Integrated microelectromechanical wavelength selective switch and method of making same
US7283709B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 6, 2005 |
| Grant date | Oct 16, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 10, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/12033
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A fully integrated microelectromechanical (MEMS) lxK wavelength selective switch (WSS) includes an array of N solid-immersion micromirrors (SIMs) and a K+1 dispersion waveguide arrays that are integrally fabricated together. In one embodiment, the WSS is fabricated in Silicon. In another embodiment, the N actuators of the SIMs are etched in the Silicon layer of a Silicon-on Insulator (SOI) wafer. Thereafter, a Silica layer is deposited on the Silicon layer and the K+1 waveguide arrays and the mirrors for the N SIMs are etched in that Silica layer. In yet another embodiment, the K+1 dispersion waveguide arrays, except for a small portion of the common confocal coupler, are fabricated using a material selected from a group including Silica, sol-gel, polymers, that is deposited on a first wafer selected from a group including Silicon, Saphire, or other glass insulator material and the remaining portion of the common confocal coupler and the N SIMs are fabricated in a Silicon wafer, and the first wafer and Silicon wafer are then butt-coupled together.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.