A monolithic optical displacement measurement microsystem

Author

Zappe, Hans P. ; Hofstetter, Daniel

Author_Institution

Paul Scherrer Inst., Zurich, Switzerland

fYear

1996

fDate

11-15 Feb 1996

Firstpage

400

Lastpage

405

Abstract

A monolithically integrated optical displacement measurement microsystem is presented. The microsystem consists of a Michelson interferometer with an integrated DBR laser and waveguide photodetector, fabricated on a single GaAs-based chip. Displacement measurements with sub-100 nm resolution have been performed, requiring only the alignment of the interferometer with an external lens for focusing the measurement beam. Obviating the need for alignment of the interferometer components implies that such an optical chip may be used for precision position or displacement measurement in movable MEMS or as part of a more complex semiconductor-based opto-mechanical microsystem

Keywords

Michelson interferometers; displacement measurement; distributed Bragg reflector lasers; gallium arsenide; integrated optics; integrated optoelectronics; isolation technology; measurement by laser beam; microsensors; photodetectors; position measurement; rib waveguides; sputter etching; GaAs; III-V semiconductor; Michelson interferometer; alignment with external lens; bandgap engineering; dry etch; focusing; integrated DBR laser; isolation techniques; monolithically integrated; movable MEMS; optical MEMS hybrids; optical chip; optical displacement measurement microsystem; precision position measurement; rib waveguides; semiconductor-based optomechanical microsystem; single chip; vacancy-enhanced disordering; waveguide photodetector; Displacement measurement; Distributed Bragg reflectors; Integrated optics; Lenses; Optical interferometry; Optical waveguides; Performance evaluation; Photodetectors; Semiconductor device measurement; Waveguide lasers;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, 1996, MEMS '96, Proceedings. An Investigation of Micro Structures, Sensors, Actuators, Machines and Systems. IEEE, The Ninth Annual International Workshop on

Conference_Location

San Diego, CA

Print_ISBN

0-7803-2985-6

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/MEMSYS.1996.494015

Filename

494015