Title :
A 5-V operated MEMS variable optical attenuator by SOI bulk micromachining
Author :
Isamoto, Keiji ; Kato, Kazuya ; Morosawa, Atsushi ; Chong, Changho ; Fujita, Hiroyuki ; Toshiyoshi, Hiroshi
Author_Institution :
Santec Corp., Aichi, Japan
Abstract :
We report the design, fabrication, and successful demonstration of microelectromechanical variable optical attenuator (VOA) using an electrostatic microtorsion mirror (0.6 mm in diameter) combined with a fiber-optic collimator. The VOA operates at low voltages (dc 5 V or less) for large optical attenuation (40 dB, corresponding to mirror angle of 0.3°) and a fast response time (5 ms or faster). The mirror made of a bulk-micromachined silicon-on-insulator wafer has been designed to be shock resistant up to 500 G without any mechanical failure. We also have suppressed temperature dependence of optical performance to be less than ±0.5 dB at 10-dB attenuation in the range of -5°C-70°C by mechanically decoupling the parasitic bimorph effect from the electrostatic operation.
Keywords :
electrostatic devices; micromachining; micromechanical devices; micromirrors; optical attenuators; optical collimators; optical fabrication; optical fibres; -5 to -70 degC; 0.6 mm; 10-dB attenuation; 5 V; 5 ms; 5-V operated MEMS variable optical attenuator; SOI bulk machining; bulk-micromachined silicon-on-insulator wafer; electrostatic microtorsion mirror; electrostatic operation; fiber-optic collimator; mechanical decoupling; mechanical failure; microelectromechanical variable optical attenuator; optical attenuation; parasitic bimorph effect; shock resistance; Delay; Electrostatics; Low voltage; Micromachining; Micromechanical devices; Mirrors; Optical attenuators; Optical collimators; Optical design; Optical device fabrication; MEMS; Microelectromechanical systems; VOA; optical MEMS; variable optical attenuator;
Journal_Title :
Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
DOI :
10.1109/JSTQE.2004.828475
