Title :
A 5-volt operated MEMS variable optical attenuator
Author :
Toshiyoshi, H. ; Isamoto, K. ; Morosawa, A. ; Tei, M. ; Fujita, H.
Author_Institution :
Inst. of Ind. Sci., Tokyo Univ., Japan
Abstract :
We report a micro mechanical variable optical attenuator (VOA) using an electrostatic micro torsion mirror combined with a fiber-optic collimator. The VOA operates at low voltages (DC 5 V or less) for large optical attenuation (40 dB) and fast response time (5 ms or faster). The mirror has been designed to be shock-resistive up to 100 G without causing operation error and up to 500G without any mechanical failure. We also have suppressed temperature dependence of VOA´s optical performance by mechanically decoupling the parasitic bimorph effect from the electrostatic operation.
Keywords :
micromechanical devices; micromirrors; optical attenuators; 40 dB; 5 V; 5 ms; MEMS variable optical attenuator; electrostatic micro torsion mirror; electrostatic operation; fiber-optic collimator; mechanically decoupling; micromechanical variable optical attenuator; optical attenuation; parasitic bimorph effect; Actuators; Electrostatics; Fabrication; Low voltage; Micromechanical devices; Mirrors; Optical attenuators; Optical collimators; Optical fiber polarization; Optical interferometry;
Conference_Titel :
TRANSDUCERS, Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems, 12th International Conference on, 2003
Conference_Location :
Boston, MA, USA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-7731-1
DOI :
10.1109/SENSOR.2003.1217128
