An Integrated Photonic MEMS Switch System with Fast Switching Speed and Low Power Demand

This paper presents an integrated photonic MEMS switching system. The switching system consist of two perpendicular photonic crystal (PC) surface waveguide joined together to form a waveguide bend. An elliptical micro-mirror driven by a comb drive actuator is positioned with its foci at the end cells of the waveguide bend to provide the switching mechanism. When the position of the mirror is displaced, the propagation path of lightwaves from one waveguide to another is affected and this forms a switching system. This switching system has the advantages of fast switching speed of ~ 20 mus. a higher device density with an overall system size of ~ 10 mum x 10 mum compared with other MEMS switches.