of width less than d nm with a period equal to zd nm, where z is an integer value of at least 3, and the passbands of each interleaver are different from the passbands of the other interleavers. 6. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the optically coupled etalons are in optical contact with each other. 7. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the optically transparent body comprises a monolithic glass body. 8. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the optically transparent body comprises a monolithic silica body. 9. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the bulk optic has a physical thickness of 0.5 to 2 mm. 10. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the bulk optic further comprises a wedge coating on a surface of the optically transparent body overlying the bulk optic and underlying the first thin film coating. 11. The optical system of claim 10, wherein the wedge coating and the optically transparent body have substantially the same index of refraction. 12. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the bulk optic further comprises a thickness-adjustment layer overlaying optically transparent body and underlying the first thin film coating. 13. The optical system of claim 12, wherein the thickness adjustment layer has a substantially uniform thickness greater than 0 and less than 100 microns. 14. The optical system of claim 12, wherein the thickness adjustment layer and the optically transparent body have substantially the same index of refraction. 15. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the first and second selectively transparent thin film coatings each comprises a continuous, uniform thickness metal film. 16. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the first and second selectively transparent thin film coatings each comprises a film stack of alternating higher and lower refractive index dielectric materials. 17. The optical system of claim 1, wherein each of the optically coupled etalons comprises first and second selectively transparent thin film mirror coatings on opposite surfaces of a bulk optic defining the cavity spacing of the etalons. 18. The optical system of claim 1, wherein each of the optically coupled etalons is spaced from an adjacent one of the optically coupled etalons a distance equal to an odd number of QWOTs. 19. The optical system of claim 1, further comprising a bonding layer attaching one etalon of the optically coupled etalons to an adjacent etalon. 20. The optical system of claim 19, wherein the bonding layer is in the optical path through the interleaver. 21. The optical system of claim 19, wherein the bonding layer is substantially out of the optical path through the interleaver. 22. The optical system of c