Mechanical Tuning of 2D Photonic Crystal with MEMS-based Electrostatic Actuator

In this study, a mechanically tunable PC device with an electrostatic actuator fabricated by MEMS technique is proposed. The device consists of two parts: a flexible PC slab waveguide; and double-layered rods which consist of silicon (upper layer) and silicon dioxide (lower layer). The rods are fixed to the wafer, while the slab is released from the wafer. In the initial state the holes are mostly filled with the silicon part of the rods. When a voltage is applied between the slab and the wafer, the slab is deflected by electrostatic force. Therefore, the holes are mostly filled with the silicon dioxide part of the rods. The deflection (i.e. the insertion depth of the rods) depends on the applied voltage. Since the rods are self-aligned to the holes, this device does not need other alignment apparatus, like an AFM