Title :
MEMS-enabled mechanically-tunable 2D photonic crystal lens
Author :
Cui, Y. ; Tamma, V.A. ; Park, W. ; Lee, J. -B
Author_Institution :
Univ. of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
Abstract :
We report design, fabrication and characterization of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) enabled mechanically tunable 2D photonic crystal lens. The photonic crystal lens was realized by embedding honeycomb lattice silicon nano rods array inside flexible 10 μm thick SU-8 membrane. A pair of chevron shape nickel actuators was used to symmetrically stretch the 2D photonic crystal lens. The induced uniaxial elongation in photonic crystal lens thus perturbs the photonic band structure, leading to modulation of the focal length. The tunable lens was characterized using infrared tunable laser and far field imaging infrared camera. The profiles of the scattered light spot at the deflection at various strains were digitized and carefully compared with 2D finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations. Both simulation and experiment results were in good agreement.
Keywords :
integrated optics; lenses; light scattering; micro-optomechanical devices; microactuators; nanorods; nickel; optical design techniques; optical fabrication; optical testing; optical tuning; photonic crystals; silicon; 2D finite difference time domain simulation; MEMS; Ni; SU-8 membrane; Si; chevron shape actuators; far field imaging infrared camera; honeycomb lattice; infrared tunable laser; mechanically tunable 2D photonic crystal lens; microelectromechanical systems; nanorods array; optical characterization; optical design; optical fabrication; photonic band structure; scattered light; size 10 mum; uniaxial elongation; Actuators; Biomembranes; Finite difference methods; Lenses; Optical waveguides; Photonic crystals; Silicon;
Conference_Titel :
Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS), 2011 IEEE 24th International Conference on
Conference_Location :
Cancun
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4244-9632-7
DOI :
10.1109/MEMSYS.2011.5734522
