Title :
Micromechanical optical switches based on thermocapillary integrated in waveguide substrate
Author :
Makihara, Mistuhiro ; Sato, Makoto ; Shimokawa, Fusao ; Nishida, Yasuhide
Author_Institution :
NTT Opto-Electron. Labs., Tokyo, Japan
fDate :
1/1/1999 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
This paper proposes micromechanical optical switches which are suitable for integration in an optical waveguide substrate. The switching mechanism is based on the capillary effect induced by a temperature gradient. The switch has a simple structure which consists of a oil filled slit and a pair of microheaters. We designed two types of thermocapillary optical switches. One was a bubble-driven type, the other was an oil-column-driven type. We fabricated both types of 1×3 micro-switches and demonstrated excellent optical switching and self-latching performance
Keywords :
integrated optics; micro-optics; micromechanical devices; optical switches; substrates; 1×3 micro-switches; MEMS; bubble-driven type; capillary effect; microelectromechanical systems; microheater pairs; micromechanical optical switches; oil filled slit; oil-column-driven type; optical switching; optical waveguide substrate; self-latching performance; switching mechanism; temperature gradient; thermocapillary integrated; thermocapillary optical switches; waveguide substrate; Integrated optics; Laboratories; Micromechanical devices; Optical fibers; Optical films; Optical switches; Optical waveguides; Petroleum; Substrates; Surface tension;
Journal_Title :
Lightwave Technology, Journal of
