Surface-micromachined mirrors for scalable fiber optic switching applications

摘要

We present design, analysis and characterization of surface-micromachined mirrors develope dofr fiber-optical cross-connects (OXCs). These mirrors are controlled by electrostatic microactuators, and are optimized for our beam-steering OXC swithch architecture. Their geometry leads to high-density switch matrices, and the absene of frictional higes in their actuations mechanism allows highly repatable operation. This mirror structure features an adjustable maximum deflection angle that can be set during initial asembly or dynamically varied by integration wtih a standard surfac-emicromachined linear actuator. A commercial three-layer polysilicon surface-micromachining process is used for fabrication of the micromirrors.