KEYWORDS: Mirrors, Data modeling, Finite element methods, Microelectromechanical systems, Telecommunications, Micromirrors, Physics, Modeling and simulation, Data communications, Objectives
This report presents modeling and simulation work for analyzing three designs of Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) Compound Pivot Mirrors (CPM). These mirrors were made using the polysilicon SUMMiTTM process. At 75 volts and above, initial experimental analysis of fabricated mirrors showed tilt angles of up to 75 degrees for one design, and 5 degrees for the other two. Nevertheless, geometric design models predicted higher tilt angles. Therefore, a detailed finite element modeling study was conducted to explain why lower tilt angles occurred and if design modifications could bemade to produce higher tilt angles at lower voltages. This study showed that the spring stiffness of the mirrors was too great to allow for desired levels of rotation at lower levels of voltage. To create lower spring stiffness, a redesign is needed.
The optical system properties of a reconfigurable surface micromachined micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) interconnect are presented. An array of optical signals from a singlemode MT connector is first collimated by a refractive lenslet array. Each beam may be individually redirected by a rotatable, 45 degree flip-up MEMS mirror. The second, complimentary MEMS mirror folds the optical beam back through the lenslet array and couples it into a second fiber row on the MT connector. Much work has been presented promoting the utility of MEMS configurations to manipulate optical signals. This work examines, with ray tracing simulations, the proposed configuration from the detailed optical system perspective.
A slow-speed optical fiber cross-connect has been developed around surface-micromachined MEMS mirrors that pop up 45 degrees relative to the substrate and rotate 360 degrees about the normal axis. Various assembly, latching, and rotational mechanisms have been evaluated and tested, with current work focusing on demonstrating functionality. Routing capability has been characterized for 2 × 2 arrays of micromirrors, the feedback from which has been applied to second-generation designs with improved control and greater precision. The cross-connect described here is scalable and represents an important building block in a general-purpose photonic infrastructure.
The goal of this study is to understand how to optimize the performance of micro-mirrors for a variety of optical microsystem applications. Our approach relies on a number of process variations and mirror designs to ultimately produce relatively large (500μm to mm-scale), smooth (for nm RMS), and flat mirrors (greater than 1m curvature). White-light interferometric measurements, and finite element models are discussed in support of these findings. Stress gradients and residual stresses have been measured for accurate modeling of micro-mirrors. Through this modeling study, we have identified relevant structural parameters that will optimize SUMMiT V MEMS mirrors for optical applications. Ways of mitigating surface topography, print-through effects, and RMS roughness are currently being investigated.
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