Designing Energy-Efficient Photonic Switches to Support Growing Network Traffic The goal is to design thermo-optic photonic switches for high-speed communication networks. Engineers explored design with multiphysics simulation and optimized optical circuits employing integrated SiPh technology to minimize power consumption and maximize switching speed. IEEE Spectrum Multiphysics Simulation: Dritan Celo, Eric Bernier, and Dominic Goodwill, Huawei Technologies Canada Optical fibers and switches can carry light of one or more wavelengths at the same time. Steady-state temperature distribution throughout a thermo-optic silicon photonic switch.