A high-speed low-voltage stress-induced micromachined 2 x 2 optical switch

Author

Chen, R.T. ; Nguyen, H. ; Wu, M.C.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. Eng., California Univ., Los Angeles, CA, USA

Volume

11

Issue

11

fYear

1999

Firstpage

1396

Lastpage

1398

Abstract

A low-voltage electrostatically actuated 2×2 fiber optic switch is achieved using a stress-induced curved polysilicon actuator. The curved polysilicon beam substantially lowers the electrostatic operating voltage of the switch. Large mirror displacement (300 μm) and low operating voltage (20 V) are obtained simultaneously. Sub-millisecond switching time (<600 μs), low optical insertion loss (0.7 dB), and small polarization-dependent loss (0.09 dB) have been achieved.

Keywords

electro-optical switches; electrostatic actuators; high-speed optical techniques; micromachining; optical communication equipment; optical fibre communication; 0.09 dB; 0.7 dB; 20 V; curved polysilicon beam; electrostatic operating voltage; electrostatically actuated 2/spl times/2 fiber optic switch; high-speed low-voltage stress-induced micromachined 2/spl times/2 optical switch; large mirror displacement; low operating voltage; optical insertion loss; polarization-dependent loss; stress-induced curved polysilicon actuator; submillisecond switching time; High speed optical techniques; Insertion loss; Micromechanical devices; Mirrors; Optical crosstalk; Optical losses; Optical switches; Stimulated emission; Structural beams; Voltage;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/68.803057

Filename

803057