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US 2025/0189727 A1Published application
Terahertz waveguide switches
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorsSofia Rahiminejad, Mina Rais-Zadeh, Cecile D. Jung-Kubiak, Goutam Chattopadhyay, Robert H. Lin, Sven L. Van Berkel, Subash Khanal
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Abstract
A MEMS switch that can be integrated with waveguides to switch transmission of terahertz electromagnetic waves between the waveguides.
Claims20
A switch, comprising:
- an Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) device comprising an actuator, the actuator comprising a motor coupled to a switching body and wherein:
- the switching body comprises a connector waveguide comprising a first connector port and a second connector port spaced by a length of the connector waveguide such that the first connector port couples to a first port of a first waveguide and the second connector port couples to a second port of a second waveguide through an air gap when the motor rotates the switching body, about a center of rotation, to an on position, and
- the waveguides are configured and dimensioned to guide an electromagnetic wave having a frequency in a range of 100 gigahertz (GHz) to 1000 terahertz (THz).
A method of making a MEMS switch, comprising:
- obtaining a wafer comprising a buffered oxide layer between a handle layer and a device layer;
- patterning a backside (handle layer) of the wafer to define the spacers;
- patterning a front side (device layer) of the wafer to define a width of the spring members as well as defining the comb-drive, including etching regions down to the buried oxide (BOX) layer;
- patterning the backside to define a connector waveguide and a groove in the switching body and to open up an area underneath the comb-drive and springs, including etching regions of the backside to the BOX layer;
- removing the BOX layer by etching from the backside;
- thus, releasing the springs and the comb-drive;
- and
- sputtering metal on the front and back of the wafer, wherein metallization on the backside forms the connector waveguide.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.