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Title: Erected mirror optical switch

Abstract

A microelectromechanical (MEM) optical switching apparatus is disclosed that is based on an erectable mirror which is formed on a rotatable stage using surface micromachining. An electrostatic actuator is also formed on the substrate to rotate the stage and mirror with a high angular precision. The mirror can be erected manually after fabrication of the device and used to redirect an incident light beam at an arbitrary angel and to maintain this state in the absence of any applied electrical power. A 1.times.N optical switch can be formed using a single rotatable mirror. In some embodiments of the present invention, a plurality of rotatable mirrors can be configured so that the stages and mirrors rotate in unison when driven by a single micromotor thereby forming a 2.times.2 optical switch which can be used to switch a pair of incident light beams, or as a building block to form a higher-order optical switch.

Inventors:
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1175381
Patent Number(s):
6903861
Application Number:
10/763,913
Assignee:
Sandia Corporation
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G02 - OPTICS G02B - OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS
H - ELECTRICITY H04 - ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE H04Q - SELECTING
DOE Contract Number:  
AC-04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
42 ENGINEERING

Citation Formats

Allen, James J. Erected mirror optical switch. United States: N. p., 2005. Web.
Allen, James J. Erected mirror optical switch. United States.
Allen, James J. Tue . "Erected mirror optical switch". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1175381.
@article{osti_1175381,
title = {Erected mirror optical switch},
author = {Allen, James J.},
abstractNote = {A microelectromechanical (MEM) optical switching apparatus is disclosed that is based on an erectable mirror which is formed on a rotatable stage using surface micromachining. An electrostatic actuator is also formed on the substrate to rotate the stage and mirror with a high angular precision. The mirror can be erected manually after fabrication of the device and used to redirect an incident light beam at an arbitrary angel and to maintain this state in the absence of any applied electrical power. A 1.times.N optical switch can be formed using a single rotatable mirror. In some embodiments of the present invention, a plurality of rotatable mirrors can be configured so that the stages and mirrors rotate in unison when driven by a single micromotor thereby forming a 2.times.2 optical switch which can be used to switch a pair of incident light beams, or as a building block to form a higher-order optical switch.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2005},
month = {6}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Optical raster-scanning displays based on surface-micromachined polysilicon mirrors
journal, January 1999


Free-space micromachined optical switches for optical networking
journal, January 1999


Microfabricated hinges
journal, June 1992


Surface-micromachined components for articulated microrobots
journal, March 1996


A low voltage actuated micromirror with an extra vertical electrode for 90  rotation
journal, August 2003