Design and development of a latching micro optical switch

We will review the initial design and development of a first-of-its-kind latching micro optical switch that can be switched from one optical state to another utilizing thermal actuation. The device is designed to remain in one position or the other without the requirement for continuous external power to keep the switch in either state. The switch uses deep reactive ion etching to form the necessary structures required to move optical fibers from one position to another.The switch is designed to align a movable optical fiber with a fixed optical fiber to perform an optical switching function. Only momentary pulses of power are required to move the optical fiber from one position to another. The device uses a latching mechanism fabricated in silicon-on-insulator material (SOI) to hold the optical fiber in either of its two desired states (aligned or out-of-alignment). We are in the process of developing this switch to meet stringent environmental requirements such as shock, vibration and temperature excursions for a number of applications. While this device is not a high speed switch, it is being developed to provide capability for extreme environment use such as that encountered in space or in airborne applications. Our initial results have been excellent; we have successfully designed, fabricated and tested a functioning latching micro optical switch that holds great promise for extreme environment applications.