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

Volume

2

fYear

2004

fDate

7-11 Nov. 2004

Firstpage

1009

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;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Lasers and Electro-Optics Society, 2004. LEOS 2004. The 17th Annual Meeting of the IEEE

Print_ISBN

0-7803-8557-8

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/LEOS.2004.1363589

Filename

1363589