Integration of a MEMS beam with optical waveguide and deflection in two dimensions

• US 9,435,952 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2013
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Stephens, Tab A., Pelley, Perry H., McShane, Michael B.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLEVINS, JERRY M
• Application Number:
  US13/914,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20140363119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: 385/14, 438/597
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/136 by etching
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3502 involving direct waveguide displacement, e.g. cantilever type waveguide displacement involving waveguide bending, or displacing an interposed waveguide between stationary waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3562 Switch of the bypass type, i.e. enabling a change of path in a network, e.g. to bypass a failed element in the network
• 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 6/3584 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: G02B 6/3588 of the processed beams, i.e. controlling during switching of orientation, alignment, or beam propagation properties such as intensity, size or shape
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3596 With planar waveguide arrangement, i.e. in a substrate, regardless if actuating mechanism is outside the substrate

Abstract

A high density, low power, high performance information system, method and apparatus are described in which an integrated circuit apparatus includes a plurality of deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguides (e.g., 190) at each die edge which are each formed with an optical beam structure (193) which is encapsulated by a waveguide beam structure (194) to extend into a deflection cavity (198) and which is surrounded by a plurality of deflection electrodes (195-197) that are positioned on walls of the deflection cavity (198) to provide two-dimensional deflection control of each deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguide in response to application of one or more deflection voltages to provide optical communications (e.g., 184) between different die.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguide which is formed in an integrated circuit; and

a plurality of deflection electrodes positioned around the deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguide to provide two-dimensional deflection control for the deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguide in response to application of one or more deflection voltages.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, where the plurality of deflection electrodes comprises a at least two lateral deflection electrodes positioned laterally to one side of the deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguide, where each of the at least two lateral deflection electrodes may be connected to a separate deflection voltage to provide a separate lateral deflection force.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, where the plurality of deflection electrodes comprises first and second vertical deflection electrodes positioned above the deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguide, where each of the first and second vertical deflection electrodes may be connected to a separate deflection voltage to provide a separate vertical deflection force.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, where the plurality of deflection electrodes comprises:

a first lateral deflection electrode positioned laterally to one side of the deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguide, where the first lateral deflection electrode may be connected to a first deflection voltage to provide a lateral deflection force; and

a first vertical deflection electrode positioned above the deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguide, where the first vertical deflection electrode may be connected to a second deflection voltage to provide a vertical deflection force.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, where the plurality of deflection electrodes comprises:

a first lateral deflection electrode positioned laterally to a first side of the deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguide;

a second lateral deflection electrode positioned laterally to second, opposite side of the deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguide;

a first vertical deflection electrode positioned above the deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguide; and

a second vertical deflection electrode positioned below the deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguide,

where each of the first lateral deflection electrode, second lateral deflection electrode, first vertical deflection electrode, second vertical deflection electrode may be connected to a separate deflection voltage to provide a separate deflection force on the deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguide.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, where the deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguide comprises a cantilevered optical beam structure comprising silicon which is encapsulated by a waveguide beam structure comprising oxide to limit dispersion of light from the cantilevered optical beam structure.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, where the plurality of deflection electrodes comprises a plurality of deflection electrodes, each comprising a silicide layer.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of top and side electrodes formed on the deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguide with a plurality of conductive layers formed in the deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguide to provide two-dimensional deflection control of the deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguide.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, where each deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguide comprises a cantilevered optical beam structure comprising silicon oxide which is encapsulated by a waveguide beam structure comprising silicon to limit dispersion of light from the cantilevered optical beam structure.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising optical circuitry in which a laser transmitter generates a laser beam which is modulated with signal information to generate optical signal information which transmitted on an optical beam waveguide to the deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguide at a die edge.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, where the deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguide is formed with a cantilevered optical beam structure which is encapsulated by a waveguide beam structure to extend into a deflection cavity formed in the integrated circuit, where the plurality of deflection electrodes are positioned on walls of the deflection cavity.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, where the deflectable MEMS optical beam waveguide extends to a die edge side surface of the integrated circuit.

13. A method comprising:

providing a plurality of deflection voltages to a corresponding plurality of deflection electrodes positioned around a deflectable integrated circuit MEMS optical beam waveguide to provide two-dimensional deflection control of the deflectable integrated circuit MEMS optical beam waveguide in response to application of the plurality of deflection voltages.

14. The method of claim 13, where providing the plurality of deflection voltages comprises:

providing a first plurality of deflection voltages to a corresponding first plurality of deflection electrodes positioned on a wall of the deflection cavity on a first side of the deflectable integrated circuit MEMS optical beam waveguide;

providing a second plurality of deflection voltages to a corresponding second plurality of deflection electrodes positioned on a wall of the deflection cavity on a second, opposite side of the deflectable integrated circuit MEMS optical beam waveguide;

providing a third plurality of deflection voltages to a corresponding third plurality of deflection electrodes positioned on a wall of the deflection cavity above the deflectable integrated circuit MEMS optical beam waveguide, thereby providing two-dimensional deflection control of the deflectable integrated circuit MEMS optical beam waveguide in response to application of the plurality of deflection voltages.

15. The method of claim 13, where providing the plurality of deflection voltages comprises:

providing a first deflection voltage to a first deflection electrode positioned on a wall of the deflection cavity on a first side of the deflectable integrated circuit MEMS optical beam waveguide; and

providing a second deflection voltage to a second deflection electrode positioned on a wall of the deflection cavity above the deflectable integrated circuit MEMS optical beam waveguide, thereby providing two-dimensional deflection control of the deflectable integrated circuit MEMS optical beam waveguide in response to application of the first and second deflection voltages.