Tunable microcavity based on III-V semiconductor micro-opto-electromechanical structures (MOEMS) with strong optical confinement

Author

Viktorovitch, P. ; Leclercq, J.-L. ; Letartre, Xavier ; Benyattou, T. ; Greek, S. ; Hjort, K. ; Chitica, N. ; Daleiden, J.

Author_Institution

Ecole Centrale de Lyon, Ecully, France

fYear

1998

fDate

20-24 July 1998

Abstract

The key performances of optical filters requested by optical communications for wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) systems are: (i) a high wavelength selectivity, enabling the selection of neighboring channels 1.6 nm apart with a crosstalk ratio of 20 dB, (ii) a continuous wavelength tuning range of about 30 nm around 1.55 /spl mu/m, with no degradation of the selectivity. We demonstrate the design and the fabrication of a vertical micromachined InP-air gap based Fabry-Perot filter, continuously tunable via electrostatic micromechanical actuation of the cavity air gap, which meets the WDM system requirements.

Keywords

Fabry-Perot resonators; III-V semiconductors; indium compounds; micro-optics; micromachining; micromechanical devices; optical communication equipment; optical filters; optical tuning; 1.55 mum; 1.6 nm; III-V semiconductor micro-opto-electromechanical structures; InP; MOEMS; WDM; WDM system requirements; cavity air gap; continuous wavelength tuning range; continuously tunable; crosstalk ratio; electrostatic micromechanical actuation; high wavelength selectivity; neighboring channel selection; optical communications; optical filters; strong optical confinement; tunable microcavity; vertical micromachined InP-air gap based Fabry-Perot filter design; vertical micromachined InP-air gap based Fabry-Perot filter fabrication; wavelength-division multiplexing; Crosstalk; Degradation; Fabrication; Fabry-Perot; III-V semiconductor materials; Microcavities; Optical fiber communication; Optical filters; Optical tuning; Wavelength division multiplexing;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Broadband Optical Networks and Technologies: An Emerging Reality/Optical MEMS/Smart Pixels/Organic Optics and Optoelectronics. 1998 IEEE/LEOS Summer Topical Meetings

Conference_Location

Monterey, CA, USA

Print_ISBN

0-7803-4953-9

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/LEOSST.1998.689730

Filename

689730