Electrically tunable fabry-perot structure utilizing a deformable multi-layer mirror and method of making the same
US6597490B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 27, 2001 |
| Grant date | Jul 22, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 27, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S5/18372
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An electrically tunable Fabry-Perot structure using a deformable multi-layer mirror construction wherein Ga1−aAlaAs, where a<0.1, is used as the sacrificial layer which may be selectively removed using a citric acid enchant. The multi-layer mirrors consist of N and M period of quarter wavelength layers where N and M are integers, or integers plus ½. Further, the mirrors are made from alternating layers of Ga1−xAlxAs, where x>0.96, and a material selected from the group consisting of either Ga1−zAlzAs, where 0.7>Z>0, or Ga1−yAlyAs/Ga1−zAlzAs/Ga1−yAlyAs, where 0.7>Z>0 and y>0.5. The Ga1−xAlxAs is wet oxidized by exposing its edge to water in a nitrogen or helium atmosphere at a temperature of between about 360° C. and 450° C. so as to transform it to AlOx. The resulting AlOx layers abut the sacrificial layer and act as etch stops during the formation of a cantilever Fabry-Perot structure by etching of the sacrificial layer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.