Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. Eng., Rochester Inst. of Technol., NY, USA
Abstract :
Wireless communication remains on the forefront of current systems because reliable and robust communication is needed to guarantee the system functionality, operationability, integrity, etc. Significant progress has been made. However, formidable challenges remain and novel design concepts are sought. Fundamental research in optical wireless communication and discovery of novel nonmechanical beam steering concepts ensure promising revolutionary changes. The technologies are available to fabricate the microoptoelectromechanical systems (MOEMS). For example, in addition to CMOS and fiber optics, surface micromachining has been used to fabricate micro- and miniscale lasers, mirrors, photodiodes, lenses, etc. The MOEMS-based optical wireless communication systems have been applied for fiber switching, scanning, beam steering, projection, pointing, etc. Different microstructures and microdevices (mirrors, lenses, magnets, antennas, actuators, etc.) are the components of MOEMS. We devise and examine novel MOEMS that integrate vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), active optoelectromagnetic microdevices (Bragg cells and optoelectromagnetic lenses), radiating energy microdevices (antennas) and controlling/processing integrated circuits (ICs). The MOEMS designed utilize the microsystem-on-chip paradigm. High-fidelity modeling, heterogeneous simulation, data-intensive analysis and optimization are performed. These fundamental problems directly related and contribute to newly emerging fields of computational optoelectromagnetics and optoelectromechanics. Data-intensive analysis and high-fidelity modeling are important part in synthesis and design of affordable high-performance MOEMS. This paper focuses on the development of the theory of computational optoelectromagnetics and CAD of MOEMS. The modeling, simulation, analysis and design results are reported and illustrated. The major emphasis is given on nonmechanical beam steering paradigm utilizing devised MOEMS.
Keywords :
CAD; beam steering; computational electromagnetics; electromagnetic devices; frequency control; integrated optoelectronics; microlenses; micromirrors; surface emitting lasers; Bragg cell; CAD; CMOS; MOEMS; Microoptoelectromechanical system; VCSEL; computational optoelectromagnetics; data intensive analysis; fiber optic; fiber switching; frequency control; heterogeneous simulation; integrated circuit; lenses; microscale laser; microstructures; microsystem-on-chip paradigm; miniscale laser; mirrors; nonmechanical beam steering paradigm; optical wireless communication; optimization; optoelectromagnetic lenses; optoelectromagnetic microdevices; photodiode; radiating energy microdevice; robust communication; surface micromachining; vertical cavity surface emitting laser; Beam steering; Computational modeling; Fiber lasers; Frequency control; Lenses; Mirrors; Optical variables control; Surface emitting lasers; Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers; Wireless communication;