Title :
Optical microelectromechanical system array for free space retrocommunication
Author :
Luo, Changping ; Goosen, K.W.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. Eng., Delaware Univ., Newark, DE, USA
Abstract :
We demonstrate here an optical link for free space retrocommunication based on an optical microelectromechanical system (MEMS) array with a structure of mechanically-active anti-reflection switch (MARS) using a thin Si3N4 membrane. The array consists of 215 identical single devices with a total active area of 36 mm2 and was fabricated with the normal surface sacrificial micromachining. An overfilled reflectance contrast of 3 dB was observed at 6328 Å and a data rate of 100 kbit/sec shown in 50 militorr vacuum. A design trade off between the high optical filling factor and the high working frequency is discussed.
Keywords :
micro-optics; micromachining; microswitches; optical arrays; optical links; free space retrocommunication; mechanically-active antireflection switch; micromachining; optical filling factor; optical link; optical microelectromechanical system array; reflectance contrast; Biomembranes; Mars; Microelectromechanical systems; Micromachining; Micromechanical devices; Optical arrays; Optical design; Optical fiber communication; Optical switches; Reflectivity;
Conference_Titel :
Lasers and Electro-Optics Society, 2004. LEOS 2004. The 17th Annual Meeting of the IEEE
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-8557-8
DOI :
10.1109/LEOS.2004.1363589
