On-Chip 2-Axis Optical Fiber Actuator Using Gray-Scale Technology

We report a new on-chip method for actuating an optical fiber in 2-axes. Opposing comb-drive actuators with integrated 3-D wedges (fabricated using gray-scale technology [ 1, 2]) create a translatable, variable height v-groove to alter the horizontal and vertical alignment of an optical fiber cantilever. Such an actuator is attractive for on-chip active alignment of fiber optics to edge-coupled optoelectronic devices. The design and fabrication of this variable height actuator is conducive to batch fabrication since all structural components are fabricated in silicon using a single lithography and dry-etching step. Actuation of a cleaved fiber tip > 20 µ m in each direction is demonstrated.