Integrated microelectromechanical polymeric photonic switch

A microelectromechanical photonic switch, comprising;

• a first optical waveguide having a first refractive index;
• a second optical waveguide having a second refractive index;
• insulative cladding between said first and second waveguides, said insulative cladding having a gap therein and having a lower refractive index than each of the first and second refractive indices, wherein said first waveguide is positioned with a predetermined first waveguide portion on one side of said gap and said second waveguide is positioned with a predetermined second waveguide portion substantially parallel to said predetermined first waveguide portion and situated on an opposing side of said gap:
• and
• means for moving at least one of said predetermined first and second waveguide portions closer to the other of said predetermined first and second waveguide portions in response to an actuation force, said means for moving comprising
• a first electrode;
• a second electrode comprising an at least partially transparent material and situated between a portion of said second waveguide and a portion of said gap;
• and
• means for advancing at least one of said first and second electrodes towards the other of said first and second electrodes so as to advance one of said first and second waveguides towards the other of said first and second waveguides.

A method of fabricating a microelectro-mechanical photonic switch on a substrate, comprising the steps of:

• applying a first cladding layer over said substrate;
• applying a first waveguide over said first cladding layer;
• applying a first electrode over said first cladding layer;
• applying an insulative cladding over said first cladding layer, said insulative cladding having an opening extending through to at least a portion of said first waveguide;
• applying a second electrode over a portion of said insulative cladding including a portion of said opening;
• applying a second waveguide over said opening;
• and
• applying a second cladding layer over said second waveguide.

A method of fabricating a microelectro-mechanical photonic switch on a substrate, comprising the steps of:

• applying a first cladding layer over said substrate;
• applying a first waveguide over said first cladding layer;
• applying an insulative cladding over said first cladding layer, said insulative cladding having an opening extending through to at least a portion of said first waveguide;
• applying one electrode over a portion of said insulative cladding including at least a portion of said opening;
• applying a second waveguide over said opening;
• applying a second cladding layer over said second waveguide.
• applying a piezoelectric strip line over said second cladding layer;
• and
• applying an additional electrode over said piezoelectric strip line.