Integrated optical micro-electromechanical systems and methods of fabricating and operating the same
First Claim
1. An integrated optical apparatus, comprising:
- a micro-electromechanical member; and
a substantially transmissive micro-optical element coupled to the micro-electromechanical member.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method of fabricating and operating a micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) integrated optical structure is disclosed. Micro-optics is integrated with MEMS actuators to provide a building block for a micro-optical communication device. Such micro-optical communication device may realize a variety of optical communication systems including optical interconnects, laser communications, or fiber optic switches. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a micro-optical element such as a micro-lens is advantageously integrated with an actuator such as MEMS comb drive actuator to form a MEMS lens assembly. The MEMS lens assembly is further coupled to an optical source which may provide a MEMS integrated micro-optical communication device. This integration substantially obviates the generally needed external or manual positioning of the micro-optical element to align a light beam or an optical signal being emitted from the optical source. The MEMS comb drive actuator, responsive to an actuation force, selectively positions the micro-optical element. By appropriately micro positioning a micro-optical element such as a micro-lens relative to an optical source, such as an input optical fiber or a laser diode, a focused light beam or an optical signal may be coupled to a respective optical fiber or a detector. In one embodiment, a commonly used flip chip module assembly technique may be adapted for bonding the MEMS lens assembly to a carrier substrate, which preferably receives the optical source. The carrier substrate is generally disposed on a host assembly. A flip chip based passive alignment of the MEMS lens assembly could be provided. Additionally, an active alignment of the light beam or optical signal with an optical detector may be provided, which can be maintained through a feedback loop.
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Citations
74 Claims
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1. An integrated optical apparatus, comprising:
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a micro-electromechanical member; and
a substantially transmissive micro-optical element coupled to the micro-electromechanical member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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18. A method of fabricating an integrated optical apparatus, comprising:
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forming a micro-electromechanical member having an aperture; and
forming a substantially transmissive micro-optical element interposed at the aperture to provide a micro-electromechanical optical assembly.
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24. A method of fabricating an integrated optical apparatus, comprising:
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forming a micro-electromechanical member having an aperture;
separately forming a substantially transmissive micro-optical element; and
assembling the micro-electromechanical member with the micro-optical element.
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28. An optical communication apparatus, comprising:
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an optical source to emit a light beam; and
a micro-electromechanical assembly coupled to the optical source and having a transmissive micro-optical element to receive the light beam for focusing and selective steering thereof.
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45. An optical communication apparatus, comprising:
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a plurality of optical sources, each of the optical sources emitting a lights beam; and
a micro-electromechanical assembly having a transmissive micro-optical element corresponding to each of the optical sources for focusing and steering respective light beams received at the corresponding transmissive micro-optical elements.
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62. An optical communication apparatus, comprising:
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an optical source to emit a light beam; and
a micro-electromechanical assembly, the micro-electromechanical assembly is formed on a transmissive substrate substantially parallel to a horizontal plane, the micro-electromechanical assembly including an electrostatic comb drive actuator having a micro-lens for focusing the light beam, said micro-electromechanical assembly being coupled to the optical source for selectively steering the light beam, the electrostatic comb drive actuator including;
one or more fixed combs each having a first set of fingers, and one or more movable combs each having a second set of fingers in an interdigitized arrangement with the first set of fingers, the one or more movable combs being displaced within the horizontal plane in response to an actuating potential being applied to the electrostatic comb drive actuator, said one or more movable combs including a micro-lens frame holding said micro-lens and at least one suspension member, each suspension member attached at a first end to the micro-lens frame and at a second end to the transmissive substrate, thereby suspending the one or more movable combs substantially parallel to the horizontal plane.
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63. An optical communication apparatus, comprising:
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a plurality of optical sources, each of the optical sources emitting a light beam; and
a micro-electromechanical assembly, the micro-electromechanical assembly is formed on a transmissive substrate being substantially parallel to a horizontal plane, the micro-electromechanical assembly including an electrostatic comb drive actuator having an array of micro-lenses with each of the micro-lens corresponding to each of the optical sources for focusing the respective light beams, said micro-electromechanical assembly being coupled to said plurality of optical sources for steering the light beams, the electrostatic comb drive actuator including;
one or more fixed combs having a first set of fingers, and one or more movable combs having a second set of fingers in an interdigitized arrangement with the first set of fingers, the one or more movable combs being displaced within the horizontal plane in response to an actuating potential being applied to the electrostatic comb drive actuator, said one or more movable combs including a micro-lens frame holding said array of micro-lenses and at least one suspension member, each suspension member attached at a first end to the micro-lens frame and at a second end to the transmissive substrate, thereby suspending the one or more movable combs substantially parallel to the horizontal plane.
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64. An optical communication apparatus, comprising:
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an optical source to emit a light beam;
a micro-electromechanical assembly coupled to the optical source and including a movable drive actuator having a transmissive micro-optical element for focusing and selectively steering the light beam; and
an optical signal sensing device for tracking the steered light beam, the optical signal sensing device providing a feedback signal to dynamically align the steered light beam.
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65. An optical communication apparatus, comprising:
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a plurality of optical sources, each of the optical sources emitting a light beam;
a micro-electromechanical assembly coupled to said plurality of optical sources and including a movable drive actuator having a transmissive micro-optical element corresponding to each of the optical sources for focusing and selectively steering the respective light beams; and
an optical signal sensing device corresponding to each of the optical sources for tracking the respective steered light beams, the optical signal sensing devices providing a feedback signal corresponding to each of the optical sources to dynamically align the respective steered light beams.
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66. A method for optical communication, comprising:
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receiving an optical input at a transmissive micro-optical element integrated with a micro-electromechanical assembly; and
positioning the transmissive micro-optical element to steer the optical input received at the transmissive micro-optical element in a first transmission direction in response to a first actuating force applied to the micro-electromechanical assembly for displacing the transmissive micro-optical element. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69)
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70. A method for optical communication, comprising:
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generating a light beam from an optical source, the light beam directed to a micro-lens integrated with a micro-electromechanical assembly;
deriving from passing the light beam through a first major surface of the micro-lens a focused light beam;
applying an actuating force to said micro-electromechanical assembly for displacing said micro-lens in a first direction within a horizontal plane to steer the focused light beam;
receiving from a second major surface of said micro-lens a steered light beam directed to an optical detector in response to the actuating force applied to the micro-electromechanical assembly, wherein the second major surface of said micro-lens is disposed opposite to said first major surface; and
coupling the steered light beam to said optical detector for providing an optical link through free space between the optical source and the optical detector.
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71. A method for fabricating an integrated optical communication apparatus, comprising:
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forming a micro-electromechanical member having an aperture;
forming a substantially transmissive micro-optical element interposed at the aperture to provide a micro-electromechanical optical assembly;
releasing said micro-electromechanical optical assembly; and
disposing an optical source proximal to said micro-electromechanical optical assembly. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73, 74)
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Specification