Method and apparatus for assembling an array of micro-devices

US7141080B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Innovative Micro Technology · US

Inventors

• Patrick Edward Feierabend · Lompoc, US
• John S. Foster · Fredericksburg, US
• Richard Martin · Goleta, US
• Paul J. Rubel · Lompoc, US
• John W. Stocker · Lompoc, US
• Jeffery F. Summers · Lompoc, US
• Andrew Wallis · Lompoc, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 15, 2005
• Grant date: Nov 28, 2006
• Expiry date: Nov 15, 2025

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B6/3586
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The invention describes a method and apparatus for deploying micromachined actuators in a plane which is orthogonal to the original fabrication plane of the devices. Using batch-processing, photolithographic procedures known in the micromachined electro-mechanical system (MEMS) art, a plurality of devices is constructed on a suitable substrate. The devices are then separated one from another by sawing and dicing the original fabrication wafer. The devices are rotated into an orthogonal orientation and affixed to a second wafer. The second wafer also contains circuitry for addressing and manipulating each of the devices independently of the others. With this method and apparatus, arrays of actuators are constructed whose plane of actuation is perpendicular to the plane of the array. This invention is useful for constructing N×M fiber optic switches, which direct light from N input fibers into M output fibers.