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Fluid-encapsulated MEMS optical switch
| Details |
Inventors: Edwards, Victoria Ann; Eid, Bernard; Brophy, Christopher Philip; Chamberlain, Darol;
Assignee: Corning Incorporated (Corning, NY)
Primary Examiner: Healy; Brian
Assistant Examiner: Song; Sarah U
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Pappas; Joanne N.
A fluid encapsulated MEMS optical switch includes an optical waveguide matrix with MEMS mirrors situated in trenches located at waveguide cross-points. The trenches are filled with collimation-maintaining fluid and the mirrors are immersed therein. The collimation maintaining fluid prevents the light beam from spreading when it enters the switch cross-points. This feature enables the use of much smaller MEMS mirrors and prevents some of the typical MEMS mirror problems found in the related art. In particular, the MEMS mirror disclosed in the present invention is reduced to approximately 15 .mu.m wide and 2 .mu.m thick, resulting in shorter actuation distances of approximately 15 .mu.m. This feature results in an optical switch having faster switching times. |
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention addresses the needs discussed above.
A movable MEMS mirror is disposed in a trench that is filled with a non-conducting, low-viscosity, index-matching fluid.
The index-matching fluid functions as a collimation-maintaining fluid that prevents the light beam from spreading in switch cross-points.
Thus, smaller mirrors are used at switch cross-points resulting in smaller actuation distances, and shorter actuation times.
One aspect of the present invention is an optical switch for directing a light signal.
The optical switch includes at least one optical waveguide having an input port, an output port, and a core portion having a refractive index n.
sub.
1.
The switch also includes at least one trench formed in the at least one optical waveguide at a cross-point between the input port and the output port.
A collimation-maintaining fluid is disposed in the at least one trench, wherein the collimation-maintaining fluid has a refractive index substantially the same as the refractive index of the core portion.
The switch also includes at least one movable switching element having an open position and a closed position for directing the light signal into the output port.
The at least one movable switching element is disposed in the at least one trench and substantially immersed in the collimation-maintaining fluid when in the open position and in the closed position.
In another aspect, the present invention includes a method for making an optical switch for transmitting a light signal.
The method includes the steps of: forming a substrate, forming an optical waveguide layer having a predetermined index of refraction on the substrate, and forming a plurality of waveguide structures in the optical waveguide layer.
A plurality of trenches are formed in the plurality of waveguide structures.
A plurality of movable mirrors and actuators are formed on the substrate.
A plurality of movable mirrors and actuators are disposed in the plurality of trenches.
The plurality of trenches are filled with a collimation-maintaining fluid having an index of refraction that is substantially the same as the index of refraction of the optical waveguide layer, wherein the collimation-maintaining fluid substantially immerses each of the plurality of movable mirrors and actuators; and, sealing the optical switch
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MEMS 
