Optical MEMS device and package having a light-transmissive opening or window

• US 20020181838A1
• Filed: 12/19/2001
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Coventor, Inc. (Lam Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Coventor, Inc. (Lam Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Ramsey, Victor, DeReus, Dana Richard, Cunningham, Shawn Jay
• Application Number:
  US10/025,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20020181838A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/16
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/038 Microengines and actuators not provided for in B81B2201/031 - B81B2201/037
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/045 Optical switches
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/047 Optical MEMS not provided for in B81B2201/042 - B81B2201/045
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/051 Translation according to an axis parallel to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0051 For defining the movement, i.e. structures that guide or limit the movement of an element mechanical arrangements for preventing or damping vibration or shock H01H3/60
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/0067 for controlling the passage of optical signals through the package
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00182 Arrangements of deformable or non-deformable structures, e.g. membrane and cavity for use in a transducer
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/019 Bonding or gluing multiple substrate layers
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/0109 Bonding an individual cap on the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/085 the reflecting means being moved or deformed by electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0858 the reflecting means being moved or deformed by piezoelectric means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0866 the reflecting means being moved or deformed by thermal means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3512 the optical element being reflective, e.g. mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/353 the optical element being a shutter, baffle, beam dump or opaque element absorbers on light guide termination G02B6/243
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3548 1xN switch, i.e. one input and a selectable single output of N possible outputs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/356 in an optical cross-connect device, e.g. routing and switching aspects of interconnecting different paths propagating different wavelengths to (re)configure the various input and output links switching polarized beams G02B6/3594; power equalizers G02B6/356 and G02B6/3594; path selecting means H04Q11/0001
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3566 involving bending a beam, e.g. with cantilever
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/357 Electrostatic force electrostatic forces controlling reflecting elements in general G02B26/0841
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3572 Magnetic force magnetic forces controlling reflecting elements in general G02B26/085; magneto-optic devices G02F1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3576 : Temperature or heat actuation thermal forces controlling reflecting elements in general G02B26/0866; thermo-optic devices G02F1/0147
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3578 : Piezoelectric force piezoelectric forces controlling reflecting elements in general G02B26/0858; piezo-optic devices G02F1/0131
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3582 : Housing means or package or arranging details of the switching elements, e.g. for thermal isolation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3584 : constructional details of an associated actuator having a MEMS construction, i.e. constructed using semiconductor technology such as etching MEMS per se B81B, B81C
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2001/0052 : Special contact materials used for MEMS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 : Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details

Abstract

An optical MEMS device and a package include an optical through path for allowing light to pass from a first side of the package, through a substrate on which the optical MEMS device is mounted and through a second side of the package opposite the first side. The package can include first and second light-transmissive portions or apertures for allowing the light to pass. The optical MEMS device can be a shutter for selectively affecting the flow of light through the package. A plurality of optical MEMS devices may be located within a single package because the optical paths for the MEMS devices can be substantially parallel to each other.

Claims

1. An optical microelectromechanical system having an optical through path, the system comprising:

(a) a light-transmissive substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side;

(b) an optical MEMS device mounted on the first side of the substrate for selectively affecting optical signals transmitted through at least one of the first and second sides of the substrate; and

(c) a package for enclosing the optical MEMS device and the substrate, the package including a first light-transmissive portion for communicating light between the first side of the substrate and external devices located on the first side of the substrate and a second light-transmissive portion for communicating light between the second side of the substrate and external devices located on the second side of the substrate.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the substrate is light-transmissive at predetermined optical frequencies.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the substrate is light-transmissive at frequencies in the infrared range.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the substrate is light-transmissive at frequencies in the visible range.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the substrate comprises a silicon material.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the substrate comprises a glass material.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the optical MEMS device comprises a shutter.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the shutter includes a piezoelectric actuator.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the shutter includes a magnetic actuator.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the shutter includes a thermal actuator.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the shutter includes an electrostatic actuator.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the package comprises a zero^th level package.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the package comprises a first level package.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second light-transmissive portions comprises an aperture.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second light-transmissive portions comprises a light-transmissive material.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the package includes a base portion and having an aperture and the substrate is sealingly connected to the base portion over the aperture.

