Reconfigurable filters using mems resonators and integrated optical microcavities

Author

Pruessner, M.W. ; Stievater, T.H. ; Rabinovich, W.S.

Author_Institution

SFA Inc., Crofton

fYear

2008

fDate

13-17 Jan. 2008

Firstpage

766

Lastpage

769

Abstract

An in-plane silicon-on-insulator (SOI) MEMS-tunable Fabry-Perot microcavity filter is presented, in which one distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) mirror is attached to a doubly-clamped suspended beam resonator. We improve upon previous designs by utilizing a silicon waveguide cavity instead of an air cavity. The design eliminates a significant source of optical loss (beam divergence) leading to improved mirror bandwidth (>150nm) and Q-factor Q_Optical ap4,200). By keeping one DBR mirror fixed and displacing the second mirror, we change the effective cavity length and modify the Fabry-Perot resonances. Tuning over Deltalambdaap10 nm is measured using in-plane electrostatic actuation to displace the DBR. The application of the device as a sensor is also discussed.

Keywords

integrated optics; microcavities; micromechanical resonators; MEMS resonators; MEMS-tunable Fabry-Perot microcavity filter; distributed Bragg reflector mirror; in-plane electrostatic actuation; integrated optical microcavities; optical loss; reconfigurable filters; silicon waveguide cavity; Distributed Bragg reflectors; Fabry-Perot; Integrated optics; Microcavities; Mirrors; Optical filters; Optical resonators; Optical sensors; Optical waveguides; Resonator filters;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, 2008. MEMS 2008. IEEE 21st International Conference on

Conference_Location

Tucson, AZ

ISSN

1084-6999

Print_ISBN

978-1-4244-1792-6

Electronic_ISBN

1084-6999

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/MEMSYS.2008.4443769

Filename

4443769