Surface-micromachined free-space fiber optic switches with integrated microactuators for optical fiber communication systems

Author

Lee, Shi-Sheng ; Motamedi, Ed ; Wu, Ming C.

Author_Institution

California Univ., Los Angeles, CA, USA

Volume

1

fYear

1997

fDate

16-19 Jun 1997

Firstpage

85

Abstract

We report on a novel surface-micromachined free-space fiber optic switch with integrated microactuators for optical fiber communication systems. The switch consists of an out-of-plane micromirror driven by integrated scratch drive actuators, and balanced by a spring. A fall time and a rise time of 15 ms and 6 ms have been achieved, respectively. The switch is equipped with the fail-safe feature as required by the FDDI optical bypass switch. In addition, a vibration g-test has been conducted while the switch is transmitting data. Error free operation up to 89 g´s has been achieved for vibration frequencies from 200 Hz to 10 kHz

Keywords

dynamic testing; integrated optics; microactuators; optical fibre communication; optical fibres; optical switches; 15 ms; 200 Hz to 10 kHz; 6 ms; FDDI optical bypass switch; Si; fail-safe feature; integrated microactuators; integrated scratch drive actuators; optical fiber communication; out-of-plane micromirror; polysilicon; surface-micromachined free-space fiber optic switches; vibration g-test; Actuators; Communication switching; Error-free operation; FDDI; Microactuators; Micromirrors; Optical fiber communication; Optical fibers; Optical switches; Springs;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Solid State Sensors and Actuators, 1997. TRANSDUCERS '97 Chicago., 1997 International Conference on

Conference_Location

Chicago, IL

Print_ISBN

0-7803-3829-4

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/SENSOR.1997.613588

Filename

613588