17. The system of claim 1 comprising an antireflective film located on surfaces of the substrate and the package in the optical through path.

18. The system of claim 1 comprising a plurality of optical MEMS devices located inside the package having optical communication paths through the package that are substantially parallel to each other.

20. The package of claim 19 wherein the base portion is substantially flat.

21. The package of claim 19 wherein the base portion includes a cavity for receiving the optical MEMS device and the substrate.

22. The package of claim 19 wherein the electrical leads comprise surface mount leads.

23. The package of claim 19 wherein the electrical leads comprise pin-through-hole leads.

24. The package of claim 19 wherein light-transmissive portion comprises an aperture.

25. The package of claim 19 wherein the light-transmissive portion comprises a light-transmissive material.

26. The package of claim 25 wherein the light-transmissive material is adapted to pass predetermined frequencies of light.

27. The package of claim 26 wherein the light-transmissive material is adapted to pass frequencies of light in the visible range.

28. The package of claim 26 wherein the light-transmissive material is adapted to pass frequencies of light in the infrared range.

29. The package of claim 27 wherein the light-transmissive material comprises glass.

30. The package of claim 28 wherein the light-transmissive material comprises silicon.

31. The package of claim 19 comprising a lid including a light-transmissive portion for sealingly connecting to the base portion and for allowing light to pass through the light-transmissive portion in the base portion.

19. A package for an optical MEMS device, the package comprising:

(a) a base portion having a first surface for receiving an optical MEMS device and a substrate;

(b) a plurality of electrical leads connected to the base portion for electrically connecting an optical MEMS device to external devices; and

(c) a light-transmissive portion located in the base portion for allowing light to pass through the first surface to a second surface of the base portion opposite the first surface.

32. A microelectromechanical communications system, the system comprising:

(a) an optical MEMS device;

(b) a first light source/detector located on a first side of the optical MEMS device;

(c) a second light source/detector located on a second side of the optical MEMS device, the second side being opposite the first side;

(d) a package for enclosing the optical MEMS device, the package including a first light-transmissive portion located on the first side of the optical MEMS device and a second light-transmissive portion located on the second side of the optical MEMS device, the first and second light-transmissive portions forming an optical through path for bidirectional communications between the first and second light sources/detectors.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the optical MEMS device comprises a shutter.

34. The system of claim 32 wherein at least one of the light sources/detectors includes a diode.

35. The system of claim 32 wherein at least one of the light sources/detectors includes a phototransistor.

36. The system of claim 32 comprising a first printed circuit board having an aperture, wherein the package is locate on a first surface of the first printed circuit board over the aperture and the first light source/detector is located on a second surface of the printed circuit board opposite the first surface and proximal to the aperture.

37. The system of claim 36 comprising a second printed circuit board including a first surface opposing the first surface of the first printed circuit board wherein the second light source/detector is located on the first surface of the second printed circuit board.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein emitting light from a first optical device include emitting infrared light from the first optical device.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein emitting light from a first optical device includes emitting visible light from the first optical device.

41. The method of claim 38 wherein passing light through a first surface of the package includes passing light through an aperture located in the first surface of the package.

42. The method of claim 38 wherein passing light through a first surface of the package includes passing light through a light-transmissive portion in the first surface of the package.

43. The method of claim 38 wherein selectively affecting the flow of light inside the package includes selectively blocking the flow of light through the package.

44. The method of claim 38 wherein passing light through a second surface of the package includes passing light through an aperture located in the second surface.

45. The method of claim 38 wherein passing light through a second surface of the package includes passing light through a light-transmissive portion in the second surface.

38. A method for communicating between a first optical device and a second optical device using an optical MEMS device and a package having an optical through path, the method comprising:

(a) emitting light from a first optical device located on a first side of a package containing an optical MEMS device;

(b) passing the light through a first surface located on a first side of the package;

(c) selectively affecting the flow of light within the package using the optical MEMS device; and

(d) passing light from the package through a second surface of the package located on a second side of the package opposite the first side to a second optical device located on the second side of the package